First Week of July Gardening Jobs What to Do in Your Garden

July 2, 2026

First Week of July Gardening Jobs: What to Do in Your Garden Now

The first week of July is a wonderful time in the garden. Summer is in full swing, borders are packed with colour, vegetables are beginning to crop heavily, and wildlife is at its busiest. It's also a crucial week for keeping on top of maintenance, as a little effort now will ensure your garden continues to thrive throughout the rest of the season.

Here are the key gardening jobs to tackle during the first week of July.

Keep Deadheading Flowers

Many summer-flowering plants are now producing blooms daily. Remove faded flowers from roses, dahlias, cosmos, geraniums, marigolds and bedding plants to encourage fresh blooms and keep displays looking their best.

Don't forget sweet peas—pick them every couple of days, even if you don't need a bunch indoors. The more you pick, the more flowers they'll produce.

Water During Dry Weather

If temperatures are rising, concentrate your watering on pots, hanging baskets, newly planted shrubs and vegetables. Water deeply early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation.

Adding mulch around plants will help keep moisture in the soil and reduce the need for frequent watering.

Feed Summer Containers and Tomatoes

By early July, containers and hanging baskets are using up nutrients quickly. Feed flowering plants with a liquid fertiliser once a week to keep them blooming.

Tomatoes should now be receiving a high-potash tomato feed as soon as the first fruits begin to swell.

Harvest Little and Often

The kitchen garden really comes alive during the first week of July.

Look out for:

Courgettes
Runner beans
French beans
Lettuce
Salad leaves
New potatoes
Strawberries
Raspberries
Herbs

Picking crops regularly encourages plants to keep producing throughout the summer.

Tie In Tall Plants

Heavy flower heads and summer showers can quickly flatten tall plants.

Check that dahlias, gladioli, delphiniums, sweet peas and climbing beans are securely tied to their supports before bad weather causes damage.

Keep Weeds Under Control

Warm soil means weeds grow at an incredible rate. Hoe annual weeds on dry days and pull up perennial weeds before they have time to spread or produce seeds.

Spending just 10 minutes every few days makes this job much easier.

Trim Hedges Before Birds Begin Their Second Nesting

If you've checked carefully and there are no active bird nests, lightly trim fast-growing hedges such as privet, leylandii and beech to keep them neat for the summer.

Always inspect hedges thoroughly before cutting, as many birds may still be nesting.

Prune Wisteria

The first week of July is the perfect time to carry out the summer prune on wisteria. Shorten this year's long, whippy shoots to around five or six leaves. This helps keep the plant tidy and encourages better flowering next spring.

Keep an Eye on Pests

Warm weather encourages aphids, lily beetles, vine weevils, slugs and powdery mildew.

Inspect plants every few days so you can deal with problems early before they become widespread. Encouraging ladybirds, hoverflies and birds is one of the best natural ways to keep pest numbers down.

Sow for Late Summer Crops

There's still time to sow plenty of vegetables for later harvests.

Suitable crops for early July include:

Beetroot
Carrots
Spring onions
Lettuce
Radishes
Turnips
Pak choi

You can also sow biennials such as foxgloves, wallflowers and sweet williams for flowers next year.

Mow the Lawn Carefully

Grass is usually growing strongly, but during hot spells it's best to raise the mower blades slightly to avoid stressing the lawn.

Leave short clippings on the lawn if conditions are dry, as they'll help return nutrients to the soil.

Enjoy the Garden

With roses at their peak, lavender beginning to flower, and pollinators everywhere, the first week of July is one of the most enjoyable times to spend outdoors. Make time to sit back, admire your hard work and enjoy everything your garden has to offer.