CARE AND ADVICE
July
Mid summer is a great time in the garden. Bedding plants are making a wonderful display and fruit and vegetables are being particularly productive. Unfortunately this is the time when our plants need extra water most often so water butts and other water storage devices will come into their own as we are all asked to use every drop of water wisely. Wise gardeners will have already mulched their soil beds with decorative bark to help the soil keep all available moisture down at root level, rather than evaporating from the surface.
Mid summer is a great time in the garden. Bedding plants are making a wonderful display and fruit and vegetables are being particularly productive. Unfortunately this is the time when our plants need extra water most often so water butts and other water storage devices will come into their own as we are all asked to use every drop of water wisely. Wise gardeners will have already mulched their soil beds with decorative bark to help the soil keep all available moisture down at root level, rather than evaporating from the surface.
Beds & Bordersplant from future attack it’s best to use a systemic insecticide such as BugClear Ultra Gun! This easy to use insecticide has contact and systemic action that not only knocks out existing pests, but also gives long lasting protection for up to 3 weeks.
At this time of the year you may also notice signs of powdery mildew diseases affecting roses and other plants such as hollyhocks, asters and fuchsias, especially if the soil is dry. For excellent disease control on decorative plants, FungusClear Ultra is one of the best fungicides on the market today because it gets inside the plant to fight existing infections and protects new growth for several weeks. A single application will protect plants for up to 21 days, and up to 28 days against blackspot and rust.
If you are unfortunate enough to have both pest and disease infestations on your roses or decorative plants, you can find ready-mixed combinations of insecticide and fungicide that do the two jobs in one spray. Best known is RoseClear Ultra Gun! that is available as a convenient hand sprayer that allows quick and effective treatment of the major rose problems in one ready-mixed spray. It’s easy to carry around the garden to zap early sightings of pests and diseases, so they don’t have the opportunity to get established. After all, early treatment is the best treatment.
On a similar theme of pest control it’s worth noting that the Monty Don claim in a spring edition of BB1’s Gardeners World programme that “the only way to control red lily beetle is by picking them off” the plants, is untrue. It may be that it’s the only acceptable way for Monty to protect his lilies, but for ordinary gardeners the BugClear Ultra Gun! offers quick control with a simple spray and no mucky fingers.
If it becomes necessary to water plants growing in the garden then give newly planted shrubs and perennials priority and see that they get a good drink occasionally rather than little and often. In this way you will encourage deeper roots. Feeding your shrubs and annual flowers with Miracle-Gro All Purpose Soluble Plant Food regularly will ensure they are well nourished, especially if you wet the foliage in the evening to provide almost instant nourishment through the leaves.
Snap off the dead flower heads of rhododendrons and azaleas so that the new shoots that will carry next year’s blooms can develop unhindered. To grow strongly they also need feeding with a special plant food such as Miracle-Gro Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Soluble Plant Food. This will supply some chelated iron to help ward off leaf yellowing, but if this problem is severe, then water the roots with Murphy Sequestrene Plant Tonic which cures iron deficiency and helps these acid loving plants grow much better.
Topical Tip
If you are regularly sploshing water around the borders, and as a consequence spot that slugs are causing damage, don’t forget to sprinkle some pellets of SlugClear Ultra around vulnerable plants after you have watered to ensure nocturnal slugs and snails are controlled.
At this time of the year you may also notice signs of powdery mildew diseases affecting roses and other plants such as hollyhocks, asters and fuchsias, especially if the soil is dry. For excellent disease control on decorative plants, FungusClear Ultra is one of the best fungicides on the market today because it gets inside the plant to fight existing infections and protects new growth for several weeks. A single application will protect plants for up to 21 days, and up to 28 days against blackspot and rust.
If you are unfortunate enough to have both pest and disease infestations on your roses or decorative plants, you can find ready-mixed combinations of insecticide and fungicide that do the two jobs in one spray. Best known is RoseClear Ultra Gun! that is available as a convenient hand sprayer that allows quick and effective treatment of the major rose problems in one ready-mixed spray. It’s easy to carry around the garden to zap early sightings of pests and diseases, so they don’t have the opportunity to get established. After all, early treatment is the best treatment.
On a similar theme of pest control it’s worth noting that the Monty Don claim in a spring edition of BB1’s Gardeners World programme that “the only way to control red lily beetle is by picking them off” the plants, is untrue. It may be that it’s the only acceptable way for Monty to protect his lilies, but for ordinary gardeners the BugClear Ultra Gun! offers quick control with a simple spray and no mucky fingers.
