Jobs for July in the Garden
Mid-summer tasks to keep your garden blooming and bountiful
July brings long sunny days, vibrant flowers, and plenty to harvest – but with the heat comes the need for a little extra care. A few well-timed jobs this month will keep everything looking lush and productive through summer’s peak. Here’s what to focus on this July:
Watering is key
With higher temperatures, water deeply and less frequently to encourage roots to grow down. Early morning or evening is best. Prioritise thirsty crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, and anything in containers or hanging baskets.
Deadhead and tidy
Keep deadheading bedding plants, roses, dahlias, and perennials to encourage fresh blooms. Trim back spent lavender flowers and neaten up leggy annuals to prolong their display.
Harvest and enjoy
Pick soft fruits like strawberries, raspberries, and gooseberries as they ripen – the more you pick, the more they’ll produce. July is also prime time for harvesting peas, broad beans, courgettes, salad leaves, and early potatoes.
Watch for pests and diseases
Warm weather is ideal for pests. Check plants for aphids, caterpillars, and powdery mildew. Use natural pest control options where possible, and encourage wildlife allies like ladybirds and birds into the garden.
Sow for later
It’s not too late to sow! Keep planting quick crops like lettuce, radish, beetroot, and spring onions. You can also sow winter brassicas, pak choi, and turnips now for late-season harvests.
Prune shrubs and wisteria
Trim back summer-pruned wisteria to around five or six leaves from the main stems. You can also prune shrubs like philadelphus and weigela after flowering to shape them for next year.
Feed and support
Feed flowering plants and fruiting veg every week with a high-potash feed like tomato food. Tie in tall or climbing plants such as sweet peas, beans, and sunflowers as they continue to shoot up.
Care for your greenhouse crops
Open greenhouse doors and vents for ventilation and damp down paths to keep humidity levels up. Keep tomato plants in check by pinching out side shoots and removing lower leaves to improve airflow.
Plan for late summer colour
Now’s the time to plant late-flowering perennials or add fresh bedding to keep your garden vibrant into August and beyond. Look for rudbeckia, echinacea, asters, and heleniums.
Invite in pollinators
Choose nectar-rich plants like lavender, buddleia, and verbena bonariensis to keep bees and butterflies visiting. A small wildlife corner or bird bath will also help the garden buzz with life.
Pop into Cherry Lane Garden Centres this month to top up on compost, feed, plants, and everything you need to keep your garden glorious. From BBQs and outdoor living to expert advice and summer colour – we’ve got you covered!
