July Gardening Jobs

Water, water, water! With the continuous dry weather, make sure you are keeping water up to your plants and especially your tubs and baskets. Even if you have had a lot of rain recently, you will still need to water, and you may need to water twice a day if it is really hot. Where possible conserve water for later use in water butts and use dish water or bath water on the flower beds (not on the vegetables unless you want them to taste of soap!). Put in a sprinkler system or use soaker hose. These can be put on timers, which are ideal if you are very busy or going on holiday.

Feed tubs and baskets regularly, with fertiliser such as Big Tom Plant Food for your fruit and vegetable plants, and Boost Plant Feed for your ornamental plants. 

Nip out dead flower heads from bedding plants to encourage new growth. Remove side shoots from tomato plants to encourage fruit growth.

Keep an eye on recently planted stock. Make sure they have enough water during dry spells. Trees and shrubs need extra care until they get established.

Early potatoes will be ready to dig. Enjoy them with mint that is probably going mad in the garden now. Onions will be ready to pick and store and garlic will be fattening up. Lift as soon as foliage dies down and lay in a single layer in the garden, or in a well-ventilated shed.  Leave for a week before plaiting and storing for later use.

Get out to your local 'pick your own' for soft fruit before it is too late and continue to harvest your own fruit. The warm weather is speeding along the fruit, so pick regularly as it won't last long.

Keep the birds happy by putting out a mix of seeds in your feeders and keep their water clean and topped up. Put out bird baths for them to drink and wash from.

Clear out algae, blanket weed and general debris from ponds and make sure the water levels are kept topped up.

Get outside and enjoy our Great British Summer in the garden!