Finding the perfect time of year to plant in your garden is almost impossible as the weather constantly changes and, depending on where you live, winter could last for a while. However, if there is any month that is the best for sowing seeds, it's July.
During this month, the temperatures are ideal and the long, warm days provide the right growing conditions for your crops. The only downside of growing in July is the limited rainfall. Therefore, you'll have to spend more time watering your plants, but it will be worth it!
Interested in planting in July? Here is a guide to growing the top 5 crops this month.
The Top 5 Crops for Growing in July
The first crop you need to plant in July is definitely lettuce. There's nothing better than having a supply of fresh leaves in your kitchen to make delicious summer salads!
Plus, lettuce is simple and easy to grow as long as you have the correct climate. Instead of spending money buying a salad from the supermarket, you can have your own unlimited supply of lettuce if you pick a variety of seeds.
But, how do you grow lettuce?
1. Lettuce
The soil needs to be moist for lettuce to grow. If you plan on sowing into the ground you need to make sure the area is surrounded by a lot of organic compost. Covering the soil in compost is essential in stopping your lettuce from bolting and becoming damaged in the hot weather.
For sowing, you need to thin the seeds and place them 1cm deep in the soil. Then, you should leave at least 30cm before planting the next batch of seeds. Although, this method is only necessary for growing outdoors.
It's also possible to plant lettuce in pots. For indoor growing, you have to scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil and cover it with a thin layer of compost. If you fall in love with planting lettuce, you can continue to sow seeds every 14 days for more harvesting.
After the seeds have been planted either indoors or outside, then you'll have to take care of them. Watering at this time of year is important as the weather will dry out your plants and they'll need the extra moisture.
Besides the watering schedule, you should also keep an eye out for slugs and snails. These insects are common in summer so it's good to spray a gentle slug repellent to prevent your crops from being ruined.
2. Radish
Do you know what goes great with lettuce? A few slices of radish!
Even though there are both summer and winter varieties of radish, this crop is a great addition to your July garden. If you're new to gardening then this is the best seed to start with. The seeds germinate quickly and can be harvested a couple of weeks after planting.
You'll also need a seedbed to plant your radish. Furthermore, it's vital that you spread out the seeds thinly when you're placing them in the soil. The type of soil should be warm no matter if you decide to sow your seeds in a container, or seedbed.
Now, if you're thinking, what is a seedbed? Then, keep reading!
How to Prepare a Seedbed
A seedbed is another term for a section of soil that has been cleared and prepared for seed planting. You can create a seedbed in four simple steps with the correct equipment. Here's how to make a seedbed:
- Clear the area of weeds and debris
- Place compost over the soil
- Use a rake or spade to dig into the soil and remove excess weeds
- Take small steps with your feet and compress the surface (threading)
A seedbed is the best way to guarantee a healthy crop for your vegetables this July. You can also create several if you have the space for them. For instance, you can make a lettuce seedbed or a carrot seedbed.
Water your radish when the weather is warm, otherwise, a regular top-up of moisture is enough for this crop to grow. Snails and slugs also like radish, so it's best to use an organic slug repellent on these seeds as well.
Apart from snails and slugs, flee beetle is a common pest for radish. The first sign of a flea beetle infestation is when holes appear in the leaves. Luckily, you can prevent these pests from visiting your crops by placing a horticultural fleece over the seeds.
Next on the list is carrots. The next section will give you everything you need for growing carrots at home.
3. Carrots
Carrots are not only flavoursome, but they are easy to grow in your garden. Therefore, if you're craving carrots, then July is a good time to plant some carrot seeds on your property.
However, before you can enjoy a lovely plate of warm carrots with butter, then you should know there are two different varieties. There are early and late varieties of carrots.
As July falls in summer, you can plant your main crop, but it's also possible to grow carrots throughout spring. No matter when you decide on growing carrots, good soil preparation is key to a successful harvest.
You can start by breaking up the soil with a fork and removing as many stones as possible. Carrots like light, well-drained soil that can keep moisture. If you can't find this kind of soil in your garden, you can add organic compost for extra nutrients.
Adding more compost to the soil will enhance the health of your soil and give your crop a better chance of growing in July.
Once you've bought your carrot seeds, sow them 1cm deep into the soil and between 5-8cm apart. To extend the growing season of your carrots, sow the seeds every two weeks.
Not only will you get more carrots, but it will give you the time to check on the soil to make sure it's healthy and moist for the next seeds.
Caring tips for carrots:
- Keep the soil weed-free
- Water occasionally but not too much
- Don't thin the seeds
- Look out for carrot root fly
4. Turnips
In terms of beauty, turnips aren't the number one choice. Yet, that doesn't mean you shouldn't plant them. Turnips are packed with flavour and can even be planted in your back garden!
The good news is, that turnips love the sun. So, July is their favourite time of the year. Although some shade is beneficial, turnips mostly need sunlight. You can also grow turnip seeds in a seedbed by raking the soil gently and spreading the seeds.
For sowing, plant the seeds 1cm deep and place about 3-20 seeds per foot of land. As soon as your seeds are in the ground, you need to water your crop.
Another important tip for planting turnips is rotating the crop every ten days, so you can keep growing turnips constantly.
The most common pest for turnips is aphids. You can remove them by pruning the crop regularly and removing any infected areas. If you remain cautious, you won't have any issues with these pests!
5. Cabbage
Summer is not normally associated with cabbage as you tend to eat this vegetable in winter. However, the best time to plant cabbage is definitely July.
This versatile crop loves to grow this month. The best soil for cabbages is alkaline to neutral soil. Plus, it's a good idea to plant these seeds in a seedbed along with your turnips and other vegetables.
An important factor to note when growing cabbages is that you need to feed the crops nitrogen-rich liquid every two weeks. After twenty weeks you should be ready to harvest these lovely vegetables from your garden.
Therefore, preparing your seeds in advance is crucial to getting your cabbage planted in time.
But, how do you sow cabbage seeds?
If you are wondering how to sow cabbage seeds, then follow these instructions:
- Sow the seeds 2cm deep in pots or trays
- Choose a sunny location
- Give your soil a pH test
That's the basics of growing cabbage. All you need to worry about is spotting any issues that might arise during the growing process.
As much as cabbage is easy to care for, there can be a few issues with white butterflies. If you cover your crop with fine mesh netting, then that should be enough to protect your crop from these insects.
Ready to get planting in July? Then, follow this guide and grow something new this month!
