University of Vermont Extension
Department of Plant and Soil Science
Summer News
Article
HARVESTING
HERBS AND OTHER AUGUST GARDENING TIPS
Charlie Nardozzi,
Horticulturist and
Leonard Perry, UVM Extension
Horticulturist
Harvesting
herbs, sowing fall garden crops or cover crops, and dividing bearded
iris are
some of the gardening tips for this month.
Herbs
are best harvested just as they are beginning to flower in the
morning. That's
when they have the highest concentration of essential oils -- and
flavor -- in
their leaves. Harvest entire branches back to within a few inches of
the main
stem to encourage new, bushy growth.
If
you have some bare spots in the garden, sow some carrots, beets,
kale, and fall
lettuce. You can even start snow peas and beans for a modest fall
crop. Soak
the pea seeds overnight to hasten germination.
As
you remove spent plants from your garden beds, if you’re not
planting a fall
crop, sow a cover crop such as winter rye. This will help reduce
weed
infestation, minimize erosion and compaction from fall rains, and
will add
nutrients and organic matter to the soil when it is tilled under
next spring.
When
Oriental poppies have died down, check around the clump for new
seedlings.
These can be transplanted to new locations if you give them a
weed-free spot
and keep them moist.
If
you haven’t divided bearded iris in a few years, and the clumps are
large or no
longer flowering well, you should divide them.
Lift carefully with a spading fork, dividing by hand or sharp
pruners. Leave several fans of leaves
for each division. Check the tubers for
holes and mushy areas—signs
of the iris borer—discarding these in the trash, not the compost.
Replant,
making sure the top of the tuber is at the surface of the soil.
Check
out dates for local fairs. These are a
great place to get ideas on new flowers and arranging them. Try
entering some of your own—you may just be
surprised that you have more talent than you think!
If
going on vacation, make sure you have a plant sitter. Go over all
that needs watering with
them. Grouping pots together, if you
have many, or moving them into the shade, will make their job
easier.
If
you have raspberries that fruited in mid-summer, cut back the
fruiting canes
from this year. These wont fruit again,
but rather next year’s fruit will be borne on new canes that grew
this year. Of course don’t cut back fall-fruiting
raspberries if you want fruit later.
Begin
harvesting onions when about half to three quarters of the leaves
have died
back. Then gently dig or pull the onions and store them in a dry,
shady place
with good ventilation, such as an outdoor shed or barn, for 10 days
to 2 weeks.
After the onions have cured, put them in slatted crates or mesh bags
and store
them indoors in a basement with low humidity and temperatures
between 33 and 45
degrees F over fall and winter.
Keep
up with harvest of all your produce, giving excess to friends or
local food
shelf. Keep up especially with squash
and zucchini. If your pickling cucumbers
do get too large, consider making watermelon-type pickles with them
instead of
the traditional dill pickles.
(Charlie Nardozzi is a nationally known horticulturist,
author, gardening consultant, and garden coach; CharlieNardozzi.com).
Return to
Perry's Perennial
Pages, Articles 