July
July is often regarded as one of the coldest months of the winter with heavy frosts, southerly storms and possibly a snowstorm. Take the opportunity when it arises to work outdoors. It is a great month to clean up the garden shed, sharpen the tools and clean the tools up ready for spring work. Take the lawnmower in for its annual check; don’t wait until spring like everyone else.
Crop rotation
Plants extract from the soil the specific nutrients they need. If the same crop is planted in the same place each year the soil will quickly become depleted of those particular nutrients. Doing so can also lead to a build up of pests and diseases that effect the crop. If you plant a good variety of vegetables and rotate their position over three or more seasons you will help prevent these problems and grow great crops.
The following crop groups will act as a guide for rotation
Crop 1 Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower and similar.
Crop 2 Pea, bean, onion silver beet, lettuce
Crop 3 Potato, celery, leek, parsnip, beetroot, kohlrabi, carrot.
Green crops
Autumn and winter are great times to sow green crops and when and tender dig them in. Don't let them get too big, old and woody as they will take a lot longer to rot down and you can easily use the are for planting.
Edible garden
Ornamental plants, trees and shrubs
Lawns
Fruit trees
Indoors plants
Crop rotation
Plants extract from the soil the specific nutrients they need. If the same crop is planted in the same place each year the soil will quickly become depleted of those particular nutrients. Doing so can also lead to a build up of pests and diseases that effect the crop. If you plant a good variety of vegetables and rotate their position over three or more seasons you will help prevent these problems and grow great crops.
The following crop groups will act as a guide for rotation
Crop 1 Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower and similar.
Crop 2 Pea, bean, onion silver beet, lettuce
Crop 3 Potato, celery, leek, parsnip, beetroot, kohlrabi, carrot.
Green crops
Autumn and winter are great times to sow green crops and when and tender dig them in. Don't let them get too big, old and woody as they will take a lot longer to rot down and you can easily use the are for planting.
Edible garden
- Plan crop rotation in the vegetable garden
- Plant shallots and garlic.
- Sow onion seed
- In warmer climate areas plant early lettuces, cabbage, early potatoes, broad beans
- Mulch the ground with compost
- In sheltered or warmer areas plant seeds of radish, onion, carrot and peas..
- Prepare cloches and greenhouses for new crops.
- Lift and divide herbaceous perennials
- Prepare garden for new crops
- Plant asparagus in a permanent bed
Ornamental plants, trees and shrubs
- Plant new roses, trees, shrubs and trees.
- Prune back shrubs that flower on new seasons wood.
- Plant bulbs.
- Trim hedges.
- Prune roses. See Rose Pruning. Half the fun is seeing how the plant reacts in producing new growth.
- Transplant shrubs and small trees to new positions.
- Azaleas and Rhododendrons can be transplanted even if in full flower.
- Last chance to plant annuals for spring display
Lawns
- Aerate lawns using a fork to improve drainage and grass growth.
- Fill lawn hollows with sieved soil to level lawn
Fruit trees
- Prune fruit trees and spray with all seasons spraying oil to kill pests and diseases.
- Harvest citrus by cutting the stem abut 3 leaves back to encourage new growth and future fruiting.
- Last chance to prune grape vine
Indoors plants
- Pot plants near windows should be shifted to warmer parts of the room.