Astronomial calendar

An almanac is traditionally defined as a 'calender of the heavens' because it follows the four seasons through each solstice, equinox, moon phase, dawn and sunset, tide and Spring tides, local traditional events and folklore.

On the arrival of Autumn, the dawn rose this morning at 5.41am with the first sunset of the month closing the day at 9.00pm.

At the end of the month, dawn will rise at 6.26am with the last sunset closing the day at 8.02pm elongating the gift of long bright days and warm balmy evenings to the end of the Summer season.

Here are some key events, dates and information to make a note of in August.

Moon phases

Tuesday 1 August - FULL STURGEON SUPERMOON in Aquarius

Wednesday 16 August - NEW BLUE MOON in Leo

In the garden

Picking Flowers - harvest little and often as flowers come into full bloom and early fruits start to ripen

Sowing Seeds - sowing hardy annual flowers, carrots, turnips and nuturtious green for Autumn and Winter harvesting.

Deadheading - garden flowers and roses (for re-flowering only otherwise leave for rosehips to form).

Tending Potatoes - check growth and earth up to cover forming potatoes, weed regularly.

Feeding Plants - make Weed Tea (see below), add garden compost or manure (especially good for bedding down roses).

In the hedgerows

Wild Fruits - Blackberries, Crab Apples,  Elderberries, Bilberries,  Rowan Berries, Sea Buckthorn, Blackthorn Sloes, Rosehips, Quince, Figs

Wild Nuts - Hazelnuts, Sweet Chestnuts, Beech Nuts

Wild Fungi - Porcini Mushroom,

Edible Plants - Greater Plantain, Wild Mustard, Sea Purslane

Wild Herbs -  Bay Leaves, Marjoram, Mint, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme

In the markets

Vegetables - Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chicory, Chillies, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mangetout, Marrow, Mushrooms, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Plums, Pumpkin, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Sorrel, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Summer Squash, Sweetcorn, Sweetheart Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Watercress, White Cabbage

Fruit - Cherries, Raspberries, Blackcurrents, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Damsens, Plums

Making Weed Tea

Just like grass clippings, many of the weeds found in your garden are very high in nitrogen and will make an excellent fertilizer. To use these (without the seeds) make a Weed Tea! Fill a five-gallon bucket no more than 1/4 full with weeds, then fill the bucket the rest of the way with water. Let the weeds soak for a week or two and when the water turns brown (like tea), use this nutrient-rich weed tea to nourish your garden.

Preserving Fruit

Making jams, pickles and jellies is a wonderful way to spend time with loved ones in Nature (or on the allotment) picking the ripened fruits of the Summer season. All the fruits mentioned above can be preserved in various ways (or made into pies and puddings for freezing) with apples being the most suitable for storing as long as they are kept dry and well ventilated.

Beyond the classic cucumbers, fruits and vegetables that work well for pickles include asparagus, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, cauliflower, carrots, cherries, fennel, ginger, grapes, green beans, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peaches, peppers, radishes, ramps, rhubarb, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon. The list goes on and provides a perfect way to experiment with new recipes and stock the store cupboard with treats for the Winter months.

Moon dates

Don't forget to make a date with the Full Sturgeon Supermoon tonight and the New Blue Moon on Wednesday 16 August when you can tune into the beautiful lunar light energy for making decisions (full Moon) and making plans (new Moon).

Keep an eye out for this month's new Moon and full Moon posts and I look forward to seeing you for the next Almanac on 1 September 2023.