Gardening expert Monty Don has urged gardeners to pick summer-fruiting raspberries now, declaring them 'at their best' in July. In his latest blog post, Don explained that while strawberries are often favoured, he would 'trade the very best strawberry for any raspberries' during this month.
Raspberry Harvesting Tips
Don noted that summer-fruiting raspberries carry fruit on canes that grew the previous summer, meaning all fresh growth made this year will crop next July. In contrast, autumn-fruiting varieties such as ‘Autumn Bliss’ produce fruit on new-season growth. He described the experience of picking raspberries just before supper and eating them with cream while still warm from the evening sun as 'heaven'.
Container Plant Care
Despite the ongoing heatwave, Don stressed that plants in pots and containers require extra attention. He explained that most container plants exhaust nutrients from their original compost as they grow and need regular supplementary feeding for the rest of summer. A weekly feed high in potash, such as liquid seaweed or proprietary liquid tomato feed, is ideal to promote root and flower formation without encouraging excessive foliage. He cautioned against overfeeding, as too many nutrients can cause rapid, lush growth that attracts fungal and predatory problems, and advised following instructions carefully.
Pruning and Maintenance
Don recommended removing lower leaves from outdoor tomatoes to improve ventilation and reduce blight risk. July is also the ideal time to prune fruit trees, as summer pruning, unlike winter pruning, does not result in excessive regrowth. He advised cutting back this year’s growth to a couple of pairs of leaves, careful not to remove ripening fruits, and tying desired growth for shape. This allows light and air to reach ripening fruit and prevents overcrowding.
Early-flowering perennials such as oriental poppies, delphiniums, and hardy geraniums can be cut back in July to encourage new growth and a more impressive autumn bloom. Don also highlighted that roses are in full bloom at the start of July, and clematis transitions from large early-summer blooms to abundant smaller flowers of late-flowering types. Tender annuals like cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers, and tithonias reach their peak, while summer-flowering bulbs such as crocosmia, agapanthus, lilies, and dahlias enrich borders.
