July Planting Tips and Around the Garden

Dear Folks,  

National Weed Your Garden Day is Wednesday, June 13th.


This time of year I am out in the garden at first light or shortly thereafter.  This time of morning is just beautiful.  I put seed out for the wild birds, let them eat for a while, then I start my garden rounds.  Weeding, harvesting, checking for issues and just enjoying the cool morning before the heat hits.

I was picking some Arabian Jasmine flowers to float in a bowl for our kitchen table when I spotted this cute little (about 3/4 of an inch long and trying to hide) Praying Mantis.

National Pollinator Week begins Monday, June 18th.

It is important to keep something flowering in the garden year round so your pollinators happily visit your gardens all the time.

Your melon and cucumber type plants NEED the pollinators.  I am happy to see this cantaloupe on my young vine which means the pollinators were at work.

I am hoping for more and particularly when this Black Tail Watermelon gets going well and starts putting out flowers.

The Dark Opal Basil is doing nicely also.


July PLANTING:

Most of the planting in July and August is by seed for fall production/harvest. Consider this: If you want pumpkins for Halloween, you have to count back 90-120 days for seeding in. If you do not have a bed prepared or in mind for planting now, get your bed(s) ready.

Beginning July 15th
Seeds Only Planting:

Amaranth
Anise
Cantaloupe
Caraway
Chervil
Cilantro
Corn
Dill
Fennel
Luffa Gourds
Musk Melons
Parsley
Peppers
Roselle
Pumpkins
Squash, Winter       
Sunflower

GARDEN TIPS for July

Sown areas need to be kept consistently moist and the seeds will germinate based on soil temperatures. [Cool weather seeds can be sown now and will give you a jump start when the soil begins cool later on.] Lightly cover with loose soil and loose mulch to keep the area moist.
    Higher humidity can reduce moisture loss to plants, reducing watering frequency, but check with water meter regularly.  It is possible to over-water - then followed by under-watering causing plant stress.
    Tomato plants are unable to set fruit when the Night temperatures stay in the 80s.  Maintain the plants through the summer and you will get a fall crop of fruit before frost.
    Sun damages plants in the summer time, as frost damages them in the winter time. As in frost damage, try to leave the sun damage at the top of the plant alone, if you can, as it protects the lower portions of the plant.  Pruning for fall can start at the end of August through the beginning of September when the monsoon ends and night time temperatures fall below 80.

Your plants may exhibit chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves showing green veins) which is caused by excess water.  It is hard to balance the plants needs against the heat.  Ironite or green sand applied will correct the chlorosis within a week or two.

More of our visitors.

This Woodpecker was trying to eat some of my sweet peppers (I wish they would leave more, but I get enough :-), and was trying to stay upside down, so Deane caught this "abstract" of the bird's fluttering.  Normally we delete blurred pictures but this really looked like art so I kept it.

One of the Quail families stopped by the watering tray and the Lovebirds were literally hanging out ON the tree.

Stay safe in the heat, enjoy your garden and bounty!

You can purchase my calendars and books through links on the sidebar here.

I appreciate your sharing my posts with family and friends.


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

If you enjoyed this post, please share and subscribe below by entering your email, to get all my posts!

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Disclaimer: Clicking on links on this blog may earn me a small commission if you purchase something. Your price does not change.