July marks the height of the gardening season, with flowers in bloom and produce ready for harvest. However, maintaining a pristine garden through the summer heat requires ongoing attention. Experts advise on several key tasks to ensure gardens thrive and remain protected from common summer challenges.
Lawn Maintenance
To keep lawns lush and healthy during July, landscape gardener Simon Parry recommends frequent mowing. Cutting grass slightly longer and trimming it regularly helps retain moisture and promotes growth, reducing stress on the lawn. It is advisable to mow in the cooler parts of the day, either morning or evening, to minimize heat stress. Applying a summer fertilizer is also suggested, as it can be the last opportunity to feed the lawn before winter. Applying fertilizer too late in the season could encourage rapid growth that may be vulnerable to frost and pests.
Watering needs for lawns vary. Well-established, healthy lawns may require less frequent watering as they can withstand drought. Even if grass turns brown, it often recovers naturally. A deep soak once a week can encourage root growth for those who prefer a greener appearance. New lawns, however, need consistent watering to establish strong root systems. For the first two weeks after turf is laid, watering once or twice daily is recommended, decreasing to two or three times per week as the roots take hold. Using collected rainwater can conserve water resources.
Weed control is also crucial in July. Regular mowing can help manage weeds like dandelions and clovers. While some plants, such as wildflowers, can attract wildlife, unwanted weeds can be removed by hand using tools like weed pullers and trowels.
Flower Care and Pollinator Support
Trimming back certain flowers can encourage new blooms. Cutting back delphiniums after their initial flowering can prompt a second bloom by allowing the plant to redirect energy from seed production. Similarly, pruning geraniums can maintain their neat appearance and encourage further flowering. Flower baskets can be refreshed with pruning and feeding. July is also a good time to collect seeds and cuttings for the following year and to plan for any gaps in the garden.
To support butterfly populations, it is important to keep nectar-rich flowers blooming. Managing Director of Hopes Grove Nurseries, Morris Hankinson, suggests removing spent blooms from flowers such as Echinacea, Monarda, Zinnia, and Cosmos. This practice, known as deadheading, involves pinching, snapping, or cutting off faded flowers from plants like roses, dahlias, lupines, peonies, cosmos, salvias, and delphiniums. This process encourages plants to produce more flowers, providing a continuous nectar source for butterflies during their active feeding and breeding periods.
Pest Management
Summertime brings challenges with pests like caterpillars and ants. Before deadheading flowers, it is essential to check for caterpillars or chrysalises, as insecticides can harm beneficial insects and butterfly larvae. Plant pest expert Tessa Cobley emphasizes that not all caterpillars need to be eradicated, as they serve as a food source for birds and other wildlife and many eventually become pollinators. The focus should be on management rather than complete removal.
Signs of caterpillar activity include foliage with irregular holes, chewed edges, skeletonized leaves, small black droppings (frass), webbing, or leaves folded together. Adult moths and butterflies may lay eggs on the undersides of leaves, often in clusters that are hidden within webbed foliage.
Chemical-free methods for managing caterpillars include using fine-mesh netting as physical barriers to deter egg-laying. Regular inspection of plants for eggs, webbing, and caterpillars is recommended. Small infestations can be managed by hand-picking eggs and caterpillars, though wearing gloves is advisable. Encouraging natural predators such as birds, predatory insects, and parasitic wasps by providing habitat, diverse planting, and water sources can also help control pest populations. Beneficial nematodes, microscopic organisms that target specific caterpillar pests, offer another natural solution that does not harm plants, pets, or beneficial insects.
Ant nests, which are more common in summer, can also affect garden health. While ants contribute to biodiversity, their nests can create uneven surfaces and promote weed growth. A simple method to address ant nests is to sweep away soil mounds on dry days. Ant deterrents can be used if nests repeatedly reappear.
