Tim's Gardening Tips

July in the Garden

Flower garden

• Keep containers well watered and give a liquid feed every two to four weeks.
• Trim back hardy Geraniums after flowering to encourage fresh new growth and a second flush of flowers.
• Deadhead the faded flowers of paeonies and repeat flowering perennials.
• Plant autumn-flowering bulbs.
• Hoe or hand weed regularly to control weeds.

Roses, shrubs, hedges & climbers

• Deadhead repeat flowering roses to encourage more flowers.
• Remove suckers from roses.
• Trim fast-growing hedges such as privet and Leyland cypress.
• Give box hedging and topiary an annual trim if not done last month.

Trees

• Remove suckers from trees.

Lawns & meadows

• Keep mowing lawns regularly, but leave the grass longer in times of drought.
• Apply a final high nitrogen summer lawn feed, following the rates specified by the manufacturer.
• Spring flowering meadows can now be given their annual cut.

Ponds & water features

• Keep ponds and water features topped up and clean pond filters.
• Remove blanket weed and skim off floating weeds as soon as seen.

Wildlife

• Keep birdbaths clean and topped up.

Out and About

• Visit the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, which takes place on 7-12 July 2009.