TINA WOODHAMS GARDENING NOTES FOR JULY
Just when you thought you can sit back and relax in your garden, think again! There are as always lots of gardening jobs in July.
Deadhead roses, dahlias and annuals regularly to keep them tidy and encourage repeat flowering throughout the season.
Water pots daily and twice daily if temperatures soar. Morning and evening is best when it is cooler and direct sun will not evaporate the water before it has had chance to drain into the pot. Stand pots on a saucer or tray to reduce water waste. Even if it has rained it is still worth checking that the pots haven't dried out and windy days will also dry out the soil. Feed weekly with a general purpose liquid feed to top up nutrients in the compost and prolong the life of your plants.
In the borders, cut back early flowering perennials such as hardy geraniums, salvia caradonna, alchemilla mollis and dianthus to help ensure a second bloom in late summer or early autumn. Keep on top of the weeding! Hoeing or hand-weeding regularly will minimise any seeds from setting in the ground and allow your plants to grow freely. Edging the lawn around borders prevents the grass from spreading into your beds whilst maintaining their shape.
In the veg plot, in addition to harvesting summer crops you can direct sow root vegetables - carrots, beetroot, radish for an autumn crop along with french and runner beans and peas for a final crop this year. Autumn and winter salads can also be sown now together with spring cabbage and perpetual spinach for a winter harvest. Plant out brassica plants - purple sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cabbage and brussels sprouts.
Think ahead and sow aqueligia, campanula, pansy, foxglove, sweet William and wallflower all for flowering the following year.
Phew! Now you can sit back and enjoy the efforts of all your hard labour!
SUNFLOWERS – TOP TIPS
With the West Farleigh In Bloom annual sunflower competition fast approaching, here's some tips for growing the prize-winner!
Sunflowers enjoy a rich, well-drained soil so add well-rotted manure or garden compost before planting out. This will help the roots to run deep and find plenty or essential nutrients.
Give the plants space to grow to ensure good air circulation, the spacing will depend on the variety of sunflower you are growing, and will help to prevent them from rotting.
Choose a sunny, sheltered spot away from strong winds. Support the plants using robust wooden or metal stakes placed close to the stalk and then attach the stalk to the stake with soft ties such as garden twine to prevent cutting into the plant.
Protect young plants from slugs and snails, home remedies include copper bands, broken eggshells, broken nutshells, ground coffee beans and seaweed.
If you enjoy a cold beer (and are of a legal age) so do slugs! Make a beer trap by burying a pot into the ground and half fill it with beer - the slugs will seek it out and fall into the pot.
Feed your sunflowers! Use diluted liquid fertiliser once a week and once the plant starts flowering feed it with a high potash tomato feed. It's important to pour directly into the ground directly to the root system and not onto the stem as this will cause the sunflower to rot.
Then watch as your sunflower reaches the dizzy heights of success! Happy sunflower growing!
Good Luck