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If you think you've missed the boat in terms for seed sowing this year well you'd be wrong. There are a lot of quick growing vegetables and flowers that can sow now for harvests and flowers in late summer, autumn and winter.
July is also a very good month to start a lot of hardy biennial plants and some perennials for next year. The long lead in to the winter foliage die back give the plants a chance to establish their roots below ground and put on enough green growth to provide food for those roots to create robust plants come the spring next year.
July is also a very good month to start a lot of hardy biennial plants and some perennials for next year. The long lead in to the winter foliage die back give the plants a chance to establish their roots below ground and put on enough green growth to provide food for those roots to create robust plants come the spring next year.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Well today, it's July and it's really warm outside, it's going to be a sweltering weekend,
00:24it's going to be great. And today, this is not really a traditionally a time you would look at sowing seeds,
00:31but there's plenty you can sow in July and there's some things I want to experiment with as well.
00:37In terms of vegetables, you can plant some fast growing ones, some for autumn, some for winter,
00:44like cabbage and turnips. And then there's other ones as well, fast growers,
00:50I'm going to be doing today, like beetroot, this packet here, cheap little packet of seeds.
00:59These are French beans and these are a dwarf dorado variety.
01:06And then we have some Swiss chard and also spring onions in here as well.
01:14I'm sure you know what they look like, some scallions. So, beyond that, we're also going to plant some flowers today as well.
01:24And the ones I have here, canterbury bells, which are in flower at the moment, so I'll show you them anyway.
01:30Some sweet william, these are a double mix, so they have like the double head where we have
01:39also some echinacea there, which I'll plant for later time, and some echinops,
01:47which I have some of them out there growing as well.
01:49And then we have purple michaelmas, New England diastars, so the sky blue variety, some veronica, tall spikes,
02:03and three different types of hookra, which are grown for the foliage.
02:09So I've got a red one, a purple one, and a mixed one.
02:13So they come in all different colours, the foliage, and they produce, they're also known as coral bells.
02:19They produce little tiny bells, and then that's the spring onions, and we have ordinary sweet william as well.
02:33Beyond that, I think that's everything that I'm doing today.
02:37So we'll go outside in a minute, and get sown.
02:41There is one other thing I want to do today, actually, and these should have been planted by April,
02:46but these are another perennial, Heliopsis, never tried them before, and this one's Burning Hearts.
02:53This is a Sarah Raven variety.
02:56I picked up at Koo Gardens in London recently.
02:59Other things you can, so at this time of year, scabiosa, perennial scabiosa, some annual calendula,
03:09which is quick to grow and quick to flower, so there's plenty you can do.
03:15And the other one, the other three here that I have that would be easy enough to grow now,
03:24and quick growing are lettuce and radish as well.
03:27So let's go out to the garden now, and we'll start sowing.
03:35So, I've just been getting ready here, and I've been following some trays, some cell trays,
03:41with some compost, and some of this is used compost.
03:46It was in topsoil that was in through, it had salad leaves in it.
03:52You can see the roots in through it.
03:53And I've just mixed it in with fresh compost, so you can always reuse old compost,
03:58as long as you mix it with some fresh stuff.
04:00And then,
04:01what I'm going to start first is these Heliopsis,
04:07and I'm just reusing an old grape container here for this.
04:11You can see it's quite deep, and also there's already drainage holes in them,
04:16so if you have containers, hold on to them.
04:21You can still always wash them out and recycle them later on.
04:23Now, I'm not sure how many is in this, and I've never grown these before, so it says on the packet that
04:34to be sown February to April, does it cover lightly with compost?
04:42So this is just an experiment to see if they will grow in July.
04:48These are perennial, so wouldn't expect flowers from these.
04:51They're probably quite slow growing, but there's not many in it.
04:56There's only a few actually.
05:02What I'll do is, I'll just put them all in.
05:05I'm sure I could always buy more if they don't work out next year.
05:11So there's only about 15 in it.
05:16Just put them all in this one.
05:17Just sprinkle on my hand.
05:25Try and get them spaced as well as you can.
05:33A couple more.
05:36There we go.
