Gardening in July: Navigating Unpredictable Weather
Gardening in July can be a delightful yet challenging experience. As the summer unfolds, the weather can be quite unpredictable, especially in Ireland, swinging from sun shining to unexpected downpours. This month requires careful attention and adaptive strategies to ensure your garden continues to flourish. With the right care and timely actions, you can keep your garden vibrant and productive throughout this often-erratic period. Here are some essential tasks to focus on for a thriving garden in July.
Hydrate New Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials
Newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials need extra care during their first summer. Water them thoroughly during dry spells to help them establish strong root systems and survive the heat. Consistent watering ensures these plants don't dry out and become stressed.
Trim Conifers and Garden Hedges
Keeping your conifers and garden hedges trimmed not only maintains their shape but also encourages healthy growth. Regular trimming prevents these plants from becoming overgrown and untidy, ensuring a neat and attractive garden.
Care for Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are a summer favourite, and with the right care, they can provide a long-lasting display of flowers. Water and feed them regularly, pick flowers every few days, and remove seed pods to encourage continuous blooming. This routine helps sweet peas flourish and maintain their vibrant beauty throughout the season.
Plant Autumn Bulbs
Prepare for a stunning autumn display by planting bulbs such as nerines, colchicums, and sternbergia in pots and borders. Planting these bulbs now ensures they have time to establish before the cooler weather sets in, giving you a head start on autumn beauty.
Feed and Deadhead Summer Bedding
Summer bedding plants in pots, borders, and hanging baskets need regular feeding, watering, and deadheading to keep them looking their best. This routine maintenance encourages healthy growth and prolonged flowering, ensuring your garden remains colorful and lively.
Prune Early Summer Perennials
Cut back perennials like hardy geraniums and delphiniums after their first flush of flowers. This pruning encourages a second round of blooms, extending their beauty through the season. Pruning helps maintain the vitality and aesthetics of these plants.
Maintain Roses
Feed and deadhead roses to keep them flowering vigorously. Regular feeding provides essential nutrients, while deadheading encourages new blooms and prevents the plant from wasting energy on producing seeds. Try our Goulding Rose Food Concentrate, which enriches the soil with humics and amino acids, while also providing vibrant-coloured roses.
Monitor for Pests
Stay vigilant for pests like lily beetles, snails, aphids, and vine weevils. Early detection and removal can prevent significant damage and keep your plants healthy. Our Nature Safe brand offers two effective solutions: Pest Defence and Slug & Snail Barrier. These products deter pests, creating an environment that is unattractive to them, thus protecting your plants.
Lawn Care
Continue to mow your lawn regularly but raise the cutting height during dry weather to keep the grass longer. This helps retain moisture and keeps the lawn looking green and healthy. With Nature Safe Lawn Feed, your lawn will thrive, even in challenging conditions. This organic fertiliser is specially formulated with natural and organic nutrients to support a healthy and lush lawn.
Water Hanging Baskets and Patio Containers
Hanging baskets and patio containers can dry out quickly in the summer heat. Water them daily, either in the morning or evening, to ensure they stay hydrated and vibrant. Regular watering prevents plants from wilting and ensures they remain healthy and attractive.
Feed Container Crops
Apply tomato feed fortnightly to crops in pots and growing bags, such as tomatoes and chilies. This promotes fruiting and ensures a bountiful harvest. Our Nature Safe Tomato Food is rich in amino acids and micro-nutrients, producing quality, succulent tomatoes.
July may bring its share of weather challenges, but with these tips, you can ensure your garden remains a haven of beauty and productivity. Embrace the unpredictability of the weather with adaptive care strategies and the right products to support your plants. With a little extra attention and effort, your garden will thrive throughout the summer. Happy gardening!