It’s midsummer and the garden is a hive of activity; the summer weather should mean rapid growth. Here are the main jobs to attend to regarding your flowering plants this July, before relaxing with a drink on your Supremo Tuscany set to admire your garden.
Clematis
Examine for any signs of the fungal diseases clematis wilt, and treat if necessary.
Dahlias
Feed dahlias with a liquid feed, water well and tether any shoots to strong stakes as the taller species grow.
Lavender
Cut just-opened lavender flowers for drying, and hang up in a dark, cool place.
Roses
Roses also need feeding, as well as deadheading to encourage new blooms.
Sweet peas
Feed and water sweet peas often, remove any seed pods and harvest the flowers every few days.
Pest patrol
Look out for garden pest such as aphids, lily beetles, snails and vine weevils, and use appropriate pest control if necessary.
Summer bedding
Feed, water and deadhead summer bedding plants regularly, whether in borders, pots or hanging baskets.
Weeding
Weed and hoe borders often, so that weeds have insufficient time to set in.
Autumn bulbs
Get ahead for next season by planting any autumn bulbs in borders and pots.
Summer perennials
Trim hardy summer perennials after their early flowering, in order to encourage a second spell of blooming.
Sow biennials
Sow the seeds for biennials like delphiniums, forget-me-nots, pansies, wallflowers and foxgloves for next year.
Cuttings
Last but not least, take cuttings from the new growth of perennials such as fuchsias, as this is the best way to propagate them. Pot now so they grow strong roots for winter.
