Find out what to do in the garden this August with top tips from The Micro Gardener and Living Smart
Each month Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener shares gardening tips for our Sunshine Coast climate on Council’s Living Smart website. Head over to the site to read the full article, and for info, events and guides to help you on your sustainability journey.
As winter fades and spring approaches, August brings subtle but important changes to subtropical gardens.
🌱 Expect warming days, cool nights, and the first signs of new growth.
New buds and flowers forming on a mulberry tree
Citrus, mulberry, and frangipani begin to leaf out, and flowering bulbs and jasmine start to bloom. Insects emerge from hibernation, and birds prepare for nesting—making it a vital time to support pollinators and beneficial bugs.
🌟Top tips Drying winds are common, so mulching and soil protection are key. Lawns may struggle, and weeds can take hold—stay on top of mowing and feed your lawn with compost and minerals. Adjust watering habits as plant growth increasesrefresh old potting mix to support healthy new crops.🌿What to plant
August is prime planting time in subtropical Queensland. With soil warming and spring on the horizon, it’s the perfect month to sow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers.
Use dwarf varieties for quick harvests and interplant herbs and flowers to attract beneficial insects. Sow microgreens for fast, nutritious leafy greens and refresh potting mix for container gardens.
Vegetables 🥕
Asian greens, bush beans, beetroot, carrots, celery, kale, lettuce, peas, pumpkin, and zucchini.
Fruits 🍓
Avocado, citrus, mulberry, papaya, passionfruit, and strawberries.
Herbs and Flowers 🌼
Basil, coriander, mint, thyme, calendula, marigold, sweet pea, and nasturtium.
🐛 Garden Issues to Watch Out For
August brings new growth and new challenges. As temperatures rise, pests like fruit fly, aphids, scale, and mealybugs become more active. Early intervention is key.
Organic strategies such as interplanting, cloches, and decoys help manage pests naturally and protect your crops.
Fruit fly
Use traps and exclusion netting. Choose early-fruiting or dwarf trees.
Cabbage pests
Plant sacrificial nasturtiums and trap crops like land cress.
Aphids and mealybugs
Attract predatory insects like hoverflies and ladybirds with flowering plants.
🧤 Essential Garden Tasks for August
August is a busy month for garden maintenance and preparation. With spring around the corner, now’s the time to:
prune asparagus, passionfruit, and deciduous fruit treesdivide and transplant garlic chives and arrowrootfeed and mulch around fruit treesbuild garden beds and vertical structurestest soil pH and add amendmentssow microgreens for quick harvestsfocus on creating nutrient-rich, moisture-holding soil to support healthy growthrefresh old potting mixkeep tools in top shape for the season ahead.Find out more
Anne Gibson is The Micro Gardener. For more detailed info, you can follow Anne on her Website, Facebook