There are many tasks in the summer garden. What are the most important gardening tasks to do in July to keep your plants thriving? And what care for vegetables, fruits and flowers must gardeners consider? Continue reading!
Water properly in the summer heat
In summer the weather gets hotter and in July most of the vegetables in the garden need water to produce a bounty. Water regularly and don’t let the soil dry out. Deep watering is the best option as it allows the roots to grow deeper and makes the best use of the water because if you only water on the surface the water will evaporate quickly. Cucumbers and tomatoes, in particular, need deep watering. Be careful not to get the leaves of beans and tomatoes wet, as they can easily become moldy. How often to water in July? Water heavily once or twice a week instead of sprinkling every day.
The main gardening tasks in July: weeding
The most important gardening tasks in July include controlling weeds. The garden grows luxuriantly in summer, but weeds also invade the outdoor area. Vegetables do not tolerate competition from weeds, so you need to take care of successfully controlling weeds. Weed regularly between crops. You can also use mulch to control weeds and solarize empty beds to prevent weeds. Spread a layer of clear plastic on the beds and leave them in place for six weeks. Best results are achieved when the soil is slightly moist. The heat kills pathogens and pests.
Remove faded flowers from perennial flowers
Remove faded blooms from your spring perennial flowers, as well as faded summer flowers that don’t look as pretty after blooming. This will keep the plants in good shape and prevent unwanted seed formation. Removing faded flowers saves energy for the roots, so the flowers wrap up better and bloom better next year.
Mulching is one of the most important gardening tasks in July
Experienced gardeners know that mulch is the key to a low-maintenance and healthy garden. Mulch conserves soil moisture, reduces competition from weeds, and improves the quality of fruits and vegetables. After light tillage, mulch the soil to retain moisture. Use fast-rotting mulches in vegetable beds so you can undermine everything after the season is over.
Harvest ripe vegetables and fruit daily
Check daily for ripe vegetables in your garden and harvest daily. Vegetables like cucumbers, green beans, zucchini, and eggplant taste better when harvested young. You also have to harvest strawberries, raspberries and blueberries every day because they taste better that way. What else to harvest in July? Garlic, onions, shallots should now be ready. Gently lift them up and let them dry in the sun. You can clean them up later.
What to plant in July in the garden
What to plant in the garden in July July is the time for sowing seeds for the fall harvest. From the middle and end of July, later summer and winter lettuce, root crops and spring cabbage can be planted in the garden. Direct sowing of chicory, endive, Chinese cabbage, Asian vegetables, lettuce, mustard and spinach in the shade of taller plants is also part of the gardening work in July. At the end of this month, sow bush beans, turnips, chard, radishes and daikon directly. Begin by planting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, calabrese, and cauliflower, transplanting them into the garden in three to four weeks. Plant potatoes that you plan to harvest as “early potatoes” this fall. You can just use sprouted potatoes from your kitchen.
Thin and support plants
Some vegetables grow quickly and you need to thin them out so they don’t compete with each other. Check the supports on tall and climbing plants. Pinch off the growing tops of the runner beans when they reach the top of their support.
Control pests and diseases
Check plants regularly for pests and diseases so that you grow healthy plants in the garden. Hand-pick larger pests like caterpillars and tomato hornworms. One of the best preventive measures is to keep the garden clean. Regular weed control also contributes to the healthy growth of plants. Remove fallen leaves and fruit.
Maintain the lawn in July
The lawns in the garden need to be mowed regularly to keep the grass growing healthy and looking pretty. So try to cut the grass twice a week when your lawn is growing well. Make sure mower blades are not set too low as dry weather can slow growth. If the weather is too dry, only mow your lawn once a week and water regularly to keep the grass fresh. You can fertilize your lawn in July provided the weather is not too hot. Water before 10 a.m. in the morning, before the temperature rises. This is the ideal time for regular summer watering as it allows moisture to soak into the soil.
Here we have put together a checklist for you with the most important gardening work in July