Garden list for August

Things I want to achieve in August 2025

I’m launching into this month with trepidation.  All the things I normally do at this time of year are demanding my attention in order to be ‘spring ready’.  But just to add to the mix I’m testing my microclimate boundaries and will be starting all my seeds about a month earlier than usual.  This fills me with trepidation, because it isn’t the early start that is the problem, it is the early garden planting where the risk lies.  I will of course have backups for just in case.

On the whole the garden is more ready for spring than it usually is at this stage, but I’ve had an eye on this early start for a while and have been working towards it.  That doesn’t mean my to do list is shorter than normal.  It is still way more than I can possibly achieve in a month of Sunday’s but if you don’t have goals, then nothing gets done and there is nothing like a healthy dose of optimism to make all sorts of unusual things happen.

GARDEN GARDENING

• Sow seeds and care for seedlings
• Weekly weeding of all sectors.
• Continue with bricks in paths.
• Clear sand along fence line.
• Trap possums.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Sector 1

• Prepare beds for planting.
• Prepare growing structures.

Sector 2

• Prepare beds for planting.
• Prepare growing structures.

Sector 3

• Tidy up beside the shed.
• Prepare beds for planting.
• Prepare growing structures.
• Eat root crops and leafy greens.
• Chit and plant potatoes.

Sector 4

• Sort out container plants.
• Greenhouse maintenance.
• Repair rhubarb windbreak.
• Weed behind shed.
• Weed around the pond.
• Set up irrigation through this area.
• Start Kumara sprouting.
• Feed rhubarb.

Sector 5

• Finish irrigation system.
• Build a blueberry cage.
• Improve wind break protection.
• Feed and mulch fruit trees.
• Take currant cuttings.
• There is a garden bed on my garden plan that is listed as “weeds.” This needs to change.

THE PALACE:

Room 1

• Renovate bench.
• Add brackets to stairs.

Room 2

• Install edging.
• Refresh the bark mulch.
• Fill gaps with plants.
• Fix and repaint gates.
• Continue pinning back Muehlenbeckia.
• Get plaque for time capsule.

Room 3                                                                                                  

• Weed regularly.
• Learn maintenance needs.

BEYOND THE GARDEN

• Weedeat swingseat path.
• Weedeat along fence line.
• Paint swingseat.
• Tidy office.
• Weed and Feed Lawn.
• Spray lawn for Onehunga prickles.
• Repot houseplants.

OTHER PROJECTS – for when I have time.

• Landscape around the swing seat.
• Weed around trees on windbreak hill.
• Plant more trees on windbreak hill.
• Weed Waterfall.
• Clothesline project.
• Investigate ‘hill art’ project.
• Frames around irrigation hubs.
• Paint sheds.
• Makeover chicken coup.

KITCHEN GARDENING

• Something from the garden in every meal.
• Check stored crops for rot.
• Do a stocktake of stored crops and meal plan.