For experienced gardeners in August, the season does not end with harvesting and harvesting seeds. There are a number of early maturing crops that can easily be grown before the first frost. We will tell you how to effectively use the vacant space in the beds in August and get an additional harvest.
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We plant greens
Many varieties of green vegetables are suitable for late summer planting.
Such crops include:
- Salads. To obtain fresh juicy greens, you need to choose early ripening varieties with a short ripening period, resistant to cold and high humidity. Most often, hybrid, cabbage or leafy lettuce varieties are chosen for planting. It ripens in 1-1.5 months, even at temperatures around 10-15 ° C. Examples of suitable varieties are Fairy Tale, Robin or Grand.
- Rucola. The plant is planted in the beds after legumes, pumpkins or potatoes. The culture grows quickly and can withstand light frosts. With a strong cold snap, it is better to cover the planting. A place for growing should be selected illuminated or in a light partial shade and the plant should be thoroughly watered. Popular varieties are Rocket, Euphoria, Corsica.
- Spinach. The plant prefers short daylight hours and coolness, so August is good for planting. It grows well and ripens in about a month at temperatures from 15 to 19 ° C and abundant watering. Suitable varieties are Krepysh, Gigantic and Bloomsdelsky.
- Spicy herbs (basil, dill, parsley) can be planted until September and, on average, get a harvest of fresh greens in a month. To speed up the germination of seeds, they should be rubbed in the palms and soaked for a day in warm water or for a couple of hours in a growth stimulator.
Choosing suitable vegetable crops
Among vegetables, several popular types are also known that can be safely planted in August:
- Cabbage - white and Chinese (pak-choy). For the August crops, early ripening varieties are taken, which are sown in open ground in the beds after the onion. The distance between plants should not be less than 20-30 cm. Crops must be well shed and covered with foil for better germination. Good varieties are Hermes, Bingo, Rinda F1. The crop is harvested in September. Cabbage is consumed fresh or fermented, not used for storage. Chinese cabbage ripens in 2 months. For planting in August, the varieties Swallow, Prima, Vesnyanka are chosen.
- Radish - black, Japanese, Chinese, Russian and daikon. Seeds are planted on the beds after cucumbers at a distance of about 30 cm from each other, this is especially important for large-fruited species. Popular varieties are Sudarushka, Delikates, Odessa. Thorough watering is required for fruit formation.
- Beetroot - can be sown at the end of summer, but a good harvest will ripen only in warm autumn conditions. The upper parts of the root crop protruding from the soil should be covered with earth by hilling. Varieties that can be taken for planting in August are Cold Resistant 19, Modana or Red Ball.
- Radish - ideal for sowing in August, as the light level at the end of summer is best for good fruit ripening. The plant is planted after garlic or peas; if there is a risk of frost, the planting must be covered. Harvesting can be done 2-3 weeks after sowing. Suitable varieties - Heat, Greenhouse, French breakfast.
Preparatory work for sowing in August
In order for late summer crops to germinate quickly and well, it is necessary to prepare the soil and planting material for sowing:
- The soil is carefully shed before planting to make it easier for the seeds to break through the topsoil.
- The seeds should be soaked in a biostimulator, for example, in "Zircon" or "Epin".
- The beds are dug up and loosened, since seeds germinate faster in loose soil.
- When sowing greens, fertilizers with nitrogen and potassium are added to the soil in order to make the first cut in a couple of weeks.
- After sowing, the soil is lightly tamped and watered. When the top layer dries, it is carried out with a rake along the beds and tightened with a film.
It will not be difficult to grow a crop again in the summer if you know which crops are suitable for planting in August. Use the vacated beds, having previously prepared them for sowing, do not forget about regular watering and until the very frost you will be able to provide yourself with fresh herbs and vegetables.
Do you know what else you can plant in your garden?
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