July is the perfect month for alfresco dining and the peak gardening season is well underway, which means that there are plenty of jobs to keep your garden looking at its best in July, despite the hosepipe ban that is currently underway in Yorkshire!

So what can you do, despite being able to use the hosepipe?

Mulch, mulch and mulch

Hoe and hand weed borders often so that weeds don’t have time to set and seed. Add mulch to grass and soil, as this not only suppresses weeds but it keeps moisture in the soil, which helps to protect your plants against the summer heat. Create perfect edges for your beds and borders – create the edge, remove turf, hone edges and mulch the bed

Feed, water (currently with a watering can) and deadhead summer bedding in pots, borders and hanging baskets regularly, this will encourage more flowers to follow and keep terracotta pots damp to keep plant roots cool

Cut back early summer perennials such as delphiniums, lupins and geraniums after flowering to encourage more blooms for a second burst of colour. To prevent wind and rain from damaging the plants, put supports in place around tall herbaceous perennials.

Feed and deadhead or ‘summer-prune’ roses to keep them flowering strongly. Some roses may repeat flower – avoid leaving the odd inferior bud, and don’t leave the branched end of stems which carried previous flowers in place – if the plant thinks flowers are still present, it will delay the production of new flowering shoots.

Check for clematis wilt – this is a fungal disease which causes rapid wilting and in severe cases can kill the whole plant. Large-flowered hybrid cultivars are very susceptible, but the smaller-flowered species are much more resistant.

Cultivate Garden crops

Cultivate kitchen garden crops – tomatoes, peppers and cucumber crops require regular feeding with a high potash tomato fertiliser, water regularly and consistently.

Late sowings of beetroot, radishes, lettuce and salad crops grow quickly in warm soils (which will be very warm in the current heatwave) for an extended season of fresh vegetables. Pick courgettes before they become marrows!

Clear algae, blanket weeds and debris from ponds and keep them topped up – remember to keep the bird bath topped up too.

Keep the lawn in good condition

Give the lawn a quick-acting summer feed, especially if you didn’t feed it in Spring. All lawns require feeding in order to remain healthy. Mowing the lawn regularly keeps it in good health, health encourages thick grass and deters weeds. Watering once a week is usually sufficient to ensure the water reaches a depth of around 10cms – this is likely to be a full evening's work currently with the hosepipe ban in Yorkshire!

If you do want to encourage wildflowers for pollinating insects ( and there do seem to be more bees this year!),  it is time to stop mowing and enjoy the flowers that will appear.

Sow biennials such as foxgloves, forget-me-nots and wallflowers for blooms next year.

Water and feed sweet peas regularly – pick the flowers every few days and remove seed pods to prolong flowering.

Your garden is now ready to enjoy the summer months, enjoy alfresco dining and make the most of the current beautiful weather.

If you are considering selling your home (and the gardens in Bramhope are looking very photogenic at the moment) and would like a free market appraisal with David Phillip FRICS call 01134 676 400 a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds, LS16 9AN www.davidphillip.co.uk – covering Bramhope, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Adel, Cookridge and North Leeds.

David Phillip Estate Agents selling homes in North Leeds and covering Bramhope, Adel, Cookridge, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Otley and Allwoodley