Gardening Tips > July > Summer Gardening Check list

Summer Gardening Check list

Watering continues to be the biggest task in the garden this month. After some much needed rain at the end of June the recent baking conditions have once more dried out the containers, beds and baskets. If you can, try to water first thing in the morning to prevent evaporation and scorching.

If the sun shines make time to enjoy your garden. Sit and relax, play games on the lawn or enjoy a picnic or barbecue. If you really can’t sit still there or on cooler days there are a few tasks which you can be getting on with:

  • Place your conservatory plants outside now that it is warm, as they will benefit from being outside
  • Deadhead bedding plants and repeat-flowering perennials, to encourage further flowers throughout the summer
  • Tidy up fallen leaves, flowers and compost to prevent potential pest and disease problems. Prevention is much easier than curing an infestation
  • Tie-in climbers such as honeysuckles, ‘mile a minute vine’ and clematis
  • Give the lawn a quick-acting summer feed, especially if a spring feed was not done
  • Give fence panels and wooden gates a lick of paint or varnish, while the weather is dry

And, in the veggie garden or allotment:

  • Pick courgettes before they become very large marrows
  • Start using lettuce when they are half grown.  If you wait until they are fully grown some will bolt producing flower heads before you can use them all
  • Plant more leeks, onions, brassicas and lettuce now to give you later crops. Winter cabbage plants are now available
  • Never let crops in grow bags go short of water. Top tip: standing the bags on gravel trays or on reservoirs with wicks through the base can prevent drying out
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