Garden jobs for July
It’s July and plenty of plants will be at their peak so there’s lots to enjoy in your garden this month, but also lots to get stuck into!
Here’s some general jobs for you to check off to keep your garden in top shape in July…
Water, water, water
Now, don’t go drowning your plants, leaving the soil dripping and stripped of essential nutrients or even worse, waterlogged resulting in root rot – but don’t let them dry out either! Warm, dry, long days can dry out plants quickly so check daily by feeling if the soil is dry around an inch deep. If the soil isn’t moist – give it a good watering allowing the water to reach the roots helping them to establish and become strong. Hardier plants are more drought tolerant so they can be watered less frequently.
Adding a mulch to the base of your plant can help retain moisture for longer, reducing evaporation during hot, dry spells. Watering early morning or late evening also helps reduce evaporation and allows water to get reach the roots.
Terracotta pots also lose their water quite quickly so keep a close eye on these.
Weed control
Weeds grow fast at this time of year so it’s important to stay on top of them before they get out of control. Weeds growing in pots or borders with the plants you actually want to grow will be taking up essential nutrients, water and root space so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
If you have a weed problem in beds and borders or pots, while wearing gardening gloves, pull out as much of the plant as you can including the root and add mulch on top – this can reduce the risk of the weed growing back.
If weeds are growing on your lawn – use a selective herbicide like Weedol Lawn Weed Killer, in stock from £9.99 – which kills the weeds and not the surrounding grass.
Pruning, trimming, deadheading, and pinching out
As your plants rapidly grow, they may need some pruning to encourage growth, shape, flowers, and fruit.
Snips and secateurs at the ready – here’s what you should be doing:
- Trim back woody growth on established shrubs once they’ve finished flowering
- Prune wisteria, clematis and other ornamental climbing plants by removing the bendy side shoots at 20cm from where they join the main stem
- Remove any diseased or dying foliage from vegetable plants
- Pinch out side shoots on tomato plants and trim stems below where your first fruit is hanging
- Cut back faded perennials
- Cut back faded blooms of hardy geraniums and delphiniums to encourage new growth
- July is a good time to prune your deciduous magnolia if you need to
- Deadhead bedding plants and perennials to stop their energy going to seeding
- Deadhead sweet peas regularly
- As penstemon flowers fade, cut them back to just above a bud to encourage more flowers.
Odd jobs:
- Continue to tie in and train new growth on climbing plants
- Feed plants to encourage growth every 10-14 days
- We could still be in for strong winds so be sure to continue to support tall growing plants with a stake or trellis.
Fruit and vegetable growing in July
If you’ve planted fruits vegetables and herbs, there’s plenty you should be able to harvest this month!
- Pepper plants will benefit from being potted on into progressively larger pots as they continue to grow.
- Train cucumber stems upwards instead of trailing over the ground, to make the most of the space available. Tie in their long stems to vertical wires or use cane supports to create a wigwam of poles.
- Pick runner beans regularly to make room for growing pods. Leaving mature pods on the plant can prevent further flowers forming and reduce your crop.
- Keep an eye on your onions and garlic. When the leaves start to yellow and die back, they’re ready to harvest.
