Job assignments scheduled for July
As the summer heat begins to wane, gardeners can start planning for a bountiful winter harvest. Suttons, a trusted seed supplier, recommends a variety of vegetables suitable for autumn and winter planting, including carrots, radishes, beetroot, lettuce, runner beans, kale, winter cabbage, spinach, radicchio, and more [1].
July is an ideal month for planting crops aimed at a winter harvest. Cool-season vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, sprouting broccoli, winter lettuce, radishes, arugula, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, fast-growing salads, and root crops such as beets, turnips, and carrots are recommended [1]. These crops can mature before the first frost or even improve with frost exposure.
To maximise success, consider starting brassicas indoors in late July for transplanting in fall, using afternoon shade to protect direct-sown cool-season crops in hot summer climates, selecting fast-maturing varieties, especially for broccoli and similar brassicas, and succession planting for continuous harvest through winter [1].
Preventing common potato diseases like late blight and early blight requires proactive management. Early detection and monitoring, fungicide applications, cultural controls, resistant varieties, and maintaining good garden hygiene are key strategies to ensure both a successful winter harvest and effective management of diseases like potato blight [2][4]. Watch out for blight, particularly in warm, damp weather, which can affect potatoes and tomatoes grown outside.
July also brings the harvest of crops such as runner beans, potatoes, raspberries, and globe artichokes. Sowing carrots in July can help avoid carrot fly, and watering strawberries, courgettes, runner beans, veggies that prefer cool conditions like cauliflower and cabbage frequently is essential. If birds are a problem, consider covering strawberries and raspberries with netting [3].
For efficient watering, consider purchasing a hose reel, spray gun, or installing a water butt. If you have space, installing a water butt can be a great addition, as we've picked the latest styles in our buyers guide [3]. In very hot weather, prioritise watering flowering and fruiting plants like tomatoes and cucumbers every day or two, and prioritise crops growing in pots when watering.
First early and second early potatoes should be ready to dig up in July. Harvest garlic and onions when their tops have turned yellow. Be generous with water on leafy crops like lettuce, rocket, chard, coriander, and spinach, which are prone to bolting if they dry out. Pinch out the sideshoots of cordon tomatoes to encourage more flowers and fruits. Remove the growing tip once four flower trusses have formed.
If you're planning to grow potatoes for Christmas, now is the time to plant them. July is also the perfect time to sow veg to harvest during the winter months, including kale, winter cabbage, spinach, radicchio, carrots, radishes, beetroot, lettuce, and runner beans.
References: [1] Suttons Seeds. (2021). Vegetables for Winter Harvest. Retrieved from https://www.suttons.co.uk/vegetables/vegetables-for-winter-harvest [2] RHS. (2021). Growing Potatoes. Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=468 [3] Gardeners' World. (2021). July Vegetable Jobs. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/vegetables/july_vegetables [4] National Gardening Association. (2021). Potato Blight. Retrieved from https://www.gardenmyths.com/potato-blight/
July is an optimal time for planting vegetables aiming for a winter harvest, such as kale, winter cabbage, spinach, radicchio, carrots, and radishes. To ensure a bountiful yield, consider starting brassicas indoors in late July for transplanting in fall, selecting fast-maturing varieties, and succession planting for continuous harvest till winter.
