The weather has been super hot and then incredibly rainy this Spring and Summer, which hopefully means a fruitful garden this year. With many of us at home during lockdown, we have had more time to tend to our gardens and hone our green fingers! All that work you’ve put in so far will be coming to fruition, with lots of lovely veg to harvest and eat! Although there will be plenty to munch on, there’s still a lot to do in the vegetable garden in July. Read on for handy hints and tips to help you keep on top of all July brings.
What To Do In The Vegetable Patch
- Salad potatoes and other early varieties will be ready to harvest. Not sure if they’re ready? First check to see if they’ve flowered. Next gently scrape back the soil, if they’re too small, cover back over and try again in a few weeks.
- Keep picking peas and beans whilst they’re still young. If you’ve picked the stems clean, cut it down near the base and you can often encourage a second crop.
- Water! Now that we’re finally seeing some summer heat after that June weather, it’s time to make sure your plants are getting enough water. Water them at dusk to avoid evaporation.
- Pinch off the tops of courgettes and squash plants to encourage branching. Pick your courgettes whilst they’re young!
- Harvest! Beetroot, peas, carrots, chard, salad leaves, lettuce and tomatoes are ready for picking in July.
- Clear away weeds. They’ll be competing with your veggies for water and nutrients.
What To Do In The Container Garden
- Terracotta pots are prone to evaporation. Dampen the pot to avoid roots drying out.
- Growing peppers? They’ll benefit from being repotted into progressively larger pots.
- Water thoroughly! Feed container plants with balanced liquid fertiliser every 2-4 weeks.
Pest Patrol!
The vegetable garden in July can attract many unwanted visitors. Here are some pests to look out for.
- Keep an eye out for slugs, and consider using a natural pest control.
- Blackfly on your broad beans? Pinching off the tips should work!
- Check for cabbage white butterfly eggs under brassica leaves.
- Look for aphids on the underside of leaves.
Other Jobs for the Vegetable Garden in July
- Turn the compost heap once a month to keep it well aerated.
- Use water butts as much as possible, instead of tap water, when watering your plants. Your garden, and the planet, will thank you!
- Going to be planting in late summer and autumn? Start thinking about ordering your plants now so that you can effectively plan out your garden.
July in the vegetable garden is an exciting time! There are veggies ready to harvest and eat, plus a whole host of other activities that will make sure you’re keeping busy! If you’re out in the garden during the day, don’t forget to stay hydrated (and no, gin and tonic doesn’t count!) and slap on some sunscreen!