05:37Get the friend done.
05:39And then just fine sprinkling or compost over them.
05:45What I'll do with these is, I'll bottom one of them,
05:47which just means in a tray, just let this sit in the tray.
05:51Let the carpal reaction work.
05:53So the water can slowly rise from the bottom to the top.
05:57And that'll soak the seeds in.
05:59So that way.
06:02It just means that if you were top watering them,
06:04they might get displaced.
06:06The seeds are so small.
06:08And the compost is quite fine.
06:10So here's a tray.
06:15It started.
06:18Let's see.
06:18Put some root fibre in there.
06:20You don't want any big lumps.
06:23When you're starting seeds.
06:28Just remove any bits of burk and stuff.
06:30So that's okay there.
06:35Try and keep it as flat as possible too.
06:43So if the seeds aren't uneven.
06:44Because you can come to water them later on there.
06:53You don't want them on a slope.
06:55So for hookera, I think that these just need to be placed on top with tiny, tiny seeds.
07:02So what we're going to do.
07:05We'll get our labels out first.
07:08I'm just going to sew them in rows this way.
07:12And it's for like a.
07:14There's one so it's purple hookera.
07:22And then we have a red.
07:25We'll just move them over.
07:26We'll get another something else in here too.
07:29And then we have a mixed so we have a purple red.
07:32And then a mixed so you get hookera in all sorts of different colors.
07:37And just need a pair of scissors now too.
07:40From the package here.
07:44So you can see how small the seeds are.
07:46The hookera seeds.
07:47Not be using them all obviously.
07:49There's 3,300 seeds in this wee packet.
07:54Which just cost about 1.50 from happy seeds.
07:58Had great success with their seeds from online.
08:02And it's probably about a 500 on here.
08:04But this is the red.
08:07So what we'll do is.
08:09We'll just go along here.
08:12And again we'll soak this from underneath.
08:14You definitely, definitely do not want.
08:17They soak tiny seeds from above.
08:23Just press them lightly under the soil.
08:27Sometimes it won't call off on your fingers.
08:29But that's okay.
08:29We have a lot of them.
08:32This mixed one has actually been mixed with
08:34coarse sand.
08:36Because they are so tiny.
08:42And that sometimes makes it easier to sow seeds.
08:46I see some people using old
08:48little salt shakers and stuff to mix tiny seeds with sand.
09:06Just press them down as well.
09:08And then we'll have the purple one.
09:27The one's already picking up here.
09:29So there's not as many of the purple.
09:32There's a thousand.
09:39Likewise they're pretty tiny.
09:40As you can see there.
09:41There's probably half a pack of there.
09:44I've poured out.
09:45There's a few tiny seeds.
09:49This is probably not the best day for planting tiny seeds.
09:53It's really one day.
09:54What I'm going to do is move some of these inside now.
09:59Before some of them are already blown over.
10:02What I'm going to do with these hookers now in a moment is place them in the water bath.
10:15First up though we need to get one more seed packet in.
10:19And I think we'll go over for the veroniga.
10:24Another tiny seed as well.
10:27Another perennial.
10:28So should come back year on year.
10:32This is also known as Spite Speedwell.
10:36These are a blue flower.
10:37So of all the colours here.
10:41Red, green, purple, blue in the one tray.
10:44And we'll just put these at the end.
10:53That's too many.
10:54Let's put some back in.
10:58There's no guarantee any of these will come up.
11:00But I thought it worth a try.
11:03And the thinking is if we can get them to go now.
11:06And not even going back in.
11:09Then what we can do is.
11:15Get them to grow on about before winter comes.
11:17Get them in the ground.
11:18And that way.
11:24We can get a bit established before the winter.
11:27And then bounce back down in the spring.
11:33That's my thinking.
11:34There's all we go for them.
11:35And again just pressing them down.
11:40Not covering them with anything.
11:42A bit lump.
11:42Always remove the big lumps.
11:48And then finally we do this.
11:51There's a water bath here prepared.
11:53Just set it in there.
11:55And let the water soak up.
11:56So see there.
12:03And then that water will rise to the top.
12:05And the seeds will get the benefit of it.
