John’s July jobs for the garden…

The mornings right now are just wonderful with the early sunrises, the sweet chorus of birdsong, the sunlight bouncing off the morning dew, the air filled with the fragrance of freshly mown fields…all against a backdrop of green, speckled with a plethora of colours from the plants that have, or are starting to, leap into life. Often, this can be one of the best times of the day to get things done, or…to simply take a moment before the world wakes, soaking up and appreciating your space, and celebrating your achievements. Here’s some jobs for July…

• Green Manure – In between vegetable crops you can grow your own ‘green manure’, fast growing crops that are cultivated specifically to dig into the bed to provide nutrients, organic matter and even to help prevent weeds.

• Cutting back – Happily cut back early summer flowering perennials, encouraging a new flush of growth and maybe even more flowers.

• Watering – Keep an eye on your pots and containers, especially in sunny spots, as they will need more water than plants in the ground. Early morning or late evening is the best time to water.

• Harvest Salad Leaves – Keep picking salad crops and pinch out any flower spikes so they keep producing healthy new leaves.

• Plan Spring Bulbs – Grab yourself a gardening book or a magazine for inspiration and start to think about what’s possible next spring.

• Projects – Whilst the days are longer and drier, why not plan an archway, or even a pond?

• Hoeing – A great way to nip weeds in the bud before they establish. Bark mulches also help.

• Shape Shrubs – Remove any shoots going in unwanted directions to help channel growth where you want it.