911±¬ÁÏ

Jobs to do in July

Summer’s in full swing

Staking newly planted tomatoes in pots outdoorsThis month, protect heavily-laden fruit tree and bush branches from snapping under the weight. Use a stake or prop to keep them upright. If necessary, prune cherries straight after harvest

Sowing and planting

Vegetables

A row of carrot seedlingsPruning and training

Fruit

Prevention

Tomato leaves showing symptoms of blightGeneral care

Fruit

  • Check tree ties as tree trunk girth increases.

  • Water cranberries, lingonberries and blueberries regularly with rainwater. Tap water will do when butts run dry.

  • Complete summer pruning of gooseberries and red/white currants.

  • Pollinate female indoor melon flowers, then pinch out 2cm (0.75in) beyond the flower.

  • Pinch out the growing point of outdoor melons twice, at four-week intervals.

  • Water and feed outdoor melons regularly once established.

  • Pull off suckers appearing around the base of fruit trees.

  • Make sure fruit isn’t drought-stressed, especially those in containers, against a wall or newly planted.

  • Give regular liquid feeds to plants growing in containers.

  • Protect heavily-laden fruit tree and bush branches against snapping under the weight. Use a stake or prop to keep them upright.

A July harvest of vegetables, salads and rhubarbVegetables

  • Ensure all vegetables get a regular, consistent supply of water. This will aid healthy development, and help to avoid diseases, disorders and bolting.

  • Continue to hoe off weeds in dry weather where needed. Done in wet weather, the weeds are liable to re-root.

  • Don’t forget to stop cordon tomatoes by removing the main shoot. Look for the leaf that’s above the fourth truss (set of developing fruit) if growing outdoors, or the seventh truss indoors, and cut it off here. This should ensure that all the fruits ripen by the end of the season. Bush tomatoes can be left to their own devices.

  • Climbing beans may also need stopping, to maximise cropping on existing sideshoots. Stop them when they reach the tops of their supports.

  • Beans need sufficient watering to help the seed pods set.

  • Check climbing vegetables are securely tied to supports.

  • Earth up non-self-blanching celery cultivars (with a protective collar of paper between the stems and the soil).

Learn the basics of growing fruit and vegetables: Watch Get Set, Grow! 

Gardeners' calendar

Find out what to do this month with our gardeners' calendar

Advice from the 911±¬ÁÏ

911±¬ÁÏ

911±¬ÁÏ is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.