July
In The Vegetable Garden This July
Pepper plants will benefit from being potted on into progressively larger pots.
Nip off the growing tips of squash and courgette plants to encourage branching.
If you’re growing aubergines, pinch out the growing tip once they have 5 or 6 fruits. Pick fruits while they are young. You can expect to start harvesting mid to late summer.
Apply a high-potash fertiliser once fruits start to form on peppers, cucumber and tomatoes.
Pick runner beans regularly to prevent them becoming stringy and to make room for developing pods. Leaving mature pods on the plant can prevent further flowers forming and reduce your crop.
Harvest beetroot, peas, carrots, chard, potatoes, salad leaves, lettuce and tomatoes this month.
Harvest garlic when the tops start to bend over and yellow.
Pinch out tomato side shoots each week. Cut off any leaves growing below the lowest ripening fruit trusses to improve air circulation and prevent diseases.
Top Tip:
Train cucumber stems upwards to make the most of the space available. Simply tie in their long stems to vertical wires or use cane supports to create a wigwam of poles.
This Month's Key Tips
- Water plants 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.
