What to do in July in the vegetable garden?

The month of July is synonymous with sunny days and vacations... but it is not easy in the vegetable garden! July is the start of abundance with the arrival of the first summer vegetables, but maintaining the plants and watering are the biggest tasks to carry out. This is when it is appropriate to take great care of the plants to promote their growth and subsequently obtain good harvests.

Sowing and planting to be carried out during the month of July

In the vegetable garden, there is always something to sow. July is no exception, but above all, you must not neglect to wet your soil well before placing the seeds and water regularly when the plants have emerged if the weather is dry. We will also choose a location in partial shade when we plant leafy vegetables at this time to avoid seeding too early. You can find the complete calendar for the month of July below.

, that is to say the small intermediate shoots;

above the third leaf and cut the shoots devoid of flowers.

Don’t forget to water!

In July, whether early in the morning or in the evening, it is essential not to forget to water the plants and especially the leafy vegetables when the weather is hot and dry. Without watering, your radishes will be more spicy, your lettuces less large and your green beans stringy and less tender. By scratching the earth, you will allow water to infiltrate better. To avoid diseases, it is important not to wet the leaves.

Also think about . This will reduce the drying out of the soil which will retain its humidity. To do this, you can use dry lawn clippings, pieces of terracotta pots, straw or even wood shavings. By using dry nettle leaves, you will have a double action. Indeed, in addition to the role of thermal regulator, this mulch will nourish and enrich the soil.

Control weeds

Weeds (commonly called weeds) have been developing more since June. Where the mulch is consistent, they should be less abundant. However, some crops such as carrots and other root vegetables cannot be mulched very thickly. Regular hoeing will quickly become essential to prevent these weeds from suffocating your vegetables.

Thin the carrots

Speaking of carrots and other root vegetables like turnips, remember to thin them! This simply involves pulling out small plants that are too close to each other. Without action on your part, your carrots may remain very small or have a crooked shape.

Take care of existing vegetables such as pickles, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, runner squash so that their fruits develop well. You can also pinch the stems of leafy vegetables so that seedling is delayed.

Beware of diseases and pests!

Even though your plants are less prone to disease during the month of July, due to the heat, you need to be careful:

• powdery mildew on cucumber and zucchini;
• Colorado beetle on eggplant and potato;
• leek moth;< /li>
• late blight on tomatoes and potatoes;
• flea beetles on radishes, potatoes and turnips.

What vegetables are in season in July?

Even if activities relating to the maintenance of your plants are those which take priority in July, the first summer harvests should arrive. For example, you can pick:

• zucchini;
• melons;
• lettuces;
• radishes;
• green beans if they have been sown around April;
• eggplants at the end of the month;
• beets as soon as you see roots forming (they should be pulled out and eaten immediately);
• early potatoes
• …

Aromatic herbs are not left behind. You can pick a few leaves or branches of basil, chives, spring onion, mint, tarragon, savory, parsley, thyme, etc. Some aromatic plants such as tarragon, savory, lavender, thyme and sage can be stored for a long time. After harvesting them, simply dry them.