🌼 Jobs for the Garden in July: Keep Your Summer Blooming
Welcome to High Summer!
July is a glorious month in the garden — everything’s growing, blooming, buzzing and thriving. But this is also the time when your garden needs a little gentle steering to keep it looking its best.
Whether you're nurturing borders, containers, veg plots or newly planted areas, here’s your July to-do list, designed to help you stay ahead and enjoy your outdoor space to the fullest.
☀️ 1. Water Wisely (But Not Wastefully)
Warm, dry spells are common in July, so watering becomes essential — but it’s all about doing it right.
Top Tips:
Water deeply, not daily. A good soak encourages deeper roots and stronger plants.
Morning or evening is best — avoid watering during the heat of the day.
Target the base of the plant to avoid scorching foliage or encouraging mildew.
Use mulch (like bark or leaf mould) to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
If you’ve got a rainwater harvesting system (or are planning one), July is when it really earns its keep.
🌸 2. Deadhead to Keep the Colour Coming
Regular deadheading keeps flowering plants looking tidy and encourages more blooms.
Deadhead these now:
Roses
Cosmos
Geraniums
Dahlias
Sweet peas (pick daily to prolong flowering!)
Snip just above a pair of healthy leaves or a new bud.
🍅 3. Tidy Up and Trim Back
Things can get a bit overenthusiastic in July — particularly shrubs, hedges, and fast-growing perennials.
Trim hedges before birds start their second nesting (but always check first)
Cut back faded perennials like hardy geraniums or catmint to encourage fresh growth
Support tall plants with stakes or obelisks to stop wind damage
A light touch now prevents a major tidy-up later.
🧄 4. Harvest and Sow
July is a peak month for harvesting fruits and veg — and a great time to sow crops for later in the season.
Harvest:
Soft fruit (currants, raspberries, gooseberries)
Courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes
Early potatoes and garlic
Sow now:
Salad leaves, rocket, beetroot
Carrots (especially short varieties in containers)
Spring cabbages and overwintering broccoli
Biennials like foxgloves or wallflowers for next year’s display
Top tip: Sow in the evening or on cooler days to avoid seed stress.
🪴 5. Feed Hungry Plants
After months of growth and flowering, many plants start to tire.
Feed containers and baskets weekly with a high-potash feed (like tomato feed)
Roses and perennials can get a midsummer feed to encourage strong late-season growth
Acid-loving plants (like hydrangeas or blueberries) benefit from an ericaceous feed
Well-fed plants are stronger, healthier, and better at coping with dry conditions and pests.
🐛 6. Keep an Eye on Pests & Problems
Warm, dry conditions can bring out a few unwelcome visitors:
Aphids – squash by hand or use a gentle soap spray
Powdery mildew – remove affected leaves and water the base, not the foliage
Slugs and snails – protect new seedlings and tender plants
Encourage natural predators by planting wildlife-friendly flowers and avoiding chemicals.
🌿 7. Enjoy Your Garden!
It’s easy to forget that July is also about enjoying what you’ve created. Take a moment to sit, listen to the bees, admire your handiwork — and plan for late summer colour or autumn planting.
If you're looking to refresh your borders, redesign your space, or make your garden more resilient to heat, we’re here to help.
📧 Book a consultation at info@hortservices.co.uk
📞 Call us on (+44) 77601 29222