July is the starter of a delicious 3-course-calender-meal. On this menu, the apéritif (month of June), has warmed the palette and stimulated the soil with its warmth. As July’s starter is served. So are the vibrancy of colours in the harvests. First into the basket trug are Pea and Mangetout pods. The green ‘Pea Onwards’, yellow ‘Golden Sweet’ and even purple ‘Shiraz’ are a sight to behold. A garden tip: to keep the pea plants producing more flower and pods is to maintain weekly watering and fortnight feeding regime.

Followed by the second early potato variety. ‘Charlotte’ is a nation’s variety as are the violet splashed ‘Kestrel’. No need to wait for the plant tops to die back. Simply harvest young when the tubers have just started to form a small layer of skin.

On the July starter platter, spring sown colourful lettuce is coming to an end now . The last of batavian or summer crisp varieties like ‘Freckles’ with its green leaves splashed with burgundy-red. ‘Merveille de Quatre Saisons’ with large crumpled leaves each tipped with raspberry bronze, and even ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ with the crunchiest crinkled green leaves. More seeds are sown this month, with seed trays now tucked in the cooler part of the garden to help promote germination.

This month’s plot tasks are, to stake the brussel sprouts plants that are putting on strong tall grow, and apply a couple of shovelful of rich mulch to help retain high moisture levels. The tall sweetcorn plants gently sway in the summer breeze. The plants will need earthing up as a way of staking up before the cobs are heavy with kernels. The French and runner beans have changed their tune from colourful white or purple flowers to long narrow pods of purple or green beans. The squash plants unlike the outdoor cucumbers are racing away in growth. The flowers are rising above the plants and that is a sure sign to start the weekly feed regime too. In the greenhouse the aubergine and pepper plants have started to produce flowers too. Feed, feed feed is the theme this month. 

Whilst the harvests have started to arrive, its time to start planning and sowing early winter harvest varieties of crops. Create shallow drills in the soil and sow beetroot, carrots, white daikon radish, florence fennel and turnips. A second sowing of Swiss chard will help provide greens in the early winter days whilst the crop of newly sown chicory will be ready during spring’s hunger-gap when a must needed boost of freshness and colour is a welcome sight.

If there are no plans to grow more crops and wish to leave the soil fallow during the holiday month of August. Rather than leaving the soil unused, for only weeds to to take up residency. It is a good practice to sow green manure in these places. Growing a selection of green manure not only prevent soil erosion, it helps smother weeds and above all will help retain and put back nutrients back into the soil.

Hey August. We look forward to our main course.

Happy Gardening!