Winter Greens

Make the most of the warmth of August to start sowing vegetable seeds and planting seed potatoes to harvest in the months to come

- Sue Bradley

THE lazy days of early August are a great time to be sowing and growing, with several vegetables getting off to a flying start in the warm soil.

And with temperatures in the UK often remaining favourable until well into the autumn, summer sowings should yield reasonable harvests that can be kept going for even longer if grown in containers that can be brought into a greenhouse or polytunnel to protect them from the ravages of wintry weather.

Using large pots and troughs also makes it easier to move crops into partial shade away from direct sun should it get particularly hot.

One of the key considerations when sowing in August is to keep crops watered well during dry spells to ensure seedlings don’t wither and prevent more established crops from bolting.

Small and tasty roots

August sowing is particularly suited for those who enjoy their roots smaller and tasty, such as baby carrots, beetroot and kohlrabi, and it’s a great way to ensure a supply of cut-and-come-again salad leaves over several weeks.

There’s also time to think about putting in a few seed potatoes for tasty additions to Christmas meals. These tubers, sold by specialist growers, don’t need chitting and will romp away in the warm soil, although growth will slow as the months advance. Plant them close to the start of August and they should be ready to harvest in 12-14 weeks.