July is a busy month in the garden to nurture new plantings and keep an eye on the established ones. Summer crops should be watered consistently and fertilized for the warmer months ahead. Meanwhile, keep an eye on weeds, pests and disease. Investing time this month will help mitigate problems later in the season.
Check your irrigation system for leaks, and make any seasonal adjustments.
Planting schedules are general guidelines and will depend on your particular microclimate and current weather patterns.
Food Gardening
- Regularly harvest vegetables such as pole beans, cucumbers, and summer squash, which prolongs the harvest season.
- To encourage leaf growth in basil, prune basil to the first leaf bud below the flower to encourage further leaf production. Harvest mature leaves frequently to prolong the harvest.
- Central Coast gardeners succession plant leaf lettuces, greens, radishes and carrots nearly year-round if you're in an area that is relatively cool in the summer, or if you have a cooler spot in the garden. Succession planting means planting additional sets of these veggies every few weeks or once per month, for harvesting throughout the season.
- Some warm season veggies and herbs like summer squash, beans and basil can be succession planted this month. Research the varieties before planting, noting those that require fewer days to maturity and are disease resistant, for best results.
- Check for pests and diseases regularly before they become a bigger problem.
- Garlic bulbs are harvested when most of the stem turns yellow and brown, depending upon the weather: heat will speed them up and cold will slow them down. Both garlic and onions need to be cured before being stored. They may be dug and left in the garden to dry.
California Natives, Flowers and Ornamentals
Fruit Trees
If you haven’t already, thin the fruit on your trees for a better harvest. Read about fruit thinning here.
Miscellaneous
Evergreen Tips
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