If it becomes necessary to water plants growing in the garden then give newly planted shrubs and perennials priority and see that they get a good drink occasionally rather than little and often. In this way you will encourage deeper roots. Feeding your shrubs and annual flowers with Miracle-Gro All Purpose Soluble Plant Food regularly will ensure they are well nourished, especially if you wet the foliage in the evening to provide almost instant nourishment through the leaves.
Snap off the dead flower heads of rhododendrons and azaleas so that the new shoots that will carry next year’s blooms can develop unhindered. To grow strongly they also need feeding with a special plant food such as Miracle-Gro Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Soluble Plant Food. This will supply some chelated iron to help ward off leaf yellowing, but if this problem is severe, then water the roots with Murphy Sequestrene Plant Tonic which cures iron deficiency and helps these acid loving plants grow much better.
Topical Tip
If you are regularly sploshing water around the borders, and as a consequence spot that slugs are causing damage, don’t forget to sprinkle some pellets of SlugClear Ultra around vulnerable plants after you have watered to ensure nocturnal slugs and snails are controlled.
Regular watering and feeding are essential to keep hanging baskets and decorative patio containers looking good. Find time to pick over your containers to remove dead flower heads. This will encourage more flowering. Take extra time deadheading fuchsias or they will produce seed pods the size of grapes using up plenty of plant energy in the process.
Similarly, don't be frightened of cutting back long trailing plant material that is showing bare flowerless patches. Some trailing petunias, bidens and nasturtiums are inclined to rampage but can be cut back quite hard without harming the plants.
It is likely that gardeners in the southern half of England will be able to use hosepipes this summer, as regular heavy rains during April and May have put paid to serious drought. So feeding containers once a week with the hose-end Miracle-Gro Liquafeed system is back on the agenda as quick and convenient. Traditionalists can still dissolve the traditional blue crystals in a watering can and wet the compost. But to save water, always fit a drip tray or saucer under the pot. This will allow the compost to suck back any excess water without it running to waste.
A hose-end feeding system allows you to treat a whole garden in just a few minutes. Just fit to the feeder to the end of a hose and screw in a bottle of concentrated plant food. You can then simply water your garden with three different spray patterns and decide when to add the nutrients to feed your plants over the leaves and around the roots. It dissolves the right amount automatically so you can feed through the leaves or around the roots.
Keep your gravel paths free of weeds with a treatment of Pathclear Weedkiller PC or the ready-to-use Pathclear Gun! Weedkiller. These special weedkillers for gravel paths and drives controls the weeds that are already present and prevent the growth of germinating weed seeds for up to 3 months.
Topical Tip
Planning for autumn colour on the patio means that it's time to sow seeds of winter flowering pansies and biennials such as Stock, Sweet Williams and Wallflowers.
Similarly, don't be frightened of cutting back long trailing plant material that is showing bare flowerless patches. Some trailing petunias, bidens and nasturtiums are inclined to rampage but can be cut back quite hard without harming the plants.
It is likely that gardeners in the southern half of England will be able to use hosepipes this summer, as regular heavy rains during April and May have put paid to serious drought. So feeding containers once a week with the hose-end Miracle-Gro Liquafeed system is back on the agenda as quick and convenient. Traditionalists can still dissolve the traditional blue crystals in a watering can and wet the compost. But to save water, always fit a drip tray or saucer under the pot. This will allow the compost to suck back any excess water without it running to waste.
A hose-end feeding system allows you to treat a whole garden in just a few minutes. Just fit to the feeder to the end of a hose and screw in a bottle of concentrated plant food. You can then simply water your garden with three different spray patterns and decide when to add the nutrients to feed your plants over the leaves and around the roots. It dissolves the right amount automatically so you can feed through the leaves or around the roots.
Keep your gravel paths free of weeds with a treatment of Pathclear Weedkiller PC or the ready-to-use Pathclear Gun! Weedkiller. These special weedkillers for gravel paths and drives controls the weeds that are already present and prevent the growth of germinating weed seeds for up to 3 months.
Topical Tip
Planning for autumn colour on the patio means that it's time to sow seeds of winter flowering pansies and biennials such as Stock, Sweet Williams and Wallflowers.
Lawns may be showing signs of stress if current rainfall is short of the seasonal average. Without water an unfed lawn will struggle as roots are shallow and will suffer in drought conditions. But rain will soon be on the horizon and as soon as we’ve had a decent shower or two it’s time to feed your grass.
