As many garden lovers know, there is always something to do in the garden no matter what the month. Below you can find some helpful gardening tips for July.
Watering in the High Desert
Summer is here! In the high desert we don’t always see a lot of rainfall. As a result, it’s essential to make sure your plants get enough water. They need at least 1″ of water a week and even more if it’s hot and dry (hello Nevada!). Make sure you are watering deeply which will encourage the plants’ roots to grow deep. Test the soil moistness by digging down with a small spade 2-3″ near your plants. For your potted plants, water them every day and possibly twice-a-day if it’s a real scorcher.
Gardening Tips for July: Harvesting
It’s now time to reap the benefits of your rewards! Be sure to harvest produce as soon as it’s ready in order to prevent unwanted pests in your garden. Net your fruit trees and berry bushes in order to deter the birds from eating the ripe fruit before you. If you planted garlic last fall, it should be just about ready to harvest. You might also be able to start harvesting some early potatoes. Check them gently so as not to disturb the plants too much.
Season Extension & Maintenance
Your vegetable garden and annual flowers produce a lot in one season. As a result, they will need fertilizer again this month. Once you’ve harvested your berries, it’s a good time to give them some extra fertilizer as well. Any later than this and their foliage will continue to grow into the fall. To extend your garden a little longer this season, be sure to plant your fall crops now. Think broccoli raab, chard, lettuce, peas, spinach, etc.
Continue deadheading your flowers to extend their life. Prune summer flowering shrubs as they fade to help them store more energy. It is tempting to plant new flowers and shrubs right now but hold off until the fall if you can. The heat makes transplanting quite stressful for the plants. If you do plant anything, be sure to do it in the early morning or evening. The cooler temperatures will help ease transplant shock.
Gardening maintenance is a never-ending cycle (don’t forget to pull those pesky weeds!). However, you can really start to enjoy all the hard work you’ve put into your yard now. Cheers to that!
I hope these gardening tips for July help you check some things off your to-do list. For additional Northern Nevada planting resources, be sure to check out some of our local nurseries. One of my favorites is Greenhouse Garden Center in Carson City.
P.S. Did you miss June’s gardening tips? Click here to get caught up!
