If you’ve put in the hours in the garden over the past year, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful garden in July. But there’s still work to be done. Weeds don’t get removed on their own, turf has to fight droughts at times, and it’s harvest time in the vegetable garden. At the Livios construction site, Bart Verelst, a professional gardener, offers advice on maintaining our yard during the first month of our vacation.
Dealing with a Brown Lawn
During the summer, you can only hope the lawn stays nice and green. “If you want your lawn to stay green and you don’t have too long without rain, you might want to water it,” Verelst suggests. If you notice that the lawn is getting too dry, just don’t water it and wait for better weather.
If you do decide to water the lawn, it’s best to do it in the evening. “If you water the lawn during the hottest part of the day, a lot of the water will just evaporate and won’t have a chance to reach the roots of your plants,” Verelst said. Just a heads-up: I like to add a teaspoon of dish soap to the water. This helps the water break up into smaller droplets, which then infiltrate the soil more easily.
Achieving a Beautiful Lawn
Every garden owner wants a beautiful lawn. It won’t happen by itself, but with the right maintenance, healthy soil, the right nutrients, regular mowing, and a few other care tricks we’ll go over here, you’ll get there.
Avoid Weeds and Fertilizers
There are also a few other garden tasks on the to-do list. “Unfortunately, you still have to keep on top of the weeds in July, just like you did in the previous months,” says Verelst.
It’s best to avoid fertilizing. “You always have to water fertilizer, which is a waste of water in dry summer periods. Also, the plant doesn’t need it.”
Harvest Time in the Vegetable Garden
July is a great month for the vegetable garden. Anyone who has put in the work will see the results. It’s time to enjoy your homegrown greens and homemade salads. “In July, you can start harvesting the first tomatoes when they’re ready,” Verelst says. You can also start harvesting zucchini in July. “Don’t wait until you see giant zucchini hanging from the plants, because then the plant will waste too much energy on old zucchini and no new, fresh zucchini will be produced.” The same goes for herbs – don’t wait to harvest them.
It’s also time to bring the potatoes above ground. “I suggest you store potatoes in a container with white sand to prevent them from sprouting,” he says. Likewise, start thinking about recipes for vegetables like parsnips and other tuberous vegetables, since they may also be ready to harvest.
Continuing to Plant
On top of that, you can keep planting in the vegetable garden. “You can plant sprouts in the ground and even a second or third generation of lettuce,” he says.
Picking Fruit from Trees
Now’s the time to pick fruit from your trees! July is the perfect month for harvesting apples and pears. “You can also remove any fruit that’s fallen behind,” Verelst explains. This way, you make sure the apples and pears that are already developed get more chances, which means a better harvest overall. If you don’t select, you’ll end up with small apples that get even smaller. While you’re selecting, you can also check for diseases. If you spot a disease on your fruit trees, you can still tackle it now with biological agents.
Protecting Your Cherry Trees
As anyone with a cherry tree knows, it’s crucial to protect the cherries from pigeons and jackdaws. “A lot of gardeners use a net over their cherry tree, but birds can get caught in it,” Verelst says. “A plastic raptor or CDs are a better, more animal-friendly solution. Those who live close to a grain field will see that the threat stops when the grain is ripe. Then the birds will switch to that grain and leave your cherries alone.”
