July is here and the sun has finally emerged out of its hiding place. After a rather rainy June, we’ve now a good few weeks of strong sunshine. Yes, it could turn at any point, but let’s stay positive everyone.
After taking a look at the 10 gardening tasks for June, I’ve had another chat with Craig Wilson, co-founder, director & in-house gardening expert at Gardeners Dream. He’s shared his top 10 gardening jobs for July, from deadheading your roses to adjusting your mowing blades.
However, before we begin, check out our guide to maintaining and entertaining in your garden this summer.
Flowers, plants and shrubs
1. Deadhead your roses
Make sure to continue feeding and deadheading any roses if you want them to keep flowering. If you’re unsure whether a flower should be removed, gently brush it with your hand and if the petals fall off. If they do, then it’s ready to go. Check out our best gardening gloves before you start.
2. Plant spring flowering bulbs
Despite summer only just beginning, it is time to start prepping your garden for spring. You can start planting spring flowering bulbs in pots and borders from now until the end of October, especially if you want to see them bloom when next spring rolls around.
3. Cut lavender to be dried
Now your lavender has properly bloomed, it is the perfect time to harvest some to be dried and used for scenting. To get the best fragrance, pick stems that have newly opened flowers, hanging them in a cool, dry location to dry out.
Fruit and vegetables
4. Water regularly
With warmer weather comes drier conditions, so you need to ensure that you are watering your vegetable patch regularly. Paying special attention to the likes of courgettes, celery, tomatoes and peas, as you want to ensure that the patch remains consistently moist.
5. Apply mulch to the base of fruit trees
Apply a good layer of mulch to the base of your fruit trees as this will help to hold in as much moisture as possible whilst temperatures are high and soil conditions tend to get dry.
6. Sow final batches of peas
If you want an autumn harvest of peas and dwarf beans, July is the last chance to plant them in time.
Lawn care
7. Adjust your mower blades
When warm weather hits, it’s a good idea to adjust the blades on your lawn mower, moving them higher. This will reduce the amount of stress placed on the grass during mowing.
8. Give your lawn a final feed
July is your last chance to feed your lawn with a lawn fertiliser in order to encourage lush green growth. Make sure you do this to avoid any unsightly patches in the future – your lawn will thank you for it!
General Maintenance
9. Water in the evening
Whilst the weather is warm, try watering your garden in the evening once temperatures have dropped and the sun has started to set. This will reduce the amount of water that is evaporated, and ensure your plants and flowers are getting as much moisture as possible.
10. Keep bird baths topped up
When temperatures are high, make sure to keep on top of filling bird baths and ponds. The heat will lead to evaporation, so make sure to keep an eye on these, especially if you enjoy watching the birds in your garden.