July in the garden is a time filled with lots of activities and tasks. Below is a list of just some of the things I am doing in my garden throughout July to keep the garden happy and producing lots of food, flowers and herbs. Somethings are helping keep pest pressure down as well as diseases.

• Daily Garden Walks – Now more than ever is it important to go out to the garden daily and walk through it looking over every single plant. This will help you spot any pest pressure or disease before it gets out of hand. It will also give you an idea of what is ready to harvest that day. It is also a great way to relax. At the end of my walks I like to pick a chair and sit, watching all the action in the garden from all the wildlife and insects.
• Daily Harvests – July is a very productive month in the garden. There is so much to harvest in my garden throughout July that I can harvest something daily. By now many medicinal herbs, tomatoes, squash, beans, greens, culinary herbs, cut flowers, etc. are ready or harvest. 
• Watering Changes – July is considered a hot month within the Arc of Seasons. This tells me that I can expect average temperatures to be between 70°F to over 90°F. In my area I know that we will be mostly in the very high 80’s to close to 100°F during the day and high 50’s+ overnight. This heat means that the garden will need water more frequently to help the plants not be so stressed in the heat. I suggest continuing to finger check the soil to determine if your garden needs water. (Poke your finger down into the soil past 2 inches, if it’s moist, no need to water, if it’s dry, water.) On especially hot days, I suggest watering whether the finger test says you need to or not. Also remember that containers dry out much faster and may need multiple watering in a day on hot days. I always suggest watering in the early morning, at the soil level with a watering wand that reduces chance of splash back to reduce the risk of spreading soil borne diseases. Always aim for 1 inch of water per week.
• Succession Sowing – I continue to sow seeds for things like beans, basil, heat tolerant lettuces, etc. so that I can continually have a harvest. To know if you have time to succession sow something, look at the days to harvest or days to maturity on the seed packet, then look at your average first frost date. If there is more day to your first frost than it will take for the plant to reach maturity, sow seeds. 
• Starting Fall Seeds – July is when I start sowing seeds for my fall garden. This may be done in my home under grow lights for things like broccoli, cauliflower, etc or it may be direct sowing seeds like carrots, beets, etc. Now is the time to get the fall produce growing so that they reach a good size before the first frost and the loss of daylight growing hours (Known as Persephone Days).
• Pruning – Keeping plants like indeterminate tomatoes pruned for maximum airflow and ease of harvesting will help the plants be less stressed in the heat of July, potentially reducing diseases and pest pressure. 
• Keeping Up On Mulch – I use compost as my mulch of choice, but others like straw, leaves, etc. for their mulch. With July heat (notice a theme here), it is important to keep the soil protected from the scorching sun, especially at our elevation. It is possible to plant intensively and not mulch, but I find using compost at minimum helps. Refresh mulch as needed.
• Enjoy It All – No matter what the garden has thrown at you throughout the season so far, there is plenty of time to grow more and enjoy more from the garden. Find time to just sit in the garden and do nothing, but enjoy it! Remember your why, and take in all the beauty around you. It is sure to bring joy.

There are many things to keep us active in the garden in July, these are just a few. I hope you enjoy the garden in July as much as I do! It’s a time of wonder, awe and deliciousness.