July is often one of the hottest months of the year. Keep plants looking good by regularly dead-heading, and you'll enjoy a longer display of blooms. Make sure you keep new plants well-watered, using grey water where possible, and hoe off weeds, which thrive in the sunshine. It is amazing how well weeds grow!
Autumn-flowering bulbs, such as autumn crocuses and Amaryllis can be planted now. Disbud and dead-head dahlias if growing for large blooms. Don’t be afraid to prune back shrubs such as Weigela and remove rose and tree suckers.
Ensure newly planted trees and shrubs do not dry out. They often need much more water than you imagine.
If you have a lawn, keep mowing regularly, except during drought. In hot weather, set the mower at a slightly higher level than normal for early summer as this can help the lawn from drying out and resist wear. Don’t worry unduly about brown patches on the lawn. They will recover quickly when the autumn rains arrive.
If you need a green lawn use a sprinkler once a week. Handy tip: place an open jam-jar on the lawn and leave the sprinkler running for 13mm (0.5in) of water to collect in the bottom of the jar. This is the best amount to avoid wasting water, while still wetting the roots sufficiently. Please water responsibly! Water is for everyone.
Everyone can garden and it’s for all the family. You don’t have to have a garden to get pleasure out of growing. For first timers, gardening with your kids is a perfect opportunity for you all to learn together. For little ones, choose things that grow quickly such as radish, cut and come again leaves and herbs. How about growing your own pasta sauce? A pot with chives, oregano, basil and parsley with the addition of a small cherry tomato will provide you with all the essential ingredients for a tomato sauce and look good. Get inventive, use what space and things you have e.g. old watering cans, welly boots even the kitchen sink! The world will thank you.
Lastly it is a great time to sit out and enjoy your garden with, sadly, no Frenchay Flower Show this year. In this uncertain world we should take as much joy as possible out of what we grow. Please remember that gardening has a positive impact on mental as well as physical health!
Alan Caswell
Autumn-flowering bulbs, such as autumn crocuses and Amaryllis can be planted now. Disbud and dead-head dahlias if growing for large blooms. Don’t be afraid to prune back shrubs such as Weigela and remove rose and tree suckers.
Ensure newly planted trees and shrubs do not dry out. They often need much more water than you imagine.
If you have a lawn, keep mowing regularly, except during drought. In hot weather, set the mower at a slightly higher level than normal for early summer as this can help the lawn from drying out and resist wear. Don’t worry unduly about brown patches on the lawn. They will recover quickly when the autumn rains arrive.
If you need a green lawn use a sprinkler once a week. Handy tip: place an open jam-jar on the lawn and leave the sprinkler running for 13mm (0.5in) of water to collect in the bottom of the jar. This is the best amount to avoid wasting water, while still wetting the roots sufficiently. Please water responsibly! Water is for everyone.
Everyone can garden and it’s for all the family. You don’t have to have a garden to get pleasure out of growing. For first timers, gardening with your kids is a perfect opportunity for you all to learn together. For little ones, choose things that grow quickly such as radish, cut and come again leaves and herbs. How about growing your own pasta sauce? A pot with chives, oregano, basil and parsley with the addition of a small cherry tomato will provide you with all the essential ingredients for a tomato sauce and look good. Get inventive, use what space and things you have e.g. old watering cans, welly boots even the kitchen sink! The world will thank you.
Lastly it is a great time to sit out and enjoy your garden with, sadly, no Frenchay Flower Show this year. In this uncertain world we should take as much joy as possible out of what we grow. Please remember that gardening has a positive impact on mental as well as physical health!
Alan Caswell
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