What To Plant In Your Polytunnel or Greenhouse in August

August is a busy time in your greenhouse or polytunnel. Many of the crops planted in them earlier in the year are really paying off this month. If you have planted and planned well over the last few months then you could be eating really well. There is something to harvest at every turn and you may even be faced with a glut of something or other. Gluts can be overwhelming but if you take some time you can make good use of everything that your under-cover growing space can provide.


Cucumber
Tomatoes

Courgettes and cucumbers will be producing prolifically this month and you will likely see tomatoes ripening on the vines. French and runner beans will be podding and you may still have some summer peas if you have practised successional planting. Salad crops will be abundant and you will have no shortage of summer greens to keep you and your family healthy. Peppers (chillies and bell peppers) and other hot weather crops will be in flower and you may see the peppers forming towards the end of the month, even in more northern regions. Your polytunnel or greenhouse is likely to be crammed full of good things to eat. The difficulty is in keeping everything in check and making sure that pests and disease cannot take hold.


Kohlrabi

But August also offers your last chance to plant in your under-cover growing space for the winter and to see you through the hungry gap next year. Whenever any spaces do open up, you should be preparing to fill them with winter salad crops, spinach, and brassicas like kohlrabi, pak choi, winter sprouting broccoli and winter cabbages. Making sure that you are prepared before the end of the summer is essential if you are interested in year round growing and eating.


In August the weather can be very unpredictable but it is likely that hot weather will be on the cards for most of us at some point in the month. Make sure that you water frequently and deeply and always make sure that the growing space is well ventilated. Keep on top of weeding and make sure that you quickly remove any dead foliage to prevent the spread of disease.


When removing summer crops and planting crops for the winter and for next spring, take the chance to amend the soil with a top dressing of good quality compost or another good, balanced fertiliser. Consider crop rotation even inside and plan to ensure that the same crops are not grown in the same bed or container for more than one year.


Spend plenty of time in your under-cover growing space this month, planting, watering, checking and of course, harvesting. If you have had a good year then there will certainly be plenty of harvesting to do this month.