Hopefully there are more days to sit out in the garden and enjoy the results of your labour. Also, vegetables and fruit should start cropping.
Tips for July
- Crops such as early tatties maybe ready. Start feeling down below the shaws and see if they are large enough to harvest. If they are too small leave them until they are about the size of an egg. Other crops that are ready are lettuce, courgettes, (pick small and often) soft fruit like the currents and gooseberries. Maybe peas and broad beans at the end of the month.
- Use the space where crops have been harvested to plant another crop such as spinach, winter brassicas and salad leaves. Rocket responds well to the shortening days. Green manures can also be used. Phacelia works well in July.
- Thin fruit on apple and plum trees in order to grow fewer, bigger and healthier fruits. A tree that bears too many fruits one year, may not fruit well the following year.
- Deadhead roses regularly.
- Stop harvesting rhubarb and asparagus plants to allow the plants to build up strength for next year
- Harvest garlic once the stems start to yellow and dry the bulbs off.
- Flowers will give a better show if they are regularly deadheaded and staked if necessary. This prolongs the flowering season and looks better. Use shears to cut down Geraniums for a second flush in August. Divide clumps of Iris.
- Feed pots and tubs with a liquid such as seaweed or tomato food is also perfect for flowers.
- In the green house feed and water all the crops. Tomatoes respond well to a weekly feed.
- Continue to hoe regularly around the garden and in between the crops already sown. Growth of weeds is very high at this time of year.
- Water, if necessary, sparingly. Quite often its not required on the west coast of Scotland. Pots may need watering though.
- Check around the garden for damage from pests and diseases and treat accordingly.
- It’s really important to keep up with the planting of leaves for salad. beetroot, radish and spring onions can be planted regularly to ensure a succession.
- Plant out brassicas for the winter, purple sprouting, winter cabbage and kale should be ready for going into the ground. If you’ve forgotten, they can be bought as seedlings and planted.
- Net any brassica plants to keep the cabbage white butterflies from laying their eggs on the leaves. Use a fine mash net and keep it ip off the plants with stakes or hoops
- Use the least used piece of garden equipment, the bench or seats to admire your garden or allotment.