Jobs in the Garden: July 2024

July is a busy month in the garden in the UK, with plenty of tasks to keep your garden thriving during the peak of summer. Here are some key jobs to focus on:

General Maintenance

1. Watering: Ensure your garden is well-watered, especially during dry spells. Early morning or late evening is best to reduce water evaporation.
2. Weeding: Keep on top of weeds to prevent them from competing with your plants for nutrients and water.
3. Mulching: Apply mulch to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil quality.

Lawn Care

1. Mowing: Continue to mow your lawn regularly, but raise the cutting height to prevent the grass from drying out.
2. Watering: Water lawns during dry periods, preferably early in the morning or late in the evening.

Flower Garden

1. Deadheading: Regularly deadhead flowers to encourage more blooms and extend flowering periods.
2. Staking: Support tall or top-heavy plants to prevent them from being damaged by wind or rain.
3. Feeding: Feed flowering plants with a high-potash fertilizer to promote blooms.

Vegetable Garden

1. Harvesting: Harvest vegetables regularly to encourage further production and prevent crops from bolting.
2. Feeding: Feed tomato plants weekly with a high-potash fertilizer once the fruits start to set.
3. Sowing: Sow quick-growing crops such as salad leaves, radishes, and carrots for a late summer harvest.
4. Weeding: Keep vegetable beds weed-free to reduce competition for nutrients and water.

Fruit Garden

1. Pruning: Summer prune apple and pear trees that are trained as espaliers, fans, or cordons.
2. Harvesting: Continue to harvest fruits as they ripen, including strawberries, raspberries, and currants.
3. Netting: Protect ripening fruits from birds with netting.

Greenhouse

1. Ventilation: Keep greenhouses well-ventilated to prevent overheating and control humidity.
2. Shading: Use shading materials to protect plants from intense sunlight.
3. Watering: Water plants regularly and consider using capillary matting or an automatic watering system for consistency.

Ponds and Water Features

1. Algae Control: Remove blanket weed and other algae to keep water features clear and healthy.
2. Top Up Water: Refill ponds and water features to compensate for evaporation.

Trees and Shrubs

1. Watering: Newly planted trees and shrubs need regular watering to establish well.
2. Pruning: Prune early summer flowering shrubs once they have finished blooming.

Wildlife

1. Bird Baths: Keep bird baths clean and topped up with fresh water.
2. Wildlife Shelter: Provide shelters for wildlife, such as log piles and insect hotels.

Miscellaneous

1. Pest Control: Keep an eye out for pests and diseases, and treat them promptly.
2. Composting: Continue to add garden waste to your compost bin, turning it regularly to speed up decomposition.

These tasks will help ensure your garden remains healthy and productive throughout July.