Other Jobs Around The Garden This July

Water the soil around the base of plants rather than the foliage. Make ‘pools’ around individual plants so that the water is directed straight to the roots where it’s needed, use auto-watering collar, or set up an automated drip irrigation system.

Use water butts instead of tap water as often as you can when watering your plants.

Turn the content of your compost bin every month to keep it well aerated.

Water patio plant perennials and baskets thoroughly in hot weather. Continue to feed them with a balance liquid fertiliser every 2 to 4 weeks.

Plant floating pond plants, such as water lilies, in still water away from splashing fountains.

Remove floating blanket weed from your pond plants by twirling it around a stick or garden cane. Before composting it, pile the weed close to the pond for for a few hours so any displaced creatures can crawl back into the water.

Keep bird baths topped up in hot weather.

Prevent slugs attacking your young plants by using pest control. For container plants apply copper tape.

If your plants are wilting for no obvious reason, check for vine weevils by tipping your plants out of their pots and looking for ‘C’ shaped creamy maggots amongst the roots. Treat with nematodes if vine weevils are spotted.

Top Tip:

Terracotta pots are prone to evaporation so dampen the pot down to keep roots inside cool and damp.