Seed Addict Subscription – August

Hello Seed Addict

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

Here’s what’s in your box:

• Cauliflower Sicilian Violet
• Kohlrabi Supersschmelz
• Mustard Wasabi
• Pak Choi Vivid
• Onion Ramata

Cauliflower Sicilian Violet

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

Pak Choi Vivid

Sowing info

Sow direct in well prepared ground in August and September. Sprinkle seed thinly in drills 15 cm apart and thin as necessary to leave up to 30 cm between the plants. You can use the thinnings as salad or garnish. Vivid Choi is fast growing and can be cut at about 3 weeks for baby leaf or 4 to 6 weeks after planting at full size.

Growing info

Succession planting with give you a longer season, undercover sowings can also extend the growing season. You can also try a quick crop by sowing again in spring. Harvest by cutting individual leaves as required. Plants are very cold tolerant but Vivid Choi will not survive a heavy frost.

Onion Ramata

Sowing info

Can be direct sown or multi sown into module trays before planting out. Sow seed 1 cm deep and keep the soil lightly moist and the temperature around 15 C until germination. Plant out after all risk of frost has passed.

Growing info

Thin seedlings to roughly 10 cm spacing, thinnings can be enjoyed in salads. Onions are ready to harvest when foliage flops over and starts to yellow and onions should then be hung somewhere dry, to cure the skin for 2 weeks before storage.

Blog – How to Sow and Grow Onions

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.