What to sow and plant in the vegetable garden in July?

By region

French beans through to the end of July are from ARPA Umbria's sheet; repeat sowing through to mid-summer is from the RHS; the 16 °C and the 32 °C are from Cornell. Basil from March to July, at about 20 °C, and nights above 10 °C, are from the RHS; the 18 °C soil figure is from University of Minnesota Extension. 30 June and 1 August are from Patata rossa di Colfiorito; 20 April is from the Valle d'Aosta Informatore; late July on the coast, and a deeper tuber on the summer cycle, are from Campania; August–September is from Sicily. Tomatoes in May–June in the north and from April in the south are from Valle d'Aosta, Umbria's calendar and the RHS, with the 16 °C. Strawberries through to early summer, and August or September planting, are from the RHS. Garlic in October–November or in March is from Valle d'Aosta; in Campania it starts from October–November. July onions have no written month. If the packet gives another window, the packet wins. June is in the June calendar, August in the August calendar, and the wider picture in the planting calendar.

French beans and basil

In Umbria, July closes French beans. Sow if the soil is not below about 16 °C. In the north the RHS runs to mid-summer, so July is still inside it. In the south, towards 32 °C, pod set is poor: wait for a cooler spell, and water the soil at flowering, not the leaves. Spacing and depth are in when to plant French beans.

Basil is still sown indoors, at about 20 °C, on the surface. This is the last month of that window: in August the RHS has already closed it. Outdoors, nights above 10 °C and soil at about 18 °C still apply. Take the flowers off as soon as they show. The page is when to plant basil.

Lettuce is still sown, through to late July. Carrots close their main season in early July. Courgettes, peppers and aubergines are no longer planted out: in the north that window closed in June. The pages are lettuce, carrots, courgettes, peppers and aubergines. Rocket is still sown, through to early September, in light shade if it is salad rocket. Cucumber, calabrese and spring-sown cauliflower have closed. In Sicily, summer transplants of broccoli and cauliflower bring the harvest forward. Spinach waits until late summer, and waits further if it is still hot. See rocket, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflowers and spinach.

Potatoes and tomatoes

In Campania the second crop starts from late July, on the coast. The tuber goes deeper than the 5–10 cm, because the surface soil is hot and dry, and you water as soon as the plant emerges. In Sicily the second crop is August–September. In Umbria you no longer plant: the window closed on 30 June and harvest starts on 1 August. In the north, a July sowing is not written. The detail is in when to plant potatoes.

Tomatoes, in the north, closed their planting in June. In the centre, in May. In the south the calendar writes the opening, from April and above 16 °C, and not a July date. From here, keep the water even, in the morning, on the soil: swings split the fruit. In cool, damp weather, check for the blotches of late blight; a long hot, dry spell stops it spreading. The months are in when to plant tomatoes, and the symptoms are in tomato late blight.

Strawberries, garlic, onions

Strawberries are not planted in July for the cold-stored-runner window: that runs to early summer. August or September are the months for rooting plants before next year's crop. Setting the crown level with the soil is in when to plant strawberries.

Garlic waits for autumn. In Valle d'Aosta the written months are October–November, or March if autumn is missed. In Campania it starts from October–November, through to late February. In Sicily, from the second ten days of December. Cloves and drainage are in the garlic guide.

July onions have no month in Valle d'Aosta or in Umbria. In the south, summer–autumn is one of Campania's windows, and the precise month is on the packet. The windows are in when to plant onions.

Jobs for the month

Heat dries the soil quickly, and a pot faster still. Water in the morning, at the base, and don't leave the saucer full. How much is in watering. Mulch on soil that is already warm holds water: see mulching. On a balcony the compost follows the air: that is the container garden. Keep diseased plants off the compost and out of the garden, as in pests and diseases.