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Multi award-winning, light weight, open structured compost, with long lasting nutrients for sustained growth. Suitable for a wide range of ornamentals and edibles. A premium compost blend formulated with natural seaweed extracts, volcanic minerals, rock dust and naturally occurring strains of beneficial bacteria and fungi.

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10% off for Guests at Christmas Cottage, Gunnerside

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<p>Here are a few tips on <strong>what to sow in the kitchen garden in July</strong>.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><strong>July&rsquo;s</strong> a busy time in the <strong>kitchen garden</strong>, with all the summer crops starting to ripen. But there are still some fast-growing plants to sow for this year&rsquo;s harvest, and it&rsquo;s also an excellent time to start thinking about your winter vegetables. Here are a few tips on <strong>what to sow in the kitchen garden in July</strong>.</p>

<h2>July&rsquo;s Kitchen Garden Tips</h2>

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">This month, sow the last crop of beetroots and carrots for autumn harvests. Quick-growing varieties like carrot &lsquo;Adelaide&rsquo; or &lsquo;Amsterdam Forcing&rsquo; are ideal for late summer sowing. Carrot flies can be a problem at this time of year, so protect your crop by surrounding the beds with netting. Sow carrot seeds sparsely to reduce the need for thinning, as the scent released when seedlings are pulled up can also attract carrot flies. Carrots and beetroots do best in fertile, light, well-drained soil in full sun and need to be regularly watered.</li>
	<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">July is an excellent time to sow pak choi, which is less likely to bolt now than if sown before midsummer. Water the plants regularly in dry periods. Pak choi is superb in stir-fries, and the young leaves can be picked for baby leaf salads.&nbsp;</p>
	</li>
	<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Keep sowing radishes, and salad leaves this month to give you plenty of summer salads. Because radishes grow so quickly, they make a good catch crop, sown in between slower-growing plants. And don&rsquo;t worry if some of your radishes bolt in hot weather &ndash; the yellow flowers are great for pollinators, and the young seed pods make a tasty snack!</p>
	</li>
	<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The July weather should finally be warm enough for you to sow parsley, coriander and dill outdoors in containers or directly into the soil in a sunny spot. To stop coriander from running to seed, water regularly and remove the flowering stems as they appear. Dill is also less likely to run to seed if watered regularly.</p>
	</li>
	<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">There&rsquo;s still time this month to sow chard outdoors to overwinter for a spring harvest. Water regularly in dry periods and cover the plants with fleece over winter to protect them from prolonged frosts.</p>
	</li>
	<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sow spring cabbage now in seed beds or modules in a seed tray. These seedlings can then be planted out in August into soil that has been well enriched with compost or manure and will be ready to harvest next spring.</p>
	</li>
</ul>

<p dir="ltr">Sow vegetables in July for superb late harvests this year, as well as crops for winter and next spring. You&rsquo;ll find a range of vegetable seeds in our centre, as well as composts, fertilisers and everything else you need to give you a great harvest this year. Come and visit us today!</p>

What to sow in the kitchen garden in July

<p>These <strong>colourful shade pot garden ideas</strong> will brighten up a shady spot in the garden</p>

<p>These <strong>colourful shade pot garden ideas</strong> will brighten up a shady spot in the garden, especially if you are wondering how to bring some colour to your garden with little sun. There are many plants with beautiful colours and textures for a shady area and despite them seemingly being tricky, if you choose the right plants for the right place, you can improve the space no end. These plants will grow in a shady border but also work well in pots meaning you can move them if needed, and even if you have a small garden or patio, they will brighten it up because they will grow in pots and containers as well.</p>

<h2>Colourful shade pot garden ideas in green&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The colour of nature is, of course, green, so why not create a container full of different shades of green? When we think of colour in the garden, it&rsquo;s often the brighter colours that we think of, but there are many different shades of green that can create beautiful displays. Euphorbia, Ivy, Ferns and Hostas will make up a container full of green interest for a shady corner.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Think of textures to create colourful shade pot garden ideas&nbsp;</h2>

