July is truly summer - and, fingers crossed, there will be a full month of basking sun to enjoy. Albeit with the obligatory spell of damp - but warm, weather.
At the time of writing, however, you may find that your garden is seemingly between displays. The crescendo of spring has passed - and your summer flowering plants are yet to have reached their full glory.
So take the time to enjoy the rising of this second crescendo into full summer - but take notes and observe any bare, or sad patches that look a little vacant between the spring and summer shows.
Mornings and evenings in July should also be warm enough to pleasantly sit outside in your garden, so make the most of it. Personally, I make a point of trying to eat every meal outside in the garden at this time of year. Although - the salad I have planned for tonight may not be too compatible with the gusts of wind that are battering the garden as I write this. But then again, its quintessentially British to want to dine alfresco in slightly adverse weather conditions, and I love it.
However, before you think about lighting that bbq, here are some jobs to be getting on with.
Keep deadheading your roses to ensure the longest display of blooms possible. Cut back to a leaf lower down the stem, rather than just pinching off the spent bloom. Make sure you cut back to an outward facing leaf, otherwise you’ll inadvertently turn part of your rose away from you.
Summer weather brings with it a lot of diseases, owing to the damp, warm weather we experience. One particular problem can be mildew, but the easiest way to mitigate against this is to keep plants well watered. Mildew will attack plants that are stressed, and a lack of water is a great source of stress.
Remove any unwanted growth that has appeared at the base of shrubs and trees. Leaving this in place will direct resources away from the plant higher up. If you have any variegated shurbs, cut off any leaves that have gone plain.
Although hedges should largely be left alone at this time of year to prevent disturbing nesting birds, it can be a good idea to manually trim back hedges by hand. This will really help to keep them looking sharp, but only do this if you are absolutely sure you won’t be disturbing any birds.
Prune back wisteria by removing the thin, whippy shoots. You’ll have to return to this later in the year when it comes to tying it in.
Continue cutting off spent flowers on your annuals and perennials to keep the blooms going for longer, and don’t forget to water them if the weather is particularly dry, and your soil has a habit of drying out.
Now is a good time to also think about planting any autumn flowering bulbs, such as crocuses and nerines. You can also now lift any heeled in bulbs and store these for next year.
If your lawn is brown, don’t despair, as it will almost always bounce back. Only water if it is particularly dire, and if you do, give a good soak - rather than a frequent sprinkle. Lawns at this time of year can also benefit from a dose of fertiliser. Try to use an organic one, and remember that grass clippings mulched onto the lawn is the easiest and cheapest fertiliser.
Don’t let your greenhouse get too hot. Shade it if necessary, and remember to damp it down regularly to raise the humidity. You’ll find that your plants will love the warm, humid growing environment.
Comments