Not only will summer feeding help to give a wonderful, deep-green lushness that is a pleasure to picnic on, but it will also stimulate grass roots to grow longer and deeper on the hunt for deep-down moisture.
You can apply some dry granule lawn treatments in the summer, including EverGreen Cut & Feed which doesn’t need to be watered in. But to be on the safe side, I prefer to use a soluble lawn treatment because it adds water to the lawn as well as the nutrients. Find a time after some showery weather that has moistened the soil and simply add a tablespoonful of Miracle-Gro Lawn Food to a gallon of water in a watering can and water the grass. It will give you a richer, greener lawn in just 5 days.
If your lawn contains broadleaved weeds such as buttercups, daisies, plantains and dandelions you may prefer to use a 3-in-1 lawn treatment instead. For example, EverGreen Complete Soluble contains four active ingredients to get kill moss and broadleaved weeds and special greening up power that you will see revitalise your lawn in just 24 hours. For best results pick a calm, dry day when the soil is moist.
Topical Tip
Watch out for ants nests in and around the lawn. At first signs scatter Ant Stop! Granules over and around the nest. The foraging workers will do all the work taking the bait back to the nest to share it with the rest of the colony, including the queen.
Not only will summer feeding help to give a wonderful, deep-green lushness that is a pleasure to picnic on, but it will also stimulate grass roots to grow longer and deeper on the hunt for deep-down moisture.
You can apply some dry granule lawn treatments in the summer, including EverGreen Cut & Feed which doesn’t need to be watered in. But to be on the safe side, I prefer to use a soluble lawn treatment because it adds water to the lawn as well as the nutrients. Find a time after some showery weather that has moistened the soil and simply add a tablespoonful of Miracle-Gro Lawn Food to a gallon of water in a watering can and water the grass. It will give you a richer, greener lawn in just 5 days.
If your lawn contains broadleaved weeds such as buttercups, daisies, plantains and dandelions you may prefer to use a 3-in-1 lawn treatment instead. For example, EverGreen Complete Soluble contains four active ingredients to get kill moss and broadleaved weeds and special greening up power that you will see revitalise your lawn in just 24 hours. For best results pick a calm, dry day when the soil is moist.
Topical Tip
Watch out for ants nests in and around the lawn. At first signs scatter Ant Stop! Granules over and around the nest. The foraging workers will do all the work taking the bait back to the nest to share it with the rest of the colony, including the queen.
Tomatoes will be growing strongly whether planted in border soil, greenhouse pots or patio giant planters. Supplementary feeding needs to start six weeks after planting out in compost or planters, as by then the plants will have used up all the nutrients imbedded in the compost. Fruit will probably have set on the first couple of trusses and the use of a high potash feed, such as Liquid Tomorite, is now required for bumper crops. Special feeding like this will provide balanced plant foods, magnesium and seaweed extract that supplies many micro-nutrients that are essential for maximum growth and better tomatoes.
Look under the new leaves of tomatoes at the growing point of the plant to check if whitefly are gathering. Spray the pests with a systemic insecticide that is approved for use on edible crops listed on the label such as BugClear Ultra Gun! or a product that contains pyrethrins such as BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg. Both these products mentioned can be used on tomatoes and are also approved for use on aubergine and peppers.
Plants in the vegetable or fruit garden are sure to be facing competition from annual weeds and grasses. Left undisturbed the weeds will rob the soil of moisture and nutrients reducing the amount available to your food plants. To help keep weeds under control you can regularly hoe between the rows, although this does tend to damage the roots of your crop plants and bring new seeds to the surface. To avoid these two problems you can kill annual weeds and grasses without hard work or disturbing the soil. One application of Weedol 2 through your own pressure sprayer or the use of the ready-to-use Weedol Gun! Max will do the trick. Just ensure you shield your precious vegetables or fruit from the spray and target only the weeds with the spray.
French and runner beans should be ready for picking from the garden in July. For a continuous crop from hereon in you need to keep them well watered and fed every 10 days or so with a high nitrogen feed such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Soluble Plant Food. If the weather is hot, then flowers are less likely to set seed pods. To try to combat this tendency, apply a spray of plain water over the foliage every evening.
