JULY IN
THE GARDEN
Mill Dene Gardens
(Mill Dene Gardens are situated in Blockley, Moreton in the Marsh, Gloucestershire.)
Mill Dene Gardens
Looking back to last July and the torrential rain let us hope this year we will have a more normal weather pattern. The garden will now be coming into the later flowering flush with the dahlias, various members of the daisy family and more roses.
Regular watering and feeding of all the pots and hanging baskets will reward with a continuous flowering of the plants. Keep deadheading the geraniums in the baskets. Cut down the violas and give them a good feed so they don’t bloom themselves to death.
The borders will need inspecting and where plants have been blown about by the wind some more staking might be needed. A thorough watering from time to time in the evenings might be needed too. Regularly deadhead the roses, repeat- flowering perennials and dahlias. Keep picking and watering sweet peas, give bunches to friends and neighbours.
It is time to lift and divide the bearded irises. Inspect the rhizomes for bacterial soft rot, if present cut it out and dust with flowers of sulphur powder. If the leaves have fungal spots cut them down. Destroy all diseased rhizomes and foliage; do not add to the compost heap. Make sure all the forget-me-not plants are pulled up and thrown away now the seed will have dispersed for next season. It exhausts the ground if left standing.
Do remember that the grass of the lawn does not need to be watered even if it goes brown because as soon as it rains it will green up again. Watering grass is a pure waste of resources.
Check the water level in the pond if the weather is hot and sunny and regularly top it up. If there are fish in the pond spray the water in from a height to aid aeration and cut down shock.
In the vegetable garden sow some rocket, as it won’t suffer from the flea beetle that eats the leaves at this time of the year. Sow more basil and coriander as required, it will germinate quickly now. Remember seeds and seedlings need to be kept watered. Water the beans with a spray in the evenings to help the flowers set. Keep courgettes and squashes well watered. Harvest vegetables regularly and give surplus to friends and neighbours.
In the greenhouse continue to feed the tomatoes, peppers and aubergines and water daily. Remember peppers prefer to be watered in the morning, as they don’t like their ‘feet’ wet overnight. Row the cucumbers up sticks and along the top of the greenhouse so they hang down and are easy to pick.
Leave some seed heads for the birds and insects to feed on. Look out for the humming bird moth, this year according to wild life experts it has been seen feeding on red valerian. If the dead heads are cut off regularly the plant will carry on blooming well into autumn. In our garden it usually feeds on the verbena bonariansis around the pond but I haven’t seen any this summer.
I won’t write an August article but will be back in September. Enjoy the summer in the garden.
Judy Pollitt
Spetchley Gardeners’ Society are holding their ANNUAL SHOW in Spetchley Village Hall on Saturday August 9th at 2.30pm.
All welcome.
There is an Open Garden Section and schedules are in the Post Office.
Look out for the signs.
We will try to cover this show in next month's gardening pages.
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