July, south of the equator

July is the coldest month and the busiest one for anyone planting something that will still be there in twenty years. Across most of the country it is the traditional month to prune, plant and transplant deciduous fruit trees, grape vines, roses and anything else that has lost its leaves.

In the garden

Plant the bare root stock. Roses and deciduous fruit trees fill the nurseries this month, either bare rooted or in nursery bags. Planting while the plant is dormant means very little shock, low sap flow and less risk of infection through a pruning cut, and the roots have time to settle before spring.

Prune. Roses, deciduous fruit trees and grape vines are all pruned now, and a winter spray after pruning deals with the overwintering pests and diseases. Transplant evergreens and cycads, and stake the winter vegetables that are getting tall, particularly broad beans and Brussels sprouts.

Sow what will take the cold. In subtropical gardens sow salvia, scadoxus, pineapple flower, asters, phlox, dianthus, calendula, lobelia, snapdragon, alyssum, delphinium and pansies. In colder regions stick to phlox, candytuft, alyssum, columbine, larkspur and Virginian stocks. Plant instant colour seedlings of Iceland poppies, pansies, violas, alyssum, calendula, primroses, petunias and verbenas. In frost free regions keep sowing green beans, pumpkins, squashes, baby marrows, melons and cucumbers, and plant asparagus crowns and globe artichokes. Prepare the beds for the spring planting that starts next month.

In the house

The interval is at its longest and the light at its lowest. Water only when the compost has dried well down, and accept that a plant looking a little dull in July is normal rather than a sign that something needs doing.

Keep everything as near the glass as possible and clean the windows. Watch the plants near heaters, which will be showing brown crisp edges if the air is dry and nothing has changed since May.

Deal with pests by hand while there are few of them. Scale on a ficus or a hoya and mealybug in the leaf joints are both far easier to remove in July than in October.

What not to do yet

Do not repot, feed or prune a houseplant. Do not cut back frost damaged growth outdoors yet, because it protects the crown from the frosts still to come. And do not start watering more because the days feel brighter towards the end of the month.