THE ALMANAC - JULY

LAWNS 
1. Keep mowing regularly,this keeps the sward nice and compact.
2. Apply weed and feed if your lawn is home for all kinds of weeds.
3. Apply Pravado's Lawn Grub Killer to your lawn about now to kill off any Leather Jacket and Chafer Beetle infestations that you have and to help protect your lawn from patches of dead grass caused by the same,for the next 12 months.
4. If you have yellow patches in your lawn that contain small pinkish-red strands, then you may have red thread. This is a fungal disease, common on light soils after heavy rain, when the nitrogen is washed out of the soil. A nitrogen-rich fertiliser should remedy the situation, and the damage is rarely long lived.
5. Isolated weeds can be dug out or spot treated with a paint-on weedkiller.
6. If the weather suddenly becomes very hot, dont forget to raise your mower blades as this will leave the grass a little longer thus affording a bit more protection to the roots and prevents them from being baked.

VEGETABLES 
1. Ensure that all veg receive a regular and consistent supply of rainwater or grey water  wherever possible ( No excuse now with our offer of low cost Water Butt Kits). This will aid health of the plants and in some cases help reduce "bolting".
2. Sow spring cabbage , turnips , oriental vegetables, chicory, fennel and autumn / winter salads such as Lambs lettuce.
3. Climbing beans may need stopping,to maximise cropping on side shoots. Stop them when they reach the tops of their supports.
4. Pick courgettes before they become marrows .
5. Summer cauliflowers may need their curds shading to prevent scorching. This can be done by simply folding one of the larger leaves over the curd.
6. Plant out leeks and brassicas for a winter supply, if not yet done.

GREENHOUSE
1. Place some of your greenhouse plants and houseplants outside for the summer where they will receive full light levels and natural watering. This will also help stop problems like Red Spider which thrive in still, dry, atmospheres.
2. Carry on pricking out any seedlings that were sown  earlier in the season. Other plants already pricked out can be transplanted into  larger pots.
3. Water plants either,early morning or late evening to avoid leaf scorch. Keep up regular feeding as this also helps plants to sustain attacks by pest and disease.
4. Take any cuttings that you need to take as these need reasonable time to grow and make a decent size plant before winter.
5. Ventilate regularly as even on a dull day , temperatures can creep up and your plants will be stressed or even die .
6. Check regularly for greenhouse pests such as Glasshouse whitefly, Leafhopper, Glasshouse Red Spider mite, Mealybug and Scale Insects.

TREES AND SHRUBS
1. Prune deciduous Magnolias if necessary. Also prune June flowering shrubs such as Philadelphus and Weigela after flowering.
2. Fast growing hedges such as Leyland Cypresses should be kept trimmed  through the summer to keep them thick and tidy as well as to uphold the new nuisance legislation brought in by the Government regarding heights of hedges etc .
3. Ensure newly planted trees and shrubs are kept watered.
4. Take semi-ripe cuttings of shrubs such as Choisya, Hydrangea and Philadelphus. Root in pots of gritty Compost either in a cold frame or with a plastic bag over the pot. Place in a slightly shaded location.
5. Scale insect is rife on a lot of trees and shrubs this year and so plants in your garden should be inspected closely on mainly the stems and trunks. If you suspect you have them, get it verified and then spray with a  Systemic Pesticide.
6. If you dont already feed your trees and shrubs, you must do it as they will grow weaker and eventually die. Ericaceous plants such as Camellias, Rhodo's and and Heathers will all need their own special food. The rest will benefit from a good general fertiliser.

ROSES
1. Neat circular pieces removed from the edges of the leaves denote damage  by the Leaf Cutter Bee. These bees will not cause substantial damage to the plant but will render it unsightly.
2. Remove any suckers that are seen as these will take any nutrition and water intended for the main plant.
3. Keep the plants free from weed as once again these will collectively steal moisture and food .
4. Dead head all roses as required to conserve energy and promote new flower buds.
5. Tie in any loose shoots on climbers and  prune standards  to retain their shape.
6. Continue to spray for pest and disease. Feed also any roses that  have not been fed yet.

PERENNIALS
1. Liquid feed any plants in containers and keep well watered in dry spells.
2. Mulch borders to conserve water in dry spells. The mulch will act as food as it decomposes.
3. Cut back Delphiniums and Geraniums after their first flush to encourage a second flush of flowering. Feed after cutting back.
4. Start collecting seed from any plants you want to grow next year especially annuals such as Calendula, Poppy and Love-in-a-Mist.
5. Take cuttings of patio and container plants ready for next year.
6. Plant Autumn-flowering bulbs such as Autumn Crocus, Sternbergia, Amaryllis and Nerine now. Keep watered.