In this article we introduce the august moon calendar to understand how to organize our work in the garden this month. This is the period in which the preparation of the autumn garden comes to life. So let’s try to understand what and when to sow following the natural ones phases of the lunar calendar.
Furthermore, it must also be borne in mind that many of our summer crops are in full production. In fact, let’s not forget that August is the month of preserves (we will also see which preserves to make).
So let’s see what are the main jobs to do in this period in our organic garden. And let’s try to understand how it is best to move.
The moon of August
Let’s start immediately with the lunar calendar of the month of Augustwhich opens with a crescent moon phase, until August 11, after the last new moon on July 28.
But let’s see in detail the calendar with the different phases that follow each other.
- The first quarter takes place on August 5th
- The full moon in August is for day 12 and begins the waning (missing) phase of the lunar cycle
- The last quarter of the moon is marked for August 19th
- The new moon (new moon) this month is scheduled for August 27 and kicks off the crescent phase of the lunar cycle that will extend into September.
The month of September will in fact begin with a crescent moon phase until day 9, with the next full moon obviously falling the next day.
In summary, for the month of August we will therefore have:
- crescent moon phase until 11 August
- waning moon from 12 to 26 August
- crescent moon starting August 27.
The moon of August suggests that it is the early part of the month, with the waxing moon until 11 August, the best time to proceed with all the main sowing operations and transplant.
August is the month of preserves
In August you can take advantage of the holidays and the more time available to devote to preserves. In particular, the tomato sauce which is usually at the peak of its ripeness at the end of this month. You can prepare the sauce or follow the recipe for dried tomatoes in oil.
Other very interesting preserves are those of pickled zucchiniof the eggplant he was born in basil pesto. It will therefore be necessary to equip yourself for preserves, obtaining bottles and jars (which, if you do not have, you can find here). Obviously these will first be sterilized by boiling.
Then various equipment is needed, such as presses (find here) or dryers (like this).
The calendar of sowing and work in the garden in August
As we saw in the sowing and moon calendarthe middle of summer is the ideal time to sow or transplant autumn vegetables.
The seedbed of August
Nursery with polystyrene seed trays
In the seedbed, during the waxing moon phase, the sowing of the different types of lettuce, curly and smooth escarole, chard, spinach, radish, rocket salad, puntarella, fennel, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, winter cabbage, Roman broccoli. Very interesting in this period can be the sowing of turnip broccoli in seedbedsearly varieties, as direct sowing in the heat of August could create problems for small shoots.
These are vegetables that, in a gradual manner, we will find ourselves ready for transplanting in the month of September. And which, in essence, represent the self-produced plants for our autumn garden.
For the seedbed it is advisable to use perforated polystyrene leftover from spring cultivation, which, if well preserved, can be reused over time.
Planting in the open field
Open field transplants can also be done with the august moon growing. In this phase, the seedlings of the seedbeds prepared in July can be put into residence. Leafy vegetables, in particular, develop rapidly in this period. Also, we are in the cut-off period regarding the cultivation of courgettes and gods cucumbers. If transplanted now they will begin to bear fruit towards the end of September.
During the waning moon phase in the central part of the month, from 12 to 26, direct sowing can be carried out in the open field of the carrot and of beetroot. These will be sown by arranging flower beds with drainage channels, to avoid water stagnation during the winter.
Work in the garden in August
In the month of August we are in the middle of the production phase for many crops. In particular the nightshades such as tomato, aubergine, pepper. So we will devote more attention to the protection of crops, especially from heat. Furthermore, it will be necessary to take care of the regularity of the harvests and the cleaning of old or excess vegetation.
Attention in this period to the birds and other wild animals, attracted to our ripe fruit.
Some crops will be at the end of their cycle, it will therefore be necessary to remove the crop residues that cannot be incorporated into the soil. It will also be necessary to think about the collection and storage of the material used (nets, poles, wires, irrigation pipes).
Immediate cleaning will be required after cleaning tillage of the land. This is to bury light waste, the mulch with straw and allow time for the natural transformation of the whole into organic substance.
The collections of the month of August
In addition to the vegetables of the period, very interesting are the collections of some fruits, which in August are in full swing or at the beginning of ripening. We are talking about the classics figs, with which you can prepare tasty preserves. But also gods prickly pearswhich from the end of this month begin to color our campaigns.
For those who are passionate about collecting herbs and wild plants, however, we are in a great time to harvest burdock, borage, dandelion, purslane And hypericum.
Be careful when we walk in the woods, this is the period most at risk as regards the presence of vipers And ticks.
Biological defense of plants
As always, let’s take a look at the biological defense strategies of crops. In August, favored by the infamous tropical showers that now occur in our country, fungal diseases are frequent. In particular powdery mildew And downy mildew.
In July it is more difficult for them to show up, but in August the risk is high. The problem facing us is the difficulty in prevention. Treatments with copper are not recommended in full harvest, due to the varying times of shortage. We must intervene promptly, when the risk of the disease arises (before an expected storm, for example). Maybe you can act with a solution of sodium bicarbonateor, as a preventive measure, with a natural macerate such as that of horsetaila plant that is found in abundance in this period.
As for the insects, if on the one hand we will see less aphids And red spideron the other hand we will pay maximum attention to bedbugs and to Colorado potato beetle. Against these insects it is necessary to act both with natural preparations (nettle And garlic) than with more incisive biological remedies, such as neem oil or bacillus thuringiensis.
In August, then, begins to return to the limelight cabbagefor which a very effective natural remedy is the macerate of tomato leaves and feminelle.
Now that we have seen the august moon and studied what to do for our garden, good work and happy holidays. Even if the garden never goes on vacation, remember this!
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