what to sow and grow in july

July already? It feels like only yesterday we were cleaning pots, dreaming over what to sow, and wondering whether spring would ever arrive. Now the garden has completely taken over.

Everything seems to need doing at once. Tomatoes need tying in, grapevines need pruning, weeds seem to grow faster than the vegetables, and every morning starts with a basket in hand to see what’s ready for picking. We also have a family of baby rabbits who have developed a remarkable talent for squeezing through the smallest gaps in our netting to feast on the lettuce, beets, and even baby squash leaves. Every evening we patch another hole. Every morning they’ve found a new way in. Gardening certainly keeps you humble.

This is one of our favourite months in the garden. Gooseberries are being picked, the first peaches are ripening in the polytunnel, blackcurrants are almost ready, overwintering onions are hanging up to dry, and the garlic is finally ready to lift. There is something deeply satisfying about reaching this point in the season after months of planning, sowing and waiting.

Of course, gardening doesn’t stop just because harvest has begun.

While we’re enjoying the first fruits of summer, we’re already thinking ahead. Winter brassicas are being sown, autumn salads are getting started, and pumpkins and winter squash are finding their places in the garden. That’s the rhythm of growing in Ireland – you’re always harvesting one season while quietly preparing for the next.

If June is about abundance, July is about balance – harvesting, preserving, sowing, watering, and somehow staying one step ahead.

HERE’S OUR LIST FOR JULY

Harvesting gooseberries, strawberries, peaches, blackcurrants and garlic

July is reward time. We’re picking the first peaches from the polytunnel, harvesting strawberries and gooseberries, gathering blackcurrants, and lifting our heritage garlic as the leaves begin to die back. After eight or nine months in the ground, it’s one of the most satisfying harvests of the year.

Looking after tomatoes

The tomatoes have become a daily job. We’re tying in plants, removing side shoots, feeding weekly with homemade comfrey and seaweed tea, monitoring airflow and pests, and watching carefully for the first ripe fruit.

Every variety seems to have its own timetable, which means every morning begins with a slow walk through the tunnel to see what has changed overnight.

Keeping cucumbers and courgettes productive

Cucumbers are racing away now, while the first courgettes have been slower this year after slugs devoured our earliest sowings. Thankfully, the later sowings are catching up quickly.

Sowing winter brassicas

While everyone else is thinking about summer holidays, we’re already sowing kale, purple sprouting broccoli, winter cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts for the colder months ahead. It always feels slightly odd, but future us is always grateful.

Succession sowing salads

We’re continuing to sow lettuce, rocket, spinach, mustard greens and chicories every couple of weeks. With the warmer weather, we germinate many of them in the shade before moving them into the sun once they’re established.

Sowing autumn roots

There’s still plenty of time for beetroot, carrots, turnips, swedes and Florence fennel. These later sowings often produce some of our favourite autumn and winter harvests.

Sowing more herbs

Parsley, coriander, dill, chervil and basil are all getting another sowing. Fresh herbs disappear surprisingly quickly in our kitchen, so succession sowing makes all the difference.

Checking the fruit

As the birds seem to know exactly when everything is perfectly ripe, we’re constantly checking what is about to ripen and covering it with bird-safe netting. Between the blackbirds, the rabbits and us, it’s a friendly race to see who gets there first.

Other Jobs Around the Garden

• Water deeply rather than little and often.

• Mulch wherever possible to conserve moisture.

• Feed fruiting crops weekly with homemade seaweed and comfrey tea.

• Turn the compost piles.

• Keep weeds under control before they set seed.

• Summer prune stone fruit trees once harvesting has finished.

Seeds for the Season Ahead

Although July feels like peak summer, it’s one of the best months to think ahead. Autumn and winter vegetables can be sown now, and there’s still plenty of time for salads, herbs, beetroot, carrots, beans and flowers.

You’ll find a growing range of organically grown, open-pollinated heritage seeds in our online store and at the Honesty Farm Shop, all chosen because they perform well in Irish gardens and, most importantly, taste exceptional.

We also continue to support the brilliant work of Irish Seed Savers and Brown Envelope Seeds, whose open-pollinated varieties feature throughout our own garden.

Until next month, happy growing – and don’t worry if your garden isn’t perfect. Ours certainly isn’t.