July

July

In the greenhouse

• Pinch outside shoots and tie the plants to tall stakes for support
• Thin bunches of grapes
• Feed plants in pots and grow bags every week
• Propagate house plants
• Remove coleus flowers
• Water cucumbers daily and pick the fruits regularly to ensure new flowers form
• Raise French beans in post to plant outside for a late crop

Tip: Go crazy for cress!

If you love watercress but don’t have a stream, don’t despair. Varieties such as ‘Aqua’ can be successfully be grown in pots in the greenhouse. Scatter seeds on to compost in pots, cover thinly and water well. They will germinate quickly. Put the pots on staging or outside in saucers of water to keep them moist. Enjoy!

Fruit and vegetables

• Plan out leeks
• Cover fruit with netting
• Give crops a liquid feed
• Prune excess raspberry canes
• Peg down strawberry runners
• Thin out heavy crops of plums and apples
• Sow the following outside: beetroot, lettuce, peas, radish, rocket, spring cabbage, swede, turnip and endive
• Pick courgettes before they become marrows

Tip: Hoe, hoe, hoe

Weed control is really important this month as it is the height of the growing season. Hoe over bare soil as you walk around the garden to keep weeds in check. Don’t wait for the weeds to grow before you hoe. If you keep the soil surface moving it will prevent seedlings from taking root. If you hoe in the morning on hot days, any weed seedlings that you disturb will soon wither and die.