Hi,Though the Summer is a time to relax and savour the fruits of our labour during the Spring, there are still things that require our attention in the garden.In this edition of our newsletter, we bring you some invaluable gardening tips and tricks to ensure your garden stays in full bloom. From composting to nurturing delicate flowers, we’ve got you covered. Let’s embrace the joys of summer while tending to our garden’s needs. Horkans Team
Paraic’s Tips & Tricks for the end of July
Compost your kitchen and garden waste, chopping up and mixing the contents to speed up decomposition. July is an excellent time to create a new composting project. Cut lavender for drying, choosing newly opened flowers for the best fragrance, then hang it up in a cool, dark place; your plants will reflower in autumn.
Give Dahlias a liquid feed, keep them well watered, and tie the shoots of tall varieties to sturdy stakes as they grow. Dahlias will flower from July to November. Hoe borders often (I use the Wolf garden hoe) to control small weeds. Water and feed sweet peas regularly, pick the flowers every few days and remove seed pods to prolong flowering. Liquid feed with Blooming Magic Liquid Feed.
Cut back early summer perennials, such as hardy Geraniums and delphiniums. After flowering for a second flush, deadhead roses weekly and feed them monthly. Take softwood cuttings from shrubs such as pyracantha, cotinus, and hydrangeas. spiraea, lavender, hebes, hydrangeas, and fuchsia
Keep watch for pests such as lily beetles, snails, aphids, and vine weevils, and remove them before they do too much harm. Sow biennials and perennials such as lupins, delphiniums, foxgloves, honesty, forget-me-nots, and wallflowers for blooms next year.
Prune plum trees in dry weather when silver leaf fungal disease is less prevalent Peg down strawberry runners into pots of compost to root new plants. Pick courgettes regularly so they don’t turn into marrows. Sow small batches of fast-maturing salad leaves, rocket, and radishes every few weeks for continuous pickings, or drop into your local garden centre and pick up some herb, salad, and vegetable plants ready for planting now.
