Diamond Doctor

July Hints & Tips

We never know quite what the weather will be like in July, so when the sun shines, take every opportunity to get out and enjoy your garden. Most plants are in full bloom now, and there’s plenty to do to keep things looking good, whether it’s watering plants in dry spells, deadheading faded flowers or keeping on top of the weeding. And don’t forget to take some time to simply sit and appreciate all the results of your hard work!

What vegetables to plant in July

What vegetables to plant in July

The vegetable garden is in full swing in July, and there’s plenty to do, with winter vegetable seedlings to plant out, successional crops like salad leaves to sow, and delicious vegetables to harvest for the dinner table. Keep up with the weeding, watering and feeding to give your vegetables everything they need to ripen, and be on the lookout for any signs of pests and diseases.

Sow outdoors directly into well-prepared soil, in beds, borders or containers.

  • Beetroot
  • Salad leaves
  • Kohl rabi
  • Pak choi
  • Radishes
  • Spring onions
  • Turnips


Plant out seedlings into vegetable beds:

  • Sprouting broccoli
  • Winter cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Kale
  • Leeks
  • Brussels sprouts
What vegetables to harvest in July;

What vegetables to harvest in July

There are plenty of vegetables to harvest this month, giving you a chance to enjoy the taste of your own home-grown, fresh-picked produce. These vegetables should all be ready to harvest in July:

  • Courgettes
  • Garlic
  • Runner beans
  • Beetroot
  • Peas
  • Chard
  • Potatoes
  • Salad
  • Tomatoes

Vegetable plant maintenance in July

  • Pinch out tomato side shoots on cordon tomatoes. There’s no need to do this for bush tomatoes.
  • Feed tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and cucumbers weekly with a liquid high potash feed.
  • Harvest courgettes, runner beans and French beans regularly – they taste best when young and tender, and it encourages the plants to produce more.
  • Tie in cucumbers and cordon tomatoes to supports.
  • Pinch out the tips of aubergine, squash and courgette plants to produce bushy plants.
  • Water regularly, especially container-grown plants.
  • Check for cabbage white eggs under brassica leaves and squash any you find.
  • Earth up potatoes to improve the yield and prevent those developing near the surface turning green.
  • Weed regularly, hoeing carefully around plants to avoid damaging shallow roots.

Things to do this month

 
  • Open greenhouse doors and vents on hot days.
  • Water plants regularly during dry periods, watering in the mornings or evenings to reduce water loss through evaporation.
  • Water rhododendrons and camellias regularly in dry spells, as they are developing the buds for next year’s flowers now.
  • Keep ponds clear of weeds and topped up.
  • Keep feeding wild birds with suitable bird food as they rely on us for food all year.
  • Wild birds may be short of natural water supplies, so keep bird baths topped up.
  • Add waterlilies and floating aquatic plants to help provide shade and keep water cooler.
  • Only give your fish enough food that they can finish within a few minutes and remove any uneaten food.
  • Prune wisteria, cutting back the long whippy shoots to about 5 leaves from the main branches.
  • Deadhead repeat-flowering roses to keep the flowers coming.
  • Treat paths and drives with a path weedkiller to kill existing weeds and prevent new ones appearing.
  • If you are going away on holiday for a short period, water your houseplants well before you go and move them into a cool location away from bright sunlight to stop them drying out.