JULY 2026

At midsummer in July it feels as if the whole garden should be in full growth and in some areas it is, but as many gardeners will know July tends to be the changeover month for many plants; the exact timing will shift with geography but for us here in Monmouthshire the first full flowerings of roses, geraniums, salvias and nepetas have come to an end and the old growth needs to be cut and composted. In a few weeks they will be back flowering, but for those few weeks the garden will have some barer patches.

It is important to try to smooth the path for those plants. So for example, remember to water them during dry spells; the old growth was covering the soil and was keeping it shaded. The soil is now more exposed and will readily dry out so keep the plants watered and they will soon spring back.

Some plants don’t require a substantial haircut, but merely the removal of the old flowers, for example, repeat roses, salvias, dahlias; keep dead-heading to ensure more flowers are produced, and to keep the plants looking tidy. 

Don’t forget your fruit trees this month. July is the time to start summer pruning your apple and pear trees. If you have managed to get the bones of the pruning sorted out in winter then summer pruning should be very simple. Any new shoots on the tree, that’s the ‘sappy’ non-fruiting ones, can be removed to the length of two/three leaf buds/nodes (about 1”/2.5cm). 

If the tree has lots of fruit on it then you can also remove the largest of the fruits from the clusters to allow the others to develop. This is known as the removal of the ‘crown fruit’, but many trees are adept at shedding any excess fruits. 

If you have a tree that is very much in need of reshaping do not be tempted to do that now. That is a job to be left for the winter. If you remove lots of vegetative growing material from the tree now it will only encourage more ‘sappy’ growth to the detriment of the fruits. Wait till winter when the tree is in a more dormant state, and you are also better able to see the framework.

A short check-in this month and so whilst I go back to cutting through the garden, hold on for the dip of the next few weeks, keep adding water where it is needed, keep dead-heading, and in a few weeks the garden should be blooming again.