July
In The Flower Garden This July
Regularly deadhead bedding and perennial plants to encourage new blooms for as long as possible.
Cutting back growth in hanging baskets can encourage new flowers and foliage and will revive the display.
Keep an eye on your newly-bloomed hydrangeas for hydrangea scale, a sap-sucking insect that can affect growth.
Cut back faded perennial plants to keep borders tidy.
Prune wisteria now. Just remove the whippy side-shoots from the main branch framework to about 20cm from their base.
Cut back hardy geraniums and delphiniums after the first flush of flowers to encourage new growth and further blooms.
Deadhead your roses to keep them looking tidy. Leave the flowers in place if your rose produces attractive hips (seed pods)
Look out for clematis wilt. Symptoms include wilting leaves and black discolouration on the leaves and stems. Cut out all affected material and dispose of it in your household waste.
As your penstemon flowers fade, cut them back to just above a bud to encourage more flowers.
Prune lupins to encourage more flowers.
Divide clumps of breaded Iris so they have time to form roots and flower buds for next year before the cold weather arrives.
Top Tip:
Summer can still throw out a few suprises, make sure tall plants and climbers are well supported in case of bad weather.
This Month's Key Tips
- Water palnts if dry daily, but be water-wise.
- Deadhead bedding plants and flowering perennials.
- Clear algae, blanket weed and debris from ponds.
- Give the lawn a quick-acting summer feed.
- Plant second cropping potatoes now to give you new potatoes for Christmas.
