August means that summer is in full swing. Children are on their school holidays and fingers crossed the weather is providing some seasonal  sunshine for us all to enjoy. For gardener’s it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your efforts as the fruit and veg patch moves into top gear. Crops that enjoy the heat are coming into their prime, and whether you grow your own, buy from farmshops, supermarkets or veg vans, there’s really is a fantastic bounty of native produce on offer.

Fruit in season

For those who are growing their own; raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries and greengages are the stars of the fruit garden. Other fruit in season includes: Blackberries, Bilberries, Bramley Apples, Loganberries, Plums, Redcurrants, Strawberries.

Vegetables in season

Two mainstays of the veg plot in August are peas and beans. There are many types and varieties of each – we tend to grow our favourites which are French beans and sugar snap peas.  For the kitchen gardener vegetables you could be harvesting may include beetroot, potatoes, radishes, turnips and lettuce, peas and perhaps even broccoli depending of course on your planting schedule.

At this time of year there is now an extensive range of commercially grown UK crops that you should also look out for: Artichokes, Aubergines, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chillies, Cucumber, Fennel, Garlic, Kohl Rabi, Lettuce, Marrow, New Potatoes, Onions, Pak Choi, Radishes, Rocket, Samphire, Spinach, Spring Onions, Squash, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Turnips and  Watercress.

Foraged foods

Natures larder has lots to offer the forager in August, including Blackberries, Rowan berries, Hazlenuts, crab apples and Elderberries.

Herbs

Lots of herbs are available to be harvested; Basil, Chervil, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Oregano, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Sorrel, Tarragon, Thyme