July in the garden

Now is the time we should be able to sit outside and enjoy the beauty of our gardens (weather permitting). July involves mainly maintenance of plants; dead heading, watering and weeding.

General Maintenance

• keep on top of those weeds by hoeing your beds and borders
• water once or twice a week. Watering thoroughly less often encourages plants to put down roots rather then constantly coming to the surface
• containers and hanging baskets still need to be watered daily
• keep your pond topped up with fresh water too, to help prevent a build up of algae

Flowers and Plants

• feed your basket plants and cut back to encourage new growth
• feed late flowering border perennials before they come into bloom (especially if the soil isn't very fertile)
• cut back your Delphiniums and Geraniums after the first flush of flowers, this will encourage a second flowering period. Don't forget to feed them after you cut them back
• keep dead-heading your flowers to prolong the flowering time
• if your carpet growing plants (i.e. some alpines) have become patchy, fill in the patches with gritty compost to encourage re-growth
• make sure your tall plants are staked, ie. Lupins and Delphiniums
• take cuttings of patio and container plants now, ready for next year
• mulch your borders to help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay
• trim your hedges
• keep spraying your Roses with fungicide to keep away black spot and mildew - make sure to do this in the evening to prevent any harm to bees
• why not cut some of your long Lavender stalks and tie in bunches - these look great inside as dried flowers

Lawns

• keep mowing
• feed with a summer lawn feed if you haven't already done so
• use a moss killer or weedkiller to kill off any weeds
• if you have a newly laid lawn, keep it watered to prevent it drying out. Water in the evenings

Fruit

• keep them watered
• mulch with organic matter to help reduce water loss
• pick your soft fruit and protect with netting whilst it's ripening
• thin plums and apples to 3 - 4 fruits per cluster
• prune your apple and pear trees to encourage development

Vegetables

• plant out your Brassicas adding short term crops in between, like lettuces and radishes - this will help to maximise space
• plant leeks for winter harvesting
• harvest young courgettes, broad beans, peas, mange tout and sugar snaps
• keep digging your potatoes
• feed tomato plants weekly with a high potash feed like Tomorite (available at Palmers). Tie the Tomatoes loosely onto canes and water regularly.

Birds

• keep supplying them with fresh food and water. The ground is starting to harden in the warm weather, making it more difficult for birds to forage for food
• we have a full range of seeds and feeders available at Palmers

Garden pests

• inspect your lilies for the scarlet lily beetle. Their larvae can strip plants in days
• keep an eye out for vine weevils, they can be a big problem this time of year
• look out for, and treat, black spot on Roses
• Aphids (Greenfly and Blackfly) will now be making an appearance, watch out for them on the stems and leaves of young shoots

Here's to a beautiful summer!