Gardening in July

A few gardening ideas for this month

July

How is your garden looking this year? Many people have told me that the extra time at home and the
lovely weather in Spring has really helped them to improve their gardens,
others are growing veg. for the first time and some have realised that time
spent enjoying nature in the garden or their local park, can really help to
combat stress and low mood.

Growing Things To Eat

One of the highlights of the last few weeks has been seeing our
local community doing on line plant swaps, sending unwanted seeds and baby
vegetable plants to new homes and helping to spread the pleasure of gardening.

Those new to growing food may well be enjoying their very
first harvest already if they are growing salad varieties like Mizuna, Rocket,
Radishes, Baby spinach and Pak Choi that are ready to eat within a few short
weeks from sowing. The tricky part is to keep them coming, and to do this you
need to sow a few more every couple of weeks.

There is also still time to sow lettuce, French beans and spring cabbage.

Things like tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and pumpkins,
although referred to as vegetables are actually fruits, and a feed with a high
potash fertiliser will help them to be more productive. Tomato food is perfect
for this.

Pinch out the growing tip of your tomato plants once they have five branches of
baby fruits developing, and remove any side shoots that appear where the leaves
meet the stem to ensure your tomatoes reach their full size.

Gardens to visit

One of the things I have missed the most this spring is the opportunity to
get out and see other gardens in search of new ideas and, of course, new plants
to buy. In June, many public gardens announced that they will be opening again and
many are now welcoming visitors.

I advise checking in advance before any visits as many (including Harlow Carr
Gardens, Beningbrough Hall, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, Newby Hall and
Ripley Castle), are open, but visits are at fixed times and must be booked in
advance.

Others, like Stillingfleet Lodge gardens near York and Scampston Walled Garden
near Malton are opening too, but times, safety guidelines and certain facilities
may be different so it’s still wise to check before you travel.