July is one of the hottest months of the year, making it one of the busiest times for any keen gardener. With temperatures soaring, getting outside and looking after your abundance of plants has never been more essential. For example, you’ll need to be watering your flowers, fruits, veg, and lawn frequently (and generously) to keep them hydrated. July is also one of the best months for harvesting, so with that in mind, here are some essential tips for gardening this July.
Whilst we stress the importance of frequently watering your garden, it is paramount that you do so either very early in the morning, or late in the evening. This allows the water to reach the roots of the plants before it evaporates in the heat. Additionally, watering whilst the sun is out can burn the leaves of your plants!
When it comes to looking after your flowers, one of the first things on your July to-do list will be to deadhead them often. This includes plants inside hanging baskets, your rose bushes, perennials, and more. To successfully deadhead, all you need to do is remove the spent flowers from plants to allow for new, vibrant blooms to appear over time. While you’re at it, make sure to feed those flowers every so often (check your fertiliser's instructions to know how regularly this should be done).
Some gorgeous flowers to sow this month include forget-me-nots, foxgloves and pansies. Ensure you water them a lot, ideally with your watering can or hose pointing at the base, which will allow the water to flow into the roots. While you watch over your flowers, keep your eyes peeled for pests such as snails, as they can do quite a bit of damage. As soon as you're aware of them, repel them as soon as possible.
As you certainly know by now, watering your plants is crucial, and that goes double for those inside your greenhouse. A greenhouse can become stuffy throughout summertime, so alleviate the inevitable heat by opening its doors and vents early in the month. Regular tidying is just as important around this time to avoid a build-up of pests. If like many, you like to use your greenhouse for growing tomatoes, you should feed them with liquid food, cut off their side shoots often, and never allow their soil to dry out.
Now’s a great time to start harvesting some of your favourite fruits and veg, such as strawberries, raspberries, carrots, beetroots, lettuce, peas, and cherries. To prevent squirrels or wild birds from beating you to it, we recommend placing some mesh (plant netting) across your plants.
July is a great month for planting, so feel free to prep your radishes and winter cabbages for later seasons. But keep in mind that slugs thrive on your plants, so deter them when necessary and, as always, water everything frequently!
Although lots of sunshine is lovely, it also allows weed growth to skyrocket. To rectify this, get some handy weed killer to keep on top of things. It’s also possible your lawn will gradually lose a lot of its colour as the dryness persists, so consider installing a sprinkler to make your life easier. Try to mow your lawn around once a week, but ideally, the height of your blades should be raised so that the grass can still protect the ground from the blazing hot sun.
We hope this short guide has been helpful. If you want to get ahead on your planting, we recommend checking both our Essential Gardening Tips for June article, as well as our entire Gardens Department for tools, seeds and much more.
