Planting Information > What to do When > August

According to the Antipodean Astro Planting Calendar for August:

Thursday 12th excellent for Leaf Vegetables.

For the 2004 calendar contact: Brian Keats PO Box 1560 Bowal NSW 2576 (price: $14.00)

Fruit

Custard Apple: Harvest every 3 to 4 days as fruit matures. Don't let trees dry out. Apply Dolomite to soil 20 grams per square metre to drip line.

Figs: Figs are only produced on new wood of the new seasons growth. Mulch well.

Lychee: Do not let trees dry out. Minimal watering is needed. Check emerging flowers for flower caterpillars. If more than 50% are infested, spray with Pyrethrum or garlic spray.

Low chill stone fruit: Peak or critical water needs- water trees 2 weeks before flowering and 3 weeks after, in late July start blossom thinning. Winter prune late varieties. 30% of annual fertiliser can be applied - 20 grams of Organic Extra per square metre to drip line of trees, dry out, continue to spray copper based spray for anthracnose if visible.

Mango: Don't let trees dry out. Continue with copper based spray for anthracnose if visible.

Passion fruit: Don't let the vines dry out. Keep up the fish and kelp sprays every month. Small amount of Organic Extra can be applied to vines, 20 grams per square metre (e.g. large vines 100 grams, small vines 50 grams).

Pawpaw: Spray with wettable sulphur if powdery mildew is a problem. Minimal water- Use copper based sprays if black spot is about. Pick fruit at mature stage with 50% colour to have full flavour.

Persimmon: Minimal water required at this time.

Strawberries: Feed with Organic Extra. Also use fish and kelp regularly over plants to keep in good health. This will prevent fruit rot. Pick fruit when fully ripe. Keep plants fully watered - try not to wet the berries. This will prevent fruit rot. Mulch plants so the berries not lie on the soil, one of the best mulches is pine needles

Chores for August

• Plant new rose trees.
• Sow seeds and plant seedlings of any herb except basil (wait until days are really warm for that).
• Prune any untidy geraniums. Water in a handful of complete fertiliser around each.
• Plant potatoes and sweet potatoes in the vegetable garden. mound up soil around potatoes already growing.
• Fertilise roses with animal manure (preferably cow manure).
• Plant gladiolus corms for early flowers.
• Finish off winter pruning jobs.
• Plant pawpaw seedlings as soon as weather is warm.
• Keep annual flowering seedlings weeded, and maintain watering if necessary.
• Dig over beds for dahlia planting in the next three months.
• Divide and replant perennials (gaillardia, gazania, rudbeckia, and statice).
• Plant Rhubarb crowns if not done in June.
• Take cuttings of acalypha, hibiscus.

A month for starting a Vegetable Patch

August is a good month for every part of Australia for planting a vegetable garden. Even the smallest yard has room for a few of the more compact vegetables, but there are three essentials:

1. All day sunshine;
2. Well prepared and well drained soil; and
3. Plenty of water.

Many kinds of vegetables can be grown in tubs if space is really scarce, although this kind of gardening takes devotion because tubs dry out quickly.

Choose the Site

1. Vegetables don't like shade.
2. Recommended is north/south for rows
3. Tall and climbing plants on the south side of beds to prevent shadow on the other vegies.

Soil Preparation

A good friable soil is best, but clayey and sandy soil can be adapted to suit vegetables:

• Compost and rotted animal manure to the sandy soil.
• Clayey needs gypsum, rake two-thirds cups to each square metre also compost and composted animal manures repeat every six months.

Soil pH

• A pH reading of 7 means soil is neutral. Acid soils read at a lower number and alkaline soil is a higher one.
• Add a cup of dolomite if the soil is too acid.
• Add barrow loads of manure and leaf mould if too alkaline.
• Vegetables that prefer slightly alkaline soil include: Green kinds such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and peas, cucumbers, pumpkins, marrows, melons, zucchini, carrots, onions, parsnips, asparagus, beetroot and sweet com.
• Vegetables that prefer slightly acid soil include: potatoes and sweet potatoes, radish, tomatoes.

Watering

Good drainage is essential, raise beds if necessary to ward off problems.

If vegetables begin to dry out they will soon begin to falter. A thick mulch tucked around vegies will help them to cope with hot weather and reduce the amount of water needed. A good planting guide will help to guide you as to when to plant.

A good sequence for crops in one bed would be:

• Legumes (peas etc.);
• Cabbage family and other greens;
• Root vegetables (Carrots) and onions;
• Tubers (potatoes);
• Cucurbits ( cucumbers); and
• Odds and ends including celery, sweet com and tomatoes.