Garden Notes for July 2024.
Some of the earlier crops, like early potatoes, broad beans, and early peas will be finishing soon and it is best to get them cleared away for catch crops such as carrots or globe beetroot. This season has shown once again just how slow the soil is to warm up, many of our plants have grown so slowly in May that it is a wonder that they have grown enough to be put out in June. If you are thinking of sowing a late crop of carrots, a wonderful tip I was given a few years ago is to make sure that the row is watered 4 days after sowing. It works wonders for good germination.
July is the last time to cut back hydrangeas after flowering (they are called ‘hortensias’ in France, which I rather like). The reason for this is that they will not have sufficient time to make new growth for next year’s flowering. The early flowering ‘Montana’ clematis can be pruned in July. Thin out overcrowded stems and cut back where necessary to keep the plant within bounds. Drastic pruning is not desirable.
Tuberous rooted begonias should be disbudded if you want to have those big flower heads. It is the small side buds that need to be removed, leaving the large central flower to develop.
Don’t forget to keep the container grown plants watered and fed at least once a month with a soluble feed. Remove dead heads to encourage continued blossom. Roses will benefit from a sprinkle of a specialist rose fertiliser, preferably with a high potash content to encourage a second flush of blooms.
Tomatoes should be stopped after 5 trusses have set. If the bottom leaves start to turn yellow it is better to remove them and let the trusses develop in the sunshine. Keep an eye out for any sign of mildew and spray appropriately. The same goes for potatoes. If there is a bad attack towards the end of the month and it is too early to harvest it is better to remove the haulm and burn it safely, or take it to be re-cycled.
Pears and plums will repay careful thinning as there has been a heavy set this year with all that beautiful blossom we had, although I am a bit disappointed by my ‘Comice’ pear which has had a mass of blossom but only seems to have set relatively few. At least there are more than there were last year, and the I am really looking forward to picking them in September, the flavour of a freshly picked ‘Comice’ is one of the greatest treats you can imagine.
Take care with your dahlias and keep disbudding and feeding so that you have a good choice to enter the Flower Show.
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