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!