Gardening Tasks for July

July is a slightly quieter time in the garden, and here are some suggestions for jobs to do in the garden this month.

• Hoe and weed borders regularly, particularly in dry weather, so that weeds don’t have chance to set seed
• Liquid feed all containers and hanging baskets weekly to keep them producing fresh buds
• Tie in growing Dahlias as they grow, feed with a liquid feed and protect from slugs and snails
• Keep tucking in sweet peas to encourage them to cling to their support, and pick blooms regularly
• Dead-head bedding plants in containers, baskets and borders to keep them flowering all summer long
• Cut back hardy herbaceous plants such as Geraniums after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers
• Dead head roses, and check for pests such as aphids
• Keep a close eye out for vine weevil damage and treat as appropriate
• Prune out the flowering shoots of summer flowering shrubs, such as Philadelphus, after flowering
• Trim Lavenders with garden shears after flowering to keep them in shape
• Water plants as required in dry spells. Newly planted plants may require extra irrigation, as well as thirsty plants such as tomatoes and courgettes
• Remove flower spikes from rhubarb, cutting right down to the base
• Cover brassicas with enviromesh to deter butterflies laying their eggs and to prevent pigeon damage
• Pick crops of vegetables regularly, particularly courgettes which grow very fast
• Sow small batches of salad leaves, rocket and radish for a succession of crops over late summer
• Keep doors and vents open on polytunnels and greenhouses to stop plants getting too hot
• Damp down the floor of greenhouses on hot days to increase humidity
• Feed tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers weekly and tie in as necessary, pinching out side shoots of tomatoes and cucumbers
• Top up birdbaths, ponds and water features regularly
• Trim garden hedges once birds have finished nesting
• Mow lawns regularly and raise the cutting blade a notch in dry weather