Runner beans are very susceptible to blackfly (aphid) attack. If these sap sucking pests are spotted use an insecticide recommended for use on food crops that lists beans amongst the crop that can be treated. First choice is BugClear for Fruit & Veg (contains rape seed oil) or its ready-to-use equivalent BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg (contains pyrethrins). Both are effective aphid killers that also control red spider mites and whitefly and the ready-to-use BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg will also control caterpillars. As these are contact insecticides you will need to apply evenly to upper and lower surfaces of leaves to get full control.
In the fruit garden pick raspberries, loganberries, strawberries and blackcurrants as they ripen. If birds are attacking ripened fruit before you can pick them, protect your crop with netting.
Topical Tip
If you have room for Brussels sprouts in your veg plot transplant seedlings to their cropping position leaving about 75 cm (30 in) between plants.
Look under the new leaves of tomatoes at the growing point of the plant to check if whitefly are gathering. Spray the pests with a systemic insecticide that is approved for use on edible crops listed on the label such as BugClear Ultra Gun! or a product that contains pyrethrins such as BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg. Both these products mentioned can be used on tomatoes and are also approved for use on aubergine and peppers.
Plants in the vegetable or fruit garden are sure to be facing competition from annual weeds and grasses. Left undisturbed the weeds will rob the soil of moisture and nutrients reducing the amount available to your food plants. To help keep weeds under control you can regularly hoe between the rows, although this does tend to damage the roots of your crop plants and bring new seeds to the surface. To avoid these two problems you can kill annual weeds and grasses without hard work or disturbing the soil. One application of Weedol 2 through your own pressure sprayer or the use of the ready-to-use Weedol Gun! Max will do the trick. Just ensure you shield your precious vegetables or fruit from the spray and target only the weeds with the spray.
French and runner beans should be ready for picking from the garden in July. For a continuous crop from hereon in you need to keep them well watered and fed every 10 days or so with a high nitrogen feed such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Soluble Plant Food. If the weather is hot, then flowers are less likely to set seed pods. To try to combat this tendency, apply a spray of plain water over the foliage every evening.
Runner beans are very susceptible to blackfly (aphid) attack. If these sap sucking pests are spotted use an insecticide recommended for use on food crops that lists beans amongst the crop that can be treated. First choice is BugClear for Fruit & Veg (contains rape seed oil) or its ready-to-use equivalent BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg (contains pyrethrins). Both are effective aphid killers that also control red spider mites and whitefly and the ready-to-use BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg will also control caterpillars. As these are contact insecticides you will need to apply evenly to upper and lower surfaces of leaves to get full control.
In the fruit garden pick raspberries, loganberries, strawberries and blackcurrants as they ripen. If birds are attacking ripened fruit before you can pick them, protect your crop with netting.
Topical Tip
If you have room for Brussels sprouts in your veg plot transplant seedlings to their cropping position leaving about 75 cm (30 in) between plants.
Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
Ant Stop!® Granules contain spinosad. BugClear® Ultra Gun!™ contains acetamiprid. BugClear for Fruit & Veg contains rape seed oil. BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg contain pyrethrins. EverGreen Complete Soluble contains MCPA, dichlorprop-P, dicamba and ferrous sulphate. FungusClear Ultra contains triticonazole. Pathclear® Weedkiller PC and Pathclear® Gun!™ Weedkiller contain glyphosate, oxadiazon and diflufenican. Roseclear® Ultra Gun! ™ contains triticonazole and acetamiprid. Roundup Gel contains glyphosate. Weedol® 2 contains diquat. SlugClear™ Ultra contains metaldehyde. Weedol® Gun!™ Max contains pelargonic acid.
Ant Stop!® Granules contain spinosad. BugClear® Ultra Gun!™ contains acetamiprid. BugClear for Fruit & Veg contains rape seed oil. BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg contain pyrethrins. EverGreen Complete Soluble contains MCPA, dichlorprop-P, dicamba and ferrous sulphate. FungusClear Ultra contains triticonazole. Pathclear® Weedkiller PC and Pathclear® Gun!™ Weedkiller contain glyphosate, oxadiazon and diflufenican. Roseclear® Ultra Gun! ™ contains triticonazole and acetamiprid. Roundup Gel contains glyphosate. Weedol® 2 contains diquat. SlugClear™ Ultra contains metaldehyde. Weedol® Gun!™ Max contains pelargonic acid.
Click on one of the other months below to see what you can look forward to
Information about what tasks should be carried out for this month.
Monday - Saturday 9.00am - 6.00pm
Keep up to date about our fantastic offers and events.
