We are over the hump, the days are already getting shorter and headed straight for Winter. But fear not because there is a lot of Summer time left and July offers the warmest days of the year.

We are still in the midst of the busiest time of the gardening year with weeds and pests all around us. To keep on top of your garden this July read more and find out what you should be doing.

Plants of the Month

(From Left to Right) Ox Eyed Daisy, Foxgloves, Scabiosa, Lupins & Aquilegia

Things to Consider for July

Because of the warm conditions there are a range of things you should not be doing in the garden. You should minimise stress and disturbance of plants & lawns, avoid transplanting, planting, pruning and dividing plants.

Also avoid any serious lawn maintenance such as scarifying. What you can be doing is enjoying the wonderful array of fragrances in the garden with mock orange and roses in full bloom.

Things to Do

In the Fruit & Veg Garden

1. More thinning of root crops. By now the thinnings should be large enough to eat. Hurray!
2. Irrigate your plot in the mornings. You want the water reach a depth of at least 8”
3. Regular watering is important to avoid bolting and split roots and fruits
4. Shade over lettuce, coriander, pak choi, red onions, broccoli and spinach to avoid bolting in warm weather
5. Sow Spring cabbage seeds in your greenhouse
6. Stay vigilant for potato blight
7. Keep carrots covered to protect against the 2nd cycle of carrot fly
8. Keep rows of brassicas covered with garden netting to protect against caterpillars & the cabbage white moth
9. Weed between rows regularly, especially younger crops

In the Greenhouse

1. Water your tomatoes about 3 times a week
2. Wet the floor to your greenhouse to increase humidity
3. Keep doors & window vents open during the day
4. Move potted plants outdoors on warmer days
5. Position yellow fly trays to prevent pest build-up
6. Keep an eye on pots & water trays for slugs & snails
7. Early harvest on cucumbers

Plant Care

1. Tie back top heavy roses
2. Continue to spray, feed and deadhead roses
3. Cut back herbaceous plants such as geraniums, penstemons & delphiniums
4. Continue to keep recently planted hedging, trees & shrubs well watered
5. Apply a handful of fish blood & bone to base of late flowering herbaceous plants such as asters, astilbes, rubeckia, lupins & echinacea
6. Plant Autumn bulbs such as nerines, cyclamens & lilies

Lawn Care

1. This is a quiet time for lawn care
2. You can feed your lawns or treat with lawn weed, feed & moss killer
3. Apply dicophar to kill any broadleaf weeds

General Maintenance

1. Take the time to plan out and install an irrigation system
2. Consider using a water pump & timer to ensure best use of water butts
3. Continue to weed every 2 weeks