Gardeners Calendar for July.

Hebe x franciscana ''Blue Gem''

July has arrived - one of the most colourful months in the garden. All the hard work of the previous months is rewarded from the first vegetables and fruit to the wonderful displays in the borders and baskets.

Go over the plants at least once a week and deadhead them. Feed the plants in borders and containers regularly. Tomato feed is the best for container plants and other shallow rooted annuals and perennials. Vegetables and other plants such as clematis and roses will also benefit from a feed around every six weeks. An organic feed sprinkled on and watered in is very good for this.

Still keep an eye on pests in the green house as well. They multiply very rapidly in the warmer conditions. Use whichever method suits your needs, sticky traps, chemicals or organic methods all work if use correctly and before the infestation is too large. Remember to still ventilate the greenhouse as well.

SLUG ALERT!!

Now that most plants have filled out their growing spaces, watch out for the slugs. Either remove them by hand or use chemical or Biological controls. Beer traps work well, carefully remove the top from a beer can, reserve about 4cm/2” of beer and put in a large soup or yoghurt pot sunk in the ground. Dispose of the rest of the beer as you see fit! Do not forget to empty them regularly.

Keep weeding and hoeing beds and borders where needed. Rake gravel paths to keep the weeds down without using chemicals.

Water soft fruit and protect it from birds with netting. Pick fruit as it ripens.

Check that tall perennials have not outgrown their supports - extend them as needed.

 

Allium giganteum

Water the greenhouse on a regular basis. This helps to ward off tomato diseases such as blossom end rot, which is a calcium deficiency usually, caused by erratic watering.

With the big holiday season approaching you have to think about how you will keep your garden looking its best or just keeping the plants alive!

A family member or friend is the best option. They can be relied upon to water everything pick fruit and vegetables and even feed the rabbit and cat! If you don’t have this option you can install simple irrigation systems using timers to switch the water on and off as needed. A basic system can be bought as a kit with full instructions for setting it up. Try to allow enough time so you can test it before you go. If you can put all your pots and containers into a shady part of the garden so they won’t dry out as quickly. Make sure all tools and machinery are locked away and sheds are secure. Cut the grass before you go so it doesn’t look like a jungle when you get back.

   See you next month!

Judith