12:08Over here I've prepared some individual seed trays.
12:17These are generally for bigger seeds.
12:20So what I want to do here is the beetroot and the spring onions.
12:24We'll see what else was left.
12:28The spring onions here.
12:30These are very old ones I think.
12:32Yes.
12:33Out of date.
12:34Used by 2010.
12:36So these were my follower seeds.
12:37So we're just going to heavily over show.
12:45Because most of these are probably not viable.
12:49Some of them might be.
12:50So I'm not being very careful with them.
12:52I'm just going to do one row of them.
12:59And just.
13:02Probably about 40 in each one.
13:04But um.
13:05If they all come up they're easy enough separated anyway.
13:07But don't do well.
13:09They're 15 year old seeds.
13:12Well.
13:13They're actually out of date.
13:14They're 15 years old.
13:15So they're probably about.
13:17Probably packaged about 18 years ago.
13:23That's the spring onions done.
13:24Very simple.
13:25Cover them.
13:26Lightly.
13:26For compost.
13:31That's them done.
13:34Yes.
13:34So spring onions.
13:38And then next we have the beetroot.
13:42Through here.
13:43Through another.
13:44Cheap packet of seeds.
13:47And.
13:49Might do.
13:53Maybe two rows of this.
13:54Let's just see.
13:59Well I'll just do one.
14:06Can't remember if I actually did it.
14:10I'm not putting as many of these on.
14:12There's four maybe.
14:14These are new seeds.
14:15So they should germinate.
14:17No problem.
14:29I can't remember if I put stuff.
14:30I can't remember.
14:37That'll do it.
14:39As you can see.
14:39I'm not a very careful sword.
14:41Unless the tiny seeds.
14:42I take about a time with those.
14:43But.
14:44Otherwise.
14:46I think once you get a bit of practice.
14:47You can be.
14:49You can do this pretty quickly.
14:51And just.
14:52I like covering again.
14:54Moving any big lumps.
15:01And this will just go into the water.
15:02Back to the other ones.
15:04Now.
15:05What do I have left here?
15:07I have some giant scabias here.
15:08I might try them.
15:09And with these as well.
15:13Now.
15:13I sowed these.
15:15These were.
15:15I sowed these.
15:16I did.
15:18Tried a few different ways.
15:19I sowed these.
15:19And they didn't work.
15:23These are another perennial.
15:25These are a flower.
15:26But unlike the normal scabias.
15:28Or even the ones I'm growing.
15:29The butterfly ones.
15:30Which.
15:31When we get about.
15:32Half a foot high.
15:33These.
15:34These get giant.
15:35But just kind of.
15:37Yellow cream colored.
15:39Scabias plants.
15:41This look like a carrot top plant.
15:44With all the different.
15:45Tiny little flowers clustered.
15:47On a pan.
15:52Now.
15:52I'm going to have to create new labels.
15:53Because I don't think I have.
15:54created labels for these.
15:58No.
15:58I definitely don't for this one.
16:02But as I was saying.
16:02I tried to.
16:04Cold stratify these.
16:05I tried growing them direct.
16:08Way back in.
16:10February.
16:11March time.
16:13And.
16:14Nothing.
16:14Not one gem of it.
16:15So.
16:16I don't have high hopes for these.
16:18But.
16:19I'll put them in anyway.
16:21And actually.
16:22What I'll do is.
16:23I'll take them with it.
16:24And actually.
16:26Because.
16:28Just do one row of them.
16:31But.
16:32Cephalia.
16:32Giant.
16:33Yellow.
16:34Scabias.
16:36And they will.
16:36Live for a very long time.
16:38And.
16:40And.
16:40Finally.
16:41The last thing.
16:42I think I'm going to put on here.
16:45Is.
16:45A couple of.
16:47New England asters.
16:48Aster.
16:49Aster.
16:49Nova.
16:49Angley.
16:50I have one of those over there.
17:04And I'll show you some of these plants.
17:06That I'm planting.
17:06That don't look.
17:07All right.
17:07These are another perennial.
17:10And.
17:10I'll try to.
17:11Switch away from.
