Jobs to do in the Garden in July

– Keep on top of any weeds around paths, patios and driveways. The peak daylight hours encourage strong growth in July. 

– As the weather heats up remember to raise the blades on your lawn mower to give a longer cut. This will help reduce stress on the grass and help to keep it looking lush by stopping the soil drying out too quickly.

– Treat those bald areas of your lawn by using a quality grass seed to patch and fill in the gaps. Remember to keep the area well watered protect the seed from birds until it is established.

– Salad leaves, radishes and rocket can be sewn in summer months for regular picking late in the season. 

– Keep on top of deadheading repeat flowering roses. Don’t forget to give them a mid season feed to encourage a second flush of growth. 

– Improve air circulation and manage hot temperatures in your greenhouse by open vents and/or doors. 

– You can improve humidity also by dampening the floor of your greenhouse for more tropical crops.

– Avoid carrot root fly ruining your crop by removing the foliage from your harvested crop. Bruising the foliage before and putting it on the compost heap will attract the root flies away from the remaining crop.

– Keep hanging baskets well watered and consider a top-up fertiliser for summer. 

– Plants such as chillies, aubergines and sweet peppers will soon become top heavy. Make sure you add extra support stakes and keep feeding regularly with a high potash feed.

– Keep an eye on your pond as longer days encourage rapid growth of invasive weeds as well as beneficial oxygenators. If more than a third of the ponds surface is covered then it’s time to thin them out.

– Place any removed weed at the edge of the pond for 48hrs before composting to allow any trapped wildlife chance to return to the pond.

– Plant out your winter cabbage and caulis in their final beds. Remember to fork in a quality high nitrogen fertiliser before planting. An organic hoof and horn fertiliser provides the perfect slow release over the summer months. It is also perfect for use as a further top dressing in September.

– Make sure you water houseplants regularly. If you have the space on a shady patio or table why not leave them outdoors.

– Plant up your bulbs for autumn around now. Use planting trays for easy transplantation later in the year.