July's Gardening Tips
After the flower has shed all its petals it is important to dead head. This helps a good second flush of new flowers in a few weeks time. Cut the old flowers off by making a sloping cut about 1cm above the first outward-facing five lobed leaf from the top (the top leaves are usually only three lobed). If the rose is a floribunda or cluster flowered type, just nip out the flowers as they fade. Another feed of rose fertilizer wouldn't come amiss but no later than next month because young growth shouldn't be encouraged later in the season. Keep an eye open for aphids and black spot and spray accordingly. Aphids breed much faster in the warm weather and several applications may be necessary to break the life cycle. The spray kills the adults but then eggs will still hatch later, so it's back to square one. Also, don't forget to spray the ground as well as walls/fences behind climbers because there will be livestock there as well as on the plants.
Tall growing perennial herbaceous subjects may need some support if it isn't already in place. Especially subjects like Delphiniums, which are not particularly strong and can be damaged by one storm, and then a whole season's growth is spoiled.
Most gardeners give their borders a feed and top dress in the spring but a further dressing now is very beneficial, particularly if applied after cutting down any early flowering subjects.
The vegetable plot should be yielding all the results of previous hard work which is very rewarding. Keep small sowings of the salad crops going for a good continuity - radish, for instance, can be sown every week but don't forget to keep it well watered to prevent the roots going "pithy".
If next spring's wallflowers have not been sown yet, don't delay, otherwise it will be too late. When the seedlings are large enough to transplant, perhaps the patch where the early potatoes have been dug from could be utilised. Don't forget to give it a dressing of a good general fertilizer first. Remember, you can't get more out of a garden than you put in.
After the flag iris (I. germanica) have finished flowering, they will benefit from a dressing of Epsom Salts. This will encourage better blooms for next year.
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