In the garden month of August, the first apples and pears can be harvested and tasted in addition to fruit vegetables such as tomatoes, courgettes and cucumbers. In addition, however, it is important to make the first preparations for the coming gardening season. In this article you will find out what these are and how you can properly support the branches of apple and pear trees before the harvest in autumn.
If a lot of fruit develops on apple or pear trees, the tree and branches can reach their limits in late summer. The heavy pome fruit sometimes pulls the branches down in such a way that they snap off. This means that part of the harvest is lost. To prevent this, the branches with the most fruit should be supported. This works best with a wooden construction.
To do this, proceed as follows:
Option A: Saw two untreated construction strips (round or square) so that you can build a “T” out of them. Nail the shorter cross beam to the support beam and place the T-Bracket under the heavy branch. Drive the support a few more centimeters into the ground with a rubber mallet so that the structure stands securely.
Option B: Alternatively, the support can also be made from a simple wooden board. To do this, shorten a board to the desired length and prepare it with a notch at one end that can hold the branch. It is best to use a jigsaw for this. Then use a wood drill to drill a small hole in the board just below the notch and thread some bast through it. Now attach the raffia to the branch and knot it.
It’s a pity: Even the most beautiful roses fade at some point. In the first half of August, the faded side shoots should be shortened so that they develop strong shoots again and bloom profusely in the next garden year. This works best with classic rose scissors with the so-called bypass technique (e.g. from Grüntek). You can find more tips on pruning roses here. In addition, roses look forward to some potash fertilizer before the start of the dormant period in autumn and winter. When you get the chance, aerate the soil around the rose directly. Especially after rainfall, this is really good for the rose bed.
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Fruit vegetables such as pumpkin, cucumber, tomatoes or zucchini are extremely thirsty anyway. If there is no water from above for a longer period of time, the fruits switch to the low flame and growth stops. In the worst case, the small cucumbers and courgettes, which are almost 100 percent water, will shrivel and dry out. That is why they should be supplied with water from the rain barrel or the tap every day in August. Important: If possible, water in the early morning hours and water the plants directly at the root ball. The leaves should be avoided, especially when watering in the midday and evening hours. Sunburn is otherwise inevitable. Ergo: the good old watering can should be preferred to the automatic sprinkler system.
Even the otherwise lush green often suffers badly from the high temperatures and long dry periods. The culms no longer have sufficient strength to assert themselves against unwanted herbs such as dandelion or clover. Therefore, apply some slow-release fertilizer in moderation in August and close gaps in the lawn with fresh seeds. The lawnmower (here a Bosch model) should also be used at least once a week.
It may sound strange, but young strawberry plants should be planted as early as August in a bed that has been freed of weeds and is as moist as possible. Important: In order for the sweet little fruits to ripen well next summer, it is best to move the plants to a bed that has been a strawberry-free zone for at least three years. After planting, treat the strawberries to a sack of garden peat.
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