17:12Growing.
17:13Annuals.
17:14Because there's a lot of work involved in it.
17:16We don't always have a time.
17:19To do it all.
17:22Now.
17:22I haven't looked.
17:22I always advise people.
17:24To look up.
17:26To see.
17:26Do seeds need light.
17:27But.
17:28I'm just.
17:30Judging here.
17:31By the size of the seeds.
17:33These.
17:34Would be okay.
17:34With a light covering.
17:38Um.
17:45Smaller seed.
17:46No more like that.
17:47Does it.
17:47They.
17:47They shouldn't be covered.
17:49Basically.
17:55And that's them now.
17:58Did I have.
17:59So we have beetroot.
18:00On here.
18:03We have that one.
18:03On here.
18:04So it's just.
18:05The scabies.
18:05That we haven't.
18:06Done a.
18:07Play before.
18:09These are the other four.
18:09That I'm going to plant today.
18:10As well.
18:12So.
18:14Just actually.
18:16I shouldn't have.
18:17Kept them on there.
18:18I don't want soil.
18:19And I want the seeds.
18:22But do.
18:22If you have old seeds.
18:24Keep a hold of them.
18:25You never know.
18:25They might come back.
18:26So.
18:30And again.
18:31We'll just go down to the water bath.
18:33For this one.
18:34And then I'll take you around.
18:35So we quickly.
18:36Some of the.
18:38The things that we're actually sowing today.
18:40To come back next year.
18:41And these would have been sown last year.
18:42They come back this year.
18:43This is the biennials.
18:44So.
18:45As you can see here.
18:46This is a massive sweet pea.
18:48Sorry.
18:48Sweet William.
18:51Got that completely wrong there.
18:52And then.
18:53And behind it.
18:53Are category bells.
18:54Which have collapsed in the wind.
18:57And they're.
18:58A lot of them.
18:58We're standing upright.
18:59And over there's a nice pink one.
19:01This is a.
19:02Huge purple.
19:03Cup and saucer variety.
19:05Which is.
19:05The type we just sowed.
19:08More pink and blue ones in there.
19:11Some white ones over there.
19:12Beautiful.
19:13Beautiful flowers.
19:14They don't even look real.
19:15They're that nice.
19:16But.
19:18These are all biennials.
19:19So.
19:21Those two are biennials.
19:22So you have these.
19:23Beautiful sweet William.
19:25Every one.
19:25Seems to have been a different color.
19:27This year.
19:27That I sowed from that.
19:28Little packet.
19:30And.
19:31You can see.
19:31How many there are.
19:32And they've been flowering.
19:33For weeks already.
19:34And they show no sign.
19:35Of stopping.
19:37Temporary bells have been flowering.
19:38For a few weeks too.
19:39The only thing with them.
19:40Is they're quite flappy.
19:41So.
19:42Any kind of wind.
19:43They don't really survive it.
19:46Some other things.
19:47That this is an ideal time.
19:48To.
19:48The.
19:50Plant.
19:51Or to sow actually.
19:52Right now.
19:53Is.
19:55You can have lippens.
19:56So.
19:56Some lippens there.
19:57Going over now.
19:59And these.
19:59These are hollyhock.
20:01These beautiful.
20:02Like edible flowers actually.
20:05On these big stalks.
20:06And they will.
20:07That'll just keep elongating.
20:10That's elongated a lot.
20:11Since yesterday.
20:12And that's the first flower to open.
20:13Now there's.
20:14I have.
20:15Probably about 30 more hollyhocks.
20:17To plant on.
20:18Younger ones.
20:19That started earlier in the year.
20:22They are BNL as well.
20:23So.
20:23In some places.
20:24They can be perennial.
20:26But.
20:26They.
20:26Well.
20:28Now last year.
20:29I planted them in the spring.
20:30And they.
20:30They actually flowered.
20:32In the.
20:33Towards the autumn.
20:35But they seem to be plants.
20:36That you can grow at any time of year.
20:37I have.
20:40They're very hardy as well.
20:41So these survive.
20:42Want to survive all sorts.
20:44Very very good.
20:46Plants.
