What to sow
Cabbages – early spring varieties
Pak choi
What to plant out
Pak choi
Other jobs on the plot
Prune apricot, peach and nectarine trees in August, straight after fruiting, themain aim being to remove diseased or damaged branches/twigs, any that are crossing and rubbing each other, and to improve the shape of the tree. They can also be trained, by a combination of pruning and tying to canes/wires, to a fan shape against a wall.
This is also the month for the main pruning of cherry trees.
Summer-fruiting raspberry varieties should be pruned after all the fruits have been gathered. Cut canes that fruited down to ground level but leave about six young canes per plant to grow on and fruit next year.
Check all winter squashes (pumpkins, butternuts etc.) and limit the number of developing fruits to 4-6 per plant.
Lift onions and dry them in the sun for a week or two before storage. The easiest method is to lay them in trays, clean seed trays will do, and leave them outdoors, bringing them inside if rain threatens.
Fresh from the plot
Apples
Apricots
Artichoke, globe
Aubergine
Beetroot
Broccoli – calabrese
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherries
Chinese cabbage
Courgettes
Cucumber
Currants – black
Figs
Florence fennel
French beans
Garlic
Grapes
Lettuce
Melon
Onions
Pak choi
Peaches, nectarines
Pears
Peas
Pepper – chilli, capsicum
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins/squashes
Radish
Raspberries
Runner beans
Spinach, chard
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Turnips

What to store or process
Apricots
Aubergine
Cauliflower (make piccalilli – see our recipe in Fruits and Vegetables, page XX)
Celery
Courgettes
French beans
Garlic
Peaches, nectarines
Peas
Runner beans
Strawberries
