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Garden/Bed creation
The ice saints: Farmer's rule or myth?
In July, a large part of the gardening season is already behind us. We have planned, sown, pre-grown, planted, weeded, watered, tended and even harvested. It's now time to reflect and take stock at the halfway point - what is working this season and what isn't? And why is that? Of course, there is still a lot to harvest, sow and tend.
In July, the gardening season is in full swing. But if you planned well in spring, you don't have much to do now apart from the usual maintenance and sowing a few succession crops: The garden does the work. So there is time to reflect a little on the gardening season so far: Which plants are doing well? Which ones are struggling?
To get an idea of why some crops do better than others, it is useful to observe the context of the individual crops:
If this all seems far too complex for you, let me reassure you: When it comes to gardening, very few people are 100% sure. And that's not the point at all. Because if you know your garden and observe it carefully, over time you will develop a feeling for what works and what doesn't and what could be the reason why individual plants are not doing so well. To develop this feeling, however, it is important to get to the bottom of your observations and become aware of the various possible explanations . It can also be helpful to write down the findings and possible explanations so that next year you can read up on what didn't work where in the garden and why. If this approach appeals to you, then this article on creating a permaculture garden could also be something for you.
In July, the plants need a lot of water. In hot weather, it may be necessary to water daily, especially if there is no rain for a long time. However, you should be careful not to water during the hottest hours of the day, otherwise your plants may suffer a kind of shock. Water droplets on the leaves can also cause burns. It is best to water in the evening or early in the morning, as this is when the plants have the longest time to absorb the water before it evaporates. You can find tips on water-saving watering in this article.
As always, the same applies in July: it's worth checking your garden once a day. That way you can see if there's anything to do. Whether it's weeding out weeds, pruning or training tomatoes or regulating unwanted guests: there's always something to do. You can also keep an eye on which crops are ready to harvest and which still need a while.
Midsummer begins in July. It can occasionally get very hot and dry. It can therefore sometimes be useful to water your compost heap. The bacteria and small animals that decompose the plant material and convert it into humus also need water. To find out whether you should water your compost or not, you can simply dig a little in the compost until you reach the more decomposed material. Then simply take a handful of raw compost and squeeze it out by hand. If just a few drops of water come out, your compost has the perfect amount of moisture. If you can't squeeze out any water at all, it's too dry and you should water it a little. If it is really wet, you may need to cover it or add some dry material such as straw or hay.
If you don't have a compost yet and would like to start one in your garden, you can read more about how to make a compost here.
If you have a slightly larger meadow in your garden, July is the perfect month to make hay. The prerequisite is, of course, that you haven't mowed the meadow for a few weeks beforehand. Then you can mow the meadow on a hot day in the morning with a brush cutter or a bar mower. Simply leave the grass cuttings until they are dry. It may be a good idea to turn the mown grass once or twice to ensure it dries completely. It is best to check the weather forecast beforehand and wait for a 2-3 day window of good weather. This is approximately how long the grass clippings need to dry completely in hot weather. You can then use the hay directly for mulching - provided it doesn't contain any flowering wild herbs that would introduce unwanted seeds into your bed. You can find out more about mulch here. However, you can also store the hay first and then use it in the fall to protect your perennial beds from frost or to cover your compost. If you have chickens in the garden, they will also be happy to have a cozy layer of hay in their laying boxes.
In July, the harvest is already in full swing. In addition to the last radishes, there are still kohlrabi and radishes to be picked as early vegetables. The early potatoes can also be harvested in July as soon as the leaves have withered. Early carrots can also be harvested now, as can garlic planted in the fall.
The following crops are also ready for harvesting:
Our tip: You can find out which vegetables are best harvested when in this article.
With this long list of crops ready to harvest, there is also space in the bed to sow and plant again. You should also sow your winter vegetables such as cabbage, winter lettuce, beet and radishes now. You can still sow the following crops in July:
Bush beans are a typical vegetable that is still suitable for sowing in July. However, you should not sow them much later than mid-July, as otherwise the beans will not ripen. You can sow beans, for example, where a heavy eater such as the early potato has previously grown. However, they also thrive where the soil contains more nutrients. You should avoid areas where other butterfly plants, such as peas or early beans, were previously growing. You can find more tips on sowing beans in this article.
Summer lettuces are the perfect gap fillers for the summer months. Firm varieties grow quickly on long days and soon make room for other crops. In addition, most lettuce varieties get along very well with other summer crops and with themselves, so you don't have to pay much attention to your neighbors. You can find an overview of lettuce varieties and their growing period in this article.
Another tasty and fast-growing leafy vegetable is chard. As a medium-grower, it is happy with a small amount of compost before sowing and occasional fertilization with highly diluted plant manure or liquid fertilizer - especially if it grows after a heavy-grower. A decisive advantage of chard over other leafy vegetables is that it is very unlikely to flower if sown in July, as chard only flowers after several days with temperatures colder than 10°C.
Especially in midsummer, it is very important to take care of your health when gardening. A sun hat, long-sleeved, airy clothing and, if necessary, sun cream protect against sunburn. It can also be very unpleasant in the midday heat. The morning hours or the evening are often better for being active in the garden. It is also important to drink enough to avoid headaches and circulatory problems.
We hope this overview has given you a few new perspectives on how you can get to know your garden better in July and which methods you can use to continue to reap rich harvests.
If you have any questions or additions, please email us at [email protected]. Would you like to receive helpful gardening tips all year round and plan your own beds optimally? Then register here or download the Fryd app for Android or iOS.
Fryd - Your digital bed planner
Jonas studied agricultural biology. He discovered his passion for plants and gardening through an internship at a permaculture NGO. Since then, he has been gardening on his balcony and in community gardens.
Learn moreWhich vegetables can be sown in July?
In July, carrots, radishes, beet, peas, kohlrabi, savoy cabbage, leeks, kale and lamb's lettuce can be sown.
How should you look after the compost in July?
In dry weather, the compost should be watered to maintain the activity of the microorganisms.
Which vegetables are ready to harvest in July?
Ready-to-harvest vegetables include zucchinis, cucumbers, broccoli, white cabbage, peas, beans and various summer salads.
When is the best time to mow and dry hay?
In July, you should mow in the morning on a sunny day and leave the grass to dry for 2-3 days before using it as mulch.
Can you still plant lettuces in July?
Yes, bolt-resistant lettuce varieties such as endive can be sown in July, they grow quickly and are soon ready to harvest.