July

Keep feeding bedding plants, hanging baskets and containers weekly throughout July with a high potash fertiliser such as Tomorite.

Dead-head all flowering plants as soon as flowers fade to stop them setting seed and to promote more flowers.

Remove faded blooms on repeat-flowering varieties of roses to encourage further flowers in late summer.

Train leading shoots on cucumbers up a cane, the longer the main shoot grows, the bigger the crop. Keep well watered and feed twice weekly.

Protect ripening fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and currants from birds by covering with crop protection netting. Make a frame using canes or tree stakes.

Install water butts to collect rainwater from downpipes on houses, sheds and garages.

Plant late-flowering perennials ie. Echinacea, rudbeckia and sedum in gaps in the borders so the garden doesn’t look dull when summer bedding fades.

Start thinking about the varieties of spring flowering bulbs you require, ready to buy when they are on sale next month – we will have a lovely selection!

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