Veg Addict Subscription – August

Hello Veg Addict

Welcome to your guide for your August ‘get growing’ seed subscription!

Here’s what’s in your box:

• Romanesco Cauliflower Jesi
• Kohlrabi Supersschmelz
• Mustard Wasabi
• Bok Choy Purple Lady
• Onion Ramata

Romanesco Cauliflower Jesi

Sowing info

The best time for planting cauliflower seeds indoors is four to seven weeks before the last average frost. Sow your seeds at a depth 1cm and water them thoroughly, germination takes 8 to 10 days.

Growing info

Transplant your seedlings outside two to four weeks before the last frost date. They’ll still be sensitive to cold, so make sure to harden them off carefully first. Set them outside, out of the wind, for about one hour, then bring them inside. Repeat this every day, leaving them outside an hour longer each time. If it’s unusually cold out, skip a day. Keep this up for two weeks before planting them in the ground.

Kohlrabi Supersschmelz

Sowing info

Kohlrabi seedlings dislike root disturbance, so best sown 1cm into modular trays and planted out approx 5 weeks later. Grow on in a well-lit frost-free place and harden off before planting out.

Growing info

Take care to plant the seedlings with the top of the root ball level with the soil surface, as the swollen stems will develop from just above ground. Kohlrabi is ready to harvest within two to three months. Cut them at the root and remove the oldest leaves to help keep the plant fresh.

Mustard Wasabi

Sowing info

Surface sow onto moist compost and just cover. Plant out when big enough to handle. Alternatively sow direct 1cm deep. Regular succession sowing throughout the year will give an almost year round supply.

Growing info

Can be grown as a spring crop but may bolt in warmer weather so will perform better in the cooler months. Treat as a cut and come again when harvesting. No need to cover it as it’s relatively unbothered by pests and birds.

Blog – How to Sow and grow Salad Leaves

Bok Choy Purple Lady

Sowing info

Sow early indoors in module trays or direct in well prepared ground. Sow seed thinly 1.5cm deep and thin as necessary to leave up to 20 cm between the plants. You can use the thinnings as salad or garnish. Bok choy is fast growing and can be cut at about 3 weeks for baby leaves or 4 to 6 weeks for full size. Not recommended for mid summer growing due to its tendency to blot.

Growing info

Succession planting will give you a longer season, undercover sowings can also extend the growing season into winter. Once mature, plants are cold tolerant but will not survive a heavy frost.

Onion Ramata

Sowing info

This variety can only be sown now for overwintering. Sow seeds about 1 cm deep in moist but not waterlogged compost, ideally in module trays or small pots. Maintain a temperature of around 15°C for reliable germination. Once seedlings are established, keep them in a cold frame, unheated greenhouse, or other sheltered spot over winter. Then, plant them out in early spring as soon as conditions allow for a strong, early start to the season.

Growing info

Once seedlings are established, thin to around 10 cm apart, don’t waste the thinnings, they’re delicious in salads. Onions are ready to harvest when the foliage flops over and starts to yellow. Lift them and leave to dry in a well-ventilated, sheltered spot for two weeks to allow the skins to cure properly before storing.

Garden jobs for this August

• Harvest and Preserve – Pick ripening crops like tomatoes, courgettes, beans, and sweetcorn regularly to encourage continued production. Start preserving gluts by freezing, drying, or making sauces and jams.
• Sow for Autumn and Winter Crops – Direct sow fast-growing salad leaves, radishes, carrots. You can also start hardy greens like spinach, chard, and kale for overwintering.
• Care for Perennials and Beds – Deadhead flowers to prolong blooming and keep beds weeded and mulched to retain moisture. Consider planting green manures in empty beds to enrich the soil.