In The Vegetable Garden This July

Pepper plants will benefit from being potted on into progressively large pots.

If you’re growing aubergins, 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.

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.

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 wigmam of poles.

Nip off the growing tips of squash and courgette plants to encourage branching.

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.

Feed crops with a general purpose fertiliser.

Harvest garlic when the tops start to bend over and yellow.

Top Tip:

Encourage more marrows by harvesting regularly. Marrows that form in July and August should reach a good sized by autumn. Let their skins harden in the sun before cutting them later in September or October.