What Foods to Plant in July (Vegetables, Fruit & Herbs)
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July is one of those months where there’s more maintenance than actually planting and a lot of watching to see how things are going. That said, there are some foods to plant in July and some important jobs to do.
What vegetables to plant in July
Most of the vegetables that are planted in July can be direct sow outdoors because the weather should be about at its best.
Direct sow outdoors
July is the last opportunity to plant some of the beans such as French and runner beans if you are in the warmer part of the UK to the south and for some of the warmer planting zones.
You can still plant some carrots at this time of the year but watch for those carrot flies as they will be very prevalent.
You can sow spring cabbage, turnips and autumn and winter salads during this month.
Finally, if you have winter leeks and brassicas then this is the time to get them planted.
What fruit to plant in July
Ideally, most of your fruit plants will be planted by July and it is more about maintenance.
However, if you do have varieties that specify they should be planted at this time, then always follow the individual instructions.
What herbs to plant in July
Like vegetables and fruit, there’s not as much planting to do in July for herbs.
You can use this time to sow spring herbs that need a little growing time such as chicory and fennel.
Also, replant those short crops such as cress and some of the salads so you have a continuous supply which only takes a few weeks to grow and mature.
Other jobs to do
When you are looking at your gardening job list, July’s maintenance work will be far longer than the work to do with planting. But this is the key point for getting the best from the food plants you have already started.
For all plants, keep an eye on water levels, especially if temperatures are on the high side. Regular, consistent watering is important for almost all food plants and continue to hoe to remove weeds. Aim to do this on dry days otherwise, the wet weather will encourage quicker weed regrowth.
Vegetable jobs
If you are growing cordon tomatoes, remember to remove the main shoot. Go for the leaf that’s above the fourth truss (those sets of developing fruit) and cut it here. This ensures that the fruit will ripen. If you are growing bush tomatoes, don’t worry about this. Also, watch for tomato blight.
You might need to do something similar with climbing beans to get the best crops from the side shoots. Stop them when they reach the top of their support.
Any plants growing up supports should be checked regularly to make sure they are firmly anchored and growing in the right direction.
Fruit jobs
If you have summer gooseberries and blackcurrants, redcurrants or whitecurrants, July is when to complete their pruning.
Pollinate female indoor melon flowers then pinch around 2cm beyond the flower. For outdoor melons, pinch out twice with four weeks between. Keep feeding and watering both regularly.
For container growing fruit, make sure you give a regular liquid feed and for any fruit-laden plants, use stakes to prop them up and stop the fruit from falling off too early. If you are creating a fan trained tree, keep working on this.
Prune cherries, plum, apricot and peach straight after harvest and also summer prune kiwi fruit if they weren’t pruned in June.
Use a citrus fertiliser on lemon or other citrus trees.
Finally, if the birds are eyeing up your fruit, use netting around the plants to protect them and ensure you are the one who gets to eat your crops!
Keeping on top of things
July is very much about keeping on top of things and ensuring a good harvest to come. Some plants may have already produced their fruit but most need a little help to get the best crops in the coming months. And just remember to keep on top of watering – not too much or too little.
