UK growing guide · Summer
What can I plant in July?
Last updated
July feels like a harvest month, and it is, but the sowings you make now are next spring's cabbage and this autumn's roots. Vegetables to plant in July in the UK are mostly quick crops and the last of the winter brassicas.
Heat and dry soil are the usual problems, not cold. Water before you sow, or the seed sits in dust.
What to sow in July
Vegetables to plant in July in the UK, split between sowing under cover and sowing outside.
Indoors or under cover
There is little reason to sow indoors in July, unless you are raising a few herbs or a late cucumber for the greenhouse.
Basil — a fresh pot for the kitchen
Cucumbers — greenhouse only, and only if you have the space
Outdoors
Sow into moist soil. If the bed is dry, water the drill, sow, cover, and don't rely on a shower that may not come.
Beetroot — a last sowing for autumn roots
Carrots — early in the month, for autumn
Lettuce — small sowings, some shade
Radishes
Kale — if plants are not already in- Spring cabbage — late in the month
- French beans — only in the first week, or they may not crop
- Turnips — quick, and good while small
What to plant out in July
This is the last comfortable month to plant winter brassicas and leeks. Later plants rarely catch up.
- Leeks — if they are not already in
- Kale
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli — purple sprouting- Cabbage — winter and, later, spring types
What to harvest in July
Pick courgettes small, beans often, and garlic once the leaves yellow. Left alone, courgettes become marrows and the plant slows down.
Courgettes — small and often- Cucumbers
Tomatoes — especially under cover- French beans
Peas — they're finishing
Early potatoes- Beetroot
- Carrots
Garlic — when the leaves yellow, then dry the bulbs
Onions — when the tops fall and yellow
Strawberries — the last of the summer crop
July jobs on the plot
Feed fruiting crops, keep nets on the brassicas, and don't let pots dry out while you are away.
Feed tomatoes and courgettes
A high-potash feed every week or so once they are fruiting. Water first, then feed.
Dry garlic and onions
Lift them on a dry day and let the skins paper in the sun, or in a shed if rain is coming. Don't leave them in a heap.
Sow spring cabbage
Late July is the usual window. You will plant them out in autumn where the summer crops have finished.
Keep picking
Beans and courgettes that are left to ripen seed will slow the rest of the crop.
Frost and where you garden
North and south in July
Frost is not a July problem in the UK. The risks are drought, scorch on greenhouse crops, and bolted salads. Ventilate greenhouses and water in the cool of the day.
Further north, and high ground
Further north you still have time to sow roots and plant winter brassicas, and you need it. A shorter autumn means July sowings matter more, not less. French beans sown after the first week may not crop before the weather turns.
The south and sheltered coasts
Southern and eastern plots can be very dry. Mulch is doing more work than extra fertiliser. Salad sown in full sun against a wall will bolt; find it a cooler spot.
Easy mistakes in July
July is when gardens get left for a fortnight's holiday and come back either dried out or buried in weeds.
Sowing into dry drills
Seed needs moisture to wake up. Water the bottom of the drill first.
Leaving courgettes to become marrows
Fun once, and then the plant thinks its work is done. Pick them young.
Composting blighted potato or tomato haulms
Blight spreads. Bin diseased material rather than putting it on the heap.
Keep July on the dashboard
Sproutly is a web garden diary for UK fruit and veg growers. Add the plants and the jobs, then see what's due on your dashboard.
Record your sowings
Note what you sowed in July, and which bed it went in.
Plan the month's jobs
Add planting, covering and picking as tasks with a due date.
See what's due
Your dashboard shows what's due and what's overdue. Sproutly does not email you or send a push to your phone.
Sketch the beds
Use the garden planner to try a layout before you plant it for real.
Ready to plan your July garden?
Add this month's plants and jobs to your diary. Basic is free for up to 3 plants and 3 tasks. Pro is £5 a month if you want more, including recurring tasks.
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Gardening advice is provided as a general guide based on typical UK conditions. Weather soil and local climate can vary so always use your judgement and adjust timing as needed for your own garden.