As summer reaches its peak, UK gardens are full of colour, life, and plenty of tasks to keep green thumbs busy. July is all about keeping on top of growth, harvesting rewards, and preparing your garden to thrive through the warmer weeks ahead.
July often brings dry, hot spells across much of the UK, so keeping your garden hydrated is a top priority. Water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation and prevent scorching plant leaves. Focus on the base of plants rather than foliage, and give your containers and hanging baskets a daily drink. You can also use mulch around plants to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Deadhead flowers regularly
Keep your summer-flowering plants, like roses, geraniums, and cosmos, blooming for longer by deadheading spent flowers. This encourages the plant to produce more blooms rather than setting seed.
Harvest fruit and veg
July is a productive month in the vegetable patch. Pick peas, beans, courgettes, tomatoes, strawberries, and raspberries as they ripen. Regular harvesting encourages plants to keep producing. Check for signs of pests and disease as you go.
Top crop tip: Courgettes grow rapidly—check daily to avoid finding marrows where baby veg once were!
Lawn Care
Your lawn might be struggling in the heat. Raise the blades on your mower to leave the grass slightly longer, which helps it cope with drought. If there’s no hosepipe ban, give it a deep soak once a week rather than frequent shallow watering.
Support tall and climbing plants
Fast-growing climbers like sweet peas, beans, and clematis need regular tying in to supports. Keep an eye on tall perennials too – use stakes or rings to prevent them flopping over in heavy rain or wind.
Keep on top of weeds!
Weeds can quickly steal water and nutrients from your plants. Hoe them on dry days when the sun will quickly dry out the roots. Mulching also helps suppress their growth.
Sow late summer and autumn crops
It’s not too late to sow crops like lettuce, spinach, chard, beetroot, and radishes for an extended harvest. You can also start winter brassicas like kale and purple sprouting broccoli.
Prune wisteria and summer-flowering shrubs
Prune wisteria side-shoots back to five or six leaves to keep it in check and promote flowers next year. Once shrubs like philadelphus and weigela have finished blooming, give them a light prune to shape them and encourage fresh growth.
Pest watch
Keep an eye out for aphids, slugs, and caterpillars. Natural predators like ladybirds and birds can help, or use organic pest control methods where needed. Check under leaves and around stems regularly.
Feed hungry plants
Give tomatoes, cucumbers, hanging baskets, and flowering containers a weekly liquid feed to support ongoing growth and flowering. Choose a high-potash feed to promote blooms and fruit.
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