July, the month of beautiful arrays of colourful blooms and a time for us to enjoy some warm weather, sit back and relax in our gardens. Although the British weather may not be on our side, it’s definitely a month where the choice for summer bedding is abundant!
Follow our gardening tips below to ensure you keep your garden looking its best this month and we will keep our fingers crossed for sunshine.
Check clematis for signs of clematis wilt
Place plants from Conservatory outside in a sunny area
Keep tubs and new plants watered regularly in the heat
Give the lawn a quick acting summer feed, especially if a spring feed was not done
Give woodwork a lick of paint or preserver, while the weather is dry
Mow lawn once a week. In late summer, lawn growth slows down, so raise the cutting height slightly to allow your lawn to resist wear better
Feeding your lawn with fertiliser will help to keep it in good condition
For a green lawn, use a sprinkler once a week during dry weather. When watering the lawn, soak it to get the water down under the roots
Roses should be deadheaded. Look out for black spot. Lightly prune back and apply fertilisers to encourage a second flowering
Tie in the long growths of climbing roses, honeysuckles and vines
Containers and hanging baskets will need regular watering – make sure the compost is thoroughly soaked
Plant leeks for winter
Plant your spring crops of cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower (brassicas)
Pick beans regularly and keep them well-watered
Prune apple and pear trees to allow more light to the ripening fruit and encourage new growth
Feed perennials and shrubs with a granular fertiliser such as Organic Chicken Manure Pellets or Growmore and hoe into the soil
Feed container plants and hanging baskets with a liquid fertiliser such as Feed-all or Miracle-Gro every week
Spray Peaches and Nectarines every day with tepid wate
Use biological control where pests are a problem
Ensure all vents are working and close them on cool evenings
Remove faded flowers and dropped foliage to prevent the build up of fungal diseases
Top up bird feeders and put out food on the ground and bird tables
Keep the bird bath topped up
Plant marigolds around the vegetable patch to attract hoverflies
Go bat-watching on a summer evening!
Watch out for adult frogs and toads leaving the pond this month
Plant annuals and perennials to attract insects
Trim hedges less frequently to allow wildlife to shelter and feed in them
Leave nesting birds undisturbed in garden shrubs and hedges
Mow recently established perennial meadows to reduce weeds
Annual meadows do not need mowing
Leave roses that produce hips without dead-heading