20:48Cosmos.
20:48This little yellow cosmos.
20:50We have some other ones here.
20:51Or annuals.
20:52There's a white one.
20:54And this is a.
20:57Seashell one.
20:58What pretty is that?
21:01These were all grown from seed.
21:03Probably about two months ago.
21:04They're one of the last things.
21:06I would typically grow from seed.
21:07Cos they're so fast.
21:09They germinate.
21:09So fast they grow.
21:11But you could.
21:12Start them now.
21:12And they should grow.
21:13No problem.
21:14I have.
21:14Quite a lot of them.
21:16You can't really see them on the ground.
21:18There's some that haven't flowered yet.
21:20Some about to flower.
21:22I've got plants.
21:24All through these ones.
21:25So.
21:26We've already had plants.
21:27We've had.
21:28That big gap up there.
21:29That was.
21:31Silver peonies.
21:32The.
21:32Honesty.
21:33The Venaria.
21:35And.
21:35They've already flowered.
21:38So you want to.
21:39Have stuff.
21:40Coming up behind them.
21:41If you can.
21:47Another thing you can sew right now.
21:49Another biennial.
21:50Is.
21:50Fast gloves.
21:51And here you can see.
21:54Some that were.
21:55Sown last year.
21:56And planted out.
21:57These are now poisonous.
21:58So they're not good for.
22:00Anyone with young children.
22:01Or pets.
22:03And.
22:04See the different flowers there.
22:05And these bell shaped flowers.
22:06That.
22:07The bees absolutely love.
22:09Here's a white one.
22:10That keeps falling over.
22:11This is a shallow kind of ditch.
22:16That I dug out.
22:17And.
22:18Everything falls over in it.
22:19But.
22:21There's quite a lot growing out.
22:22There's some more.
22:22Canterbury bells.
22:23They're all falling over too.
22:24But then.
22:27And.
22:30Other hanks.
22:31Which grow very quickly.
22:32And very easily.
22:34This is baby's breath.
22:35Which you normally only see.
22:37In floral arrangements.
22:38Not usually in the ground.
22:39But I think it's a stunning.
22:41Accompaniment.
22:42The bigger.
22:43Bigger flowers.
22:45And.
22:46These are calendula as well.
22:48Very easy to grow.
22:50Absolutely.
22:52Neoned.
22:52In terms of like.
22:53The colour of them.
22:54Real pop of colour.
22:55In the garden.
22:57And.
22:58You could start them now.
22:59And they will definitely.
22:59Flower before.
23:01The season's out.
23:02So you'll probably get them.
23:03If you started them around July.
23:04You'd have them flowering.
23:05By mid September.
23:08Another one.
23:09That's easy enough to grow.
23:10Is these.
23:11Painted daisies.
23:12So.
23:12There's plenty.
23:13That you could be doing now.
23:15And.
23:18Just want to have a wee look there.
23:19What's flowering at the moment.
23:22Corn flowers.
23:23Is another easy grower.
23:28And here we have beans.
23:31See.
23:31These are broad beans.
23:32Which are.
23:34Growing fine.
23:35Oh.
23:35I see the kids.
23:36Being eaten alive.
23:37Here's some of the spring onions.
23:38That were planted out.
23:39In the year.
23:40And these grass.
23:41Just keep.
23:44Coming in.
23:46Just to annoy me.
23:46I think.
23:47But.
23:49This is a small raised bed.
23:51That I set up last year.
23:54A lot of things.
23:54Get eaten on it.
23:55Before they actually get a chance.
23:56To develop.
23:57So I'm not sure.
23:58What's loving on there.
23:59But then.
23:59The spring onions.
24:01Did quite well.
24:02And some of the peas.
24:03Or sorry.
24:04The beans.
24:06And this gamma mile.
24:07Is thriving.
24:07As well.
24:09So.
24:11I think.
24:11These are wee may bugs.
24:12Looks like they're.
24:12You know.
24:13All over everything.
24:14I don't know.
24:15Um.
24:19There we go.
24:20There's one of the.
24:21Trays we just.
24:22Did.
24:22In the water bath.
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