Although August is the height of the summer, and it’s worthwhile taking time to stop and smell the roses, the vegetable gardener also has to be aware that autumn is just around the corner. That doesn’t have to be a depressing thought! It just means you need to harvest any crops that won’t survive the first frosts, and that you may want to preserve some so that you can have a homegrown taste of summer during the winter months. You should have some new crops on the way to look forward to, and be thinking about potting up herbs to bring under cover for the winter.
It’s also a great time to look around the garden and think about what has worked well, and what hasn’t. Make a note of any favourite crops you want to grow next year, and investigate whether you can save seeds, or divide perennials. Have you got the time and energy to expand your growing area next year, or do you need to cut back a little and concentrate your efforts? It’s also a great time to stock up on gardening supplies, whether you pop to the garden centre or head to an online store such as Lionshome.
If you’re buying seeds or garden supplies then it’s worth noting that T&M is offering a £20 discount on orders over £100 this year. You can access that offer by clicking this link. It should automagically apply the right coupon code to your shopping basket. That’s an affiliate link, and if you click through and make a purchase I’ll earn a few pennies to keep me in seed potatoes.
If your runner beans aren’t setting, it’s probably due to a lack of water, so drench the soil (not the plants!) well twice a week to try and boost them back into production. Pinch out the tops of tomato plants to stop them growing and taller, encouraging them to concentrate on growing and
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