July is (usually!) a lovely summer month. A time for relaxing and enjoying your garden, after all the hard work you’ve put into it over the past few months. But, while enjoying your garden may be the number one priority for many gardeners during July, there are still a few jobs that need doing!

“Enjoying your well-kept garden has to be a priority for every gardener out there, but there is still a bit of work to be done,” said Newington Green estate agent, M&M Property. “Luckily, those jobs aren’t too taxing and should leave plenty of time for relaxing and happily viewing the fruits of your labour.”

Flowers and Borders

If you have flowered borders, then now is a good time to dead-head any plants that need it to keep your borders looking tidy and to encourage re-growth.

You also might want to start transplanting any seedlings for your winter flowers into small pots, as well as sow any biennials you want to flower in the autumn. They include:

• Forget-me-nots.
• Sweet William.

In addition to those jobs, ensure you’re watering your existing flowers enough - but not too much – during this typically warm month. In particular, hanging baskets can dry out quickly on hot days, so try and add water there twice a day to keep them healthy.

Fruit and Vegetables

July is a good month for much of the produce you might have sown, so make sure you don’t leave any plants too long. Berries, currants and rhubarb should all be ripe but tender, so harvest them carefully to enjoy them at their best.

Some pruning is also required for those fruits that aren’t yet ready, so keep on top of container grown apples, plums, apricots and prunes. That way they’ll get all the nutrients they need in the final weeks and months before harvest time.

“July is a great month for fruit growers as it’s the middle of the summer season when those strawberries and cherries are ripe and sweet,” said Proskips. “Encourage other friends and family members to grow their own, by letting them sample your wares.”

It’s a similar situation for any vegetables you’re growing. Some are ready to be harvested:

Others still require a little pruning and commitment to regular watering, to make sure they grow as they should and are ripe and tasty at their harvesting time.

Lawn and Shrubbery

July is the last time of the year to get the best results from feeding your lawn with a good fertiliser, so don’t delay this job until August. You should also water your lawn well as its exposed to the sun all day long, which can take its toll.

“Another summer job is to keep on top of weeds,” said LDG, central London estate agent. “The warm weather and your regular watering is as good for weeds as it is for the plants you want, so make sure you’re weeding regularly and getting the blighters up by the roots.”

Always be on the look-out for any brown patches on your trees and shrubs. July is a month where lots of bugs and unwelcome diseases can spread. Quickly prune any affected areas and take a look at what options you have of helping them to mend or to stop any future rot.

But, most of these jobs aren’t too energetic and you can either have a few busy days or spread the jobs out. Either way, your garden will be kept in great shape for you and others to enjoy.