July Gardening Checklist for Washington D.C., Virginia & Maryland

1. Step Up the Watering

Most vegetables, fruit, perennials, and annuals need supplemental water during the warmer summer months. If you don’t get an inch of rain per week, then be sure to up the water rations. If you do your watering by hand, the 30-inch Dramm RainSelect Rain Wand is a treat to use. It’s long enough to reach across garden beds without bending or twisting your back, and it also has an adjustable nozzle to select your preferred spray setting—from mist to shower to jet. If you’re using a drip system, adjust watering schedules to run a few more times per week depending on your local weather and how much sun your garden beds get.

2. Harvest Herbs & Pinch Flowers

Herbs are one of the tastiest summer treats. It’s so satisfying to walk into the garden, snip some herbs, and use them for a pasta dish, salad, sandwich, or whatever else you’re making. Harvest frequently, and when you’re out in the garden with your herbs be sure to pinch off any flowers. You don’t want herbs to flower or go to seed as this often changes their flavor profile.

3. Give Your Roses Some Love

Roses are a delightful summer delicacy. Many roses likely had their first big bloom of the season back in June, but they may still be flowering. Deadhead spent blooms by snipping branches above a set of five leaves (this is where new flowering growth will be produced). You can also keep a watchful eye for pest or disease issues (powdery mildew, black spot, aphids, rust, etc.). If you are using your roses to make organic essential oils, sprays, or other products, avoid spraying with fungicide or pesticide. Instead, simply cut off affected branches and dispose of them. Then try to increase rose health by improving air circulation (cutting back overgrown branches and making sure they are not smothered by other plants nearby) and feeding them with an organic rose fertilizer such as Dr. Earth Organic Rose & Flower Fertilizer or Bu's Buds Compost Tea for Flowering Plants and Roses. Learn more about how to care for roses.

4. Refresh Containers

Containers can be looking tired by July, so give them a refresh. At this time of year, try planting tropicals or succulents that will be right at home in the summer heat and look good all summer long. There are a number of tropical plants that will fill your pots with foliage and color: bananas, cannas, angel’s trumpet, begonias, fuchsia, elephant ear, geraniums, hibiscus, and many more. Succulents such as agave, aloe, echeveria, mangave, and yucca perform great in pots. Be sure pots have good drainage and use a cactus soil mix when planting succulents.

5. Plant Fall Crops

There are many fall crops that you’ll want to get in the ground in July. Plant these from seed: beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, kale, peas, radishes, spinach, and winter squash. Transplant seedlings of cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and onion. To find high-quality seeds and seedlings visit Johnny's Selected Seeds, Burpee, Renee's Garden, or Botanical Interests.

6. Visit the U.S. Botanic Garden

One of the best places to visit for some horticultural immersion is the conservatory at the U.S. Botanic Garden in D.C. Located on the National Mall, the exhibits are a sensory experience with a variety of sights, smells, sounds, humidity levels, plant life, and more all packed under one roof. The gardens include Garden Primeval which is a reconstructed Jurassic-period landscape with plants and fern species that lived 150 million years ago. There’s also a Desert Garden filled with succulents, grasses, and other dry-habitat flora. Another interesting exhibit is the Rare and Endangered Species exhibit that showcases threatened plant life and provides conservation information.

7. Try Your Hand at Growing Orchids

During the heat of the day, you may just want to be indoors. But don’t worry—you can still practice strengthening that green thumb by trying to grow orchids this summer (a great indoor-gardening activity). Phalaenopsis is a good variety to start with if you’re new to orchids because it’s easier to grow than other orchid varieties. If you buy an orchid that’s planted in sphagnum moss, be sure to repot it in a bark medium because the moss retains too much moisture and can cause rot. Watch this video from the Chicago Botanic Garden that outlines how to re-pot an orchid. If you’re interested in giving orchid growing a try, Logee’s has a wide variety of orchids for sale.

8. Visit the Art Sculpture Garden

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden offers a relaxing, year-round setting in which to enjoy works of modern sculpture. It’s an oasis on the linear expanse of the National Mall that occupies 6.1 acres between 7th and 9th Streets on Constitution Avenue. The Sculpture Garden was designed by landscape architect Laurie Olin, and opened in 1999. It’s a beautiful spot to meander and enjoy works of art.

9. Let the Dandelions Be—It’s for the Bees

You already know that dandelions are adored by children, but did you know that the flowers also make great forage for bees? So, let the dandelions flower (they are yellow). And while you’re at it, plant more flowers for the bees. There’s still time to plant many herbs and fast-growing flowers through the first half of July: mustard, borage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, catmint, echinacea, sunflower, sneezeweed, goldenrod, and sedum. You can succession plant all of these until a few weeks before first frost.

10. Cut Back A Little

When you’re in the garden, look out for dead or broken limbs on tree and shrubs and cut them out as soon as possible to help prevent disease. You’ll also want to cut back overgrowth and suckers. Some trees such as crape myrtles are especially prone to suckering, so keep an eye on them. Cutting back or a giving them a light trim helps keep the garden tidy. It also allows the trees and shrubs to focus their energy on the remaining branches, leading to healthier plants.