July is the month to really enjoy your garden, and to make a note of what might need splitting or moving in the Autumn. If tall perennials are flopping a bit, put some stakes around them to help them and tie in and train any new growth on climbing plants. Give your beds, pots and baskets a feed which will help them to stay looking lush and healthy for longer.
Prune early-summer flowering shrubs, such as Philadelphus, once they have finished flowering. Cut back flowered growth to a strong lower shoot and thin out up to a fifth of old, woody stems.
Prune whippy summer growth of Wisteria to within 5/6 buds of the main stem. Make sure they are well watered in July and August because this is when they set their flower buds. Cut back hardy geraniums to ground level after they have had their first flush of flowers to encourage new foliage and more flowers later in the year.
Divide congested clumps of bearded iris after flowering. Dead head bedding plants, roses and herbaceous plants to encourage more flowers.
Raise the height of the mower blade to keep the lawn greener for longer if we have not had rain. Harvest potatoes, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes and salad leaves. Harvest garlic when the tops of the foliage turn yellow and the stems start to bend, hang them somewhere warm and dry to ripen.
Keep bird baths topped up. Think about sowing or planting wildlife friendly plants such as honesty, teasels and foxgloves. Check hedges for nesting birds before giving them annual cut. If you have hedgehogs in your garden then leave out water and meat based dog or cat food (ideally chicken flavour). Babies should be emerging soon and this food will help them before they hibernate in the Autumn.
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