The season is at its peak. Here's what to keep on top of in the longest, busiest weeks of the year.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
June and July are the peak of the gardening year – fast growth, long evenings and the first proper harvests. It's about keeping things watered, fed, dead-headed and harvested, so the show and the food keep coming.
With long, hot days, watering matters more than any other job. Water deeply, early or late, at the roots – prioritising containers, new plantings and anything recently sown. Wet leaves at night invite disease, so aim low and give beds a good, infrequent soak rather than a daily sprinkle.
Salad leaves, peas, beans, courgettes, herbs and soft fruit all keep coming if you keep picking. Regular harvesting encourages the plant to produce more – an unharvested courgette or bean stops cropping. Don't let gluts go to waste; preserve the surplus.
Deadhead spent flowers on bedding, roses and dahlias to keep them blooming. Pinch out the tips of trailing plants and side-shoots of indoor tomatoes to keep growth productive. Ten minutes a week extends months of colour.
Container plants, tomates, squash and fast-growing veg are burning through nutrients now. This is the season for a regular, balanced liquid feed on anything in a pot or cropping heavily, and a generous mulch to hold moisture in the beds.
From seasonal garden care to a full seasonal-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.
