Hot summer days have arrived in full force in the July garden. Here in Indianapolis, we’re weeding and deadheading, shearing hedges, and taking breaks in the shade. We’re also plotting where to plant more trees in yards this fall; they can help lower city temperatures by several degrees. Here’s to the urban forest!
What To See in the July Garden
- Kitchen gardens are starting to produce tomatoes, peppers, and corn. Keep watering regularly for maximum production.
- The grasses have reached their mature sizes for the season and are beginning to flower.
- Coneflowers continue to bloom, as do other mid-summer bloomers like yarrow, Russian sage, and black-eyed Susans.
What to Do This Month
It’s a great time to focus on bigger projects in the landscape. Contact Spotts Garden Service for a free estimate on late-summer or fall work in your Indianapolis garden.
- Completing hardscape projects or improving site drainage.
- Designing and installing new gardens.
- Scheduling garden coaching. With notes in hand, you’ll be ready for the fall planting season!
- Removing invasive plants and clearing thickets.
July in the Organic Garden
- Weed. We prefer to weed with a garden knife or Japanese hoe, but long-handled hoes work well too.
- Water as necessary, especially new plants. New gardens need 1″ of water a week for the first year after planting. Established plants can usually go without water for a week or two before showing stress. But if plants are drooping or looking dusty, water them.
- Prune shrubs and small trees, and shear formal hedges of boxwood and yew.
- Watch for wilting. The average garden needs 1″ of water a week. But plants will tell you if they need watering by drooping.
- Cut back spent perennials. Daylilies, daisies, catmint, and salvia respond to a cut-back with a fresh flush of growth.
- Keep deadheading to keep your flowers blooming.
- Remember to mow your lawn at least 3” to encourage healthy grass.
July in the Kitchen Garden
- Start seeds for fall vegetable gardens; plant broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts inside.
- Mulch potatoes, onions, and carrots to keep their “shoulders” covered.
- Harvest summer-bearing raspberries.
- Renovate June-bearing strawberry plants by thinning them out and removing the leaves just above the crown.