<p>When you plant your pots full of colour, think about the textures as well. Some of the most stunning displays focus intensely on texture. Not just to look at but to give you something to touch as you walk by.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Lambs ear (Stachys) will tolerate a little shade and has a velvety feel,</li>
	<li>Lady&rsquo;s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) has frothy green flowers and soft foliage.</li>
	<li>Add a Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), and you&rsquo;ll have a pot of different textures.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>Surprisingly colourful shade pot garden ideas&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Just because the space you want to fill is shady doesn&rsquo;t mean you can&rsquo;t fill it with colour. It&rsquo;s a common misconception that shade means boring, but that&rsquo;s not the case at all. Fill a large container with good quality, peat-free compost and plant a Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) for its bright pink heart-shaped flowers. Think of a Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla) for tiny blue flowers. What about a Cranesbill (such as Geranium phaem) for purple flowers?&nbsp;There are many options.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Colourful shade pot garden ideas for a calm, cool look&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Suppose you&rsquo;d prefer a pot of plants that gives a calm feeling go for greens, white and light colours. For a serene look, please try:</p>

<ul>
	<li>False goatsbeard (Astilbe) in white,</li>
	<li>Solomon&rsquo;s seal (Polygonatum x hybridum),&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Underplant with some bulbs such as Snowdrops (Galanthus) or white Muscari aucheri &#39;White Magic&#39;,</li>
	<li>Add in a Heuchera or a Tiarella, and you&rsquo;ll have created a cool, calm pot to make you smile every time you see it.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Colourful shade pot garden ideas

<p>Here is <strong>how to harvest tomatoes</strong> and how to ensure you can keep harvesting for as long as possible.</p>

<p>The time to start <strong>harvesting tomatoes</strong> is upon us, and in fact, some people will already be enjoying the first tomatoes of the season. It is perhaps one of the most exciting harvests synonymous with the kitchen garden. Growing and harvesting tomatoes is satisfying and rewarding for adults and children alike, so here is how to harvest and how to ensure you can keep harvesting for as long as possible.</p>

<h2>What to look out for when harvesting tomatoes&nbsp;</h2>

<p>As you are harvesting, it is an excellent time to check over the plant to ensure no pests or diseases are present.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Check for browning leaves which could be a sign of blight,</li>
	<li>Check for aphids such as white fly and red spider mite,</li>
	<li>Check the tomatoes for blossom end rot or any signs of stress due to inconsistent watering.</li>
	<li>Don&rsquo;t forget to snip off the side shoots as well to promote more vigorous growth. If you want more tomato plants, pot up the side shoots for a smaller but still productive plant.</li>
</ul>

<h2>How to harvest tomatoes&nbsp;</h2>

<p>This might seem like an easy one, but you have a few options. Harvest the ripe fruits first. Take some which are ripening but can finish off on a sunny windowsill (this is often a good idea if the plant is diseased), or if you are growing a vine variety, pick the best moment to harvest when all of the vine is ripe and snip off the whole vine. The choice is yours, but whichever way you harvest, you are bound to eat one or two on the spot!&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Storing tomatoes</h2>

<p>Popping your harvest into a trug, a recycled food container or whatever you can get your hands on is an easy way to get them home to the fridge. We recommend giving them a rinse before storing them in the fridge or somewhere cool if you will be using them straight away. If you have harvested them but not going home for a few hours, store them in a cool bag to keep them fresh.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Ensure a long season of harvesting tomatoes&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Firstly, know what variety you are growing as some will produce more fruits over a more extended period and others may be a little less. Full sun, free-draining soil, consistent water, a feeding schedule and plenty of space are what tomatoes need. Many varieties will be self-fertile, but if you are lacking pollinators (which could be the case if growing under cover), just tickle the flowers when they open to help spread the pollen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For tomato feed and compost, visit us in store.&nbsp;</p>

with
Plants!

with
plants!

Sheds and Garden Buildings

Tools

Shrubs & Trees

Pots & Planters

Wensleydale Garden Centre

Champions Blend Compost: 3 for £20

Ex-display Sheds & Garden Buildings

Alpines: Buy 3 for £10

10% off for Guests at Christmas Cottage, Gunnerside

What to do

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About

Garden

News

News

What to sow in the kitchen garden in July

Colourful shade pot garden ideas

Harvesting tomatoes

with Plants!

Sheds and Garden Buildings

Tools

Shrubs & Trees

Pots & Planters

Wensleydale Garden Centre

What to do

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Plants!