Gardening expert Monty Don has shared his advice on what to do in the garden in July, urging gardeners to harvest two particular crops immediately.
Garlic and Shallots Ready for Harvest
Monty Don says July marks the prime period for harvesting produce, with salad leaves, peas, beans, potatoes, beetroots, carrots, artichokes, cucumbers, courgettes, and tomatoes all coming into season simultaneously. However, he emphasizes that garlic and shallots should be gathered now.
"If the leaves are yellowing and seed heads are forming, this is a good indication that garlic and shallots are usually ready to harvest," says Monty Don.
How to Harvest and Dry Bulbs
When harvesting, always lift bulbs using a fork. Never pull them manually, as tugging risks harming the roots and, more importantly, the root-plate, where the roots connect to the bulb. After lifting, remove any surplus soil but ensure you do not trim foliage or roots prior to drying, however tempting that may seem.
Following this, bulbs can be left to dry on the ground itself if weather conditions are warm and dry, arranged on a makeshift rack of chicken wire stretched across posts, or dried inside a greenhouse. Allow several weeks, and once the bulbs are completely dry, they can be topped, tailed and transferred into storage.
Onions and Other Crops
Monty Don suggests onions should follow next, after garlic and shallots, just a few weeks afterwards. If you wish to do this but don't yet have garlic cultivated in your garden, there's no cause for concern - simply wait until autumn for the best moment to plant it.
Perfect growing conditions for garlic require planting between October and December in well-drained, sunny soil, separating bulbs into individual cloves and maintaining the skin intact where possible. The cloves ought to be positioned 10-15 cm apart from one another, with the pointed section facing upwards, buried by approximately 2.5-3 cm of soil. Afterwards, apply mulch to preserve moisture and suppress weeds.
For shallots, adopt a marginally different schedule. The sets ought to be planted from late autumn to early spring, preferably in a sunny, well-draining location. Position the bulbs with the pointed end upwards, leaving the tips just visible above the soil, spaced 15-20 cm apart. You'll then discover each set has multiplied into a cluster of five to ten shallots by harvest time.
Other July Harvests
Beyond garlic and shallots, there are a few other crops Monty Don urges you to harvest now to ensure optimal quality. He wrote of the July produce on his website: "We harvest basil by the trug load and make pesto to eat fresh and to freeze, storing that lovely oily taste of summer for the dark winter evenings. The rhubarb and asparagus have their last picking at the beginning of the month." And "soft fruit is at its best with strawberries, summer raspberries, gooseberries, black and red currants - all ready for harvest."
