GARDENING FOR JULY

Flowers:

 Divide bearded Irises at this time of year by selecting young portions of the rhizomes about 4 to 6 inches long, trim the fan of leaves to about 6 inches and shorten the roots by about a half in length and then plant in their new positions but leave the rhizome on the surface of the soil.  Don’t forget to water in. 

Prolong the flowering of Sweet Peas, Roses, Dahlias and Cosmos by regular dead heading.

Tie in the rapidly growing new growth on rambler and climbing Roses.

Remember to regularly water all plants growing in containers and feed occasionally as well.

Vegetables and Fruit 

  There is still time to make the final sowings of French Beans, Lettuce, Radish, etc. 

Keep Tomatoes evenly watered to prevent splitting of the fruit and Blossom end rot.  Feed with a high potash feed weekly from now on.

Tie in the new growth on cane fruit, this will be where you will get next year’s crop.

Pests and Diseases. 

 Black blotches or spots on Apple and Pear trees is a sure sign of Scab infection, spray now especially on smaller trees to help prevent this.

Brassicas can be decimated at this time of year by the caterpillars of the Cabbage White butterfly.  Pick off the caterpillars or use a suitable spray to control them.

At this time of year Powdery Mildew is a problem especially if the weather is dry.  Spray with a suitable fungicide before the problem gets too bad.

Potato Blight will be around now especially if the weather is humid.  Spray with a copper based fungicide, best used as a preventative as once the fungus has taken hold on your crop eradication is very difficult.

Distorted new shoots on many garden plants is the result of Capsid Bug damage. Fuchsias, Dahlia, Hydrangea are amongst those plants most commonly affected.

Continue to control Lily Beetle as it is seen by pickling off the red beetles or spraying with Ultimate Bug Killer.  If left such severe damage will result to your Lilies and the bulbs will be weakened so badly they may well not appear again next year.