Heat, Harvests, and Keeping Plants Thriving

July in Kamloops brings long, hot days, warm nights, and the first big flush of summer harvests. Watering wisely, keeping plants tidy, and staying ahead of pests will help your garden sail through the heat. Here’s what to focus on this month.

 Fruits & Vegetables

• Water deeply every 3–4 days — Aim for long soakings rather than frequent sprinkles. Deep watering encourages strong roots that can handle heat.
• Harvest as crops ripen — Pick beans, zucchini, cucumbers, berries, and tomatoes regularly to keep plants producing.
• Weed consistently — Weeds steal moisture. Add mulch (straw, shredded leaves, compost) to hold water in the soil.
• Watch for pests — Aphids, flea beetles, cabbage moths, and spider mites are active now. Use organic measures such as hand‑picking, row covers, or insecticidal soap.
• Train and prune tomatoes — Tie up vines, remove suckers on indeterminate varieties, and ensure good airflow to reduce disease and improve fruit size.
• Prune raspberry canes — After summer-bearing raspberries finish, remove the old fruiting canes at ground level and tie in new green canes for next year’s crop.
• Side‑dress heavy feeders — Corn, squash, and tomatoes appreciate a mid‑season boost of compost or organic fertilizer.

 Flowers & Ornamentals

• Keep beds evenly moist — Deep watering every few days is better than daily sprinkles. Mulch helps keep roots cool.
• Stake tall flowers — Delphiniums, hollyhocks, dahlias, and cosmos may need support as they reach full height.
• Deadhead generously — Roses, daylilies, salvias, and annuals bloom longer when spent flowers are removed.
• Cut back perennials that rebloom — Many perennials respond well to a July haircut and will flower again in late summer or fall. Examples:
  • Catmint (Nepeta)
  • Salvia (May Night, Caradonna)
  • Coreopsis
  • Veronica
  • Shasta daisies (light trim after bloom)
  • Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (rejuvenation trim)
• Pinch back chrysanthemums and asters — Continue pinching until mid‑July to keep plants compact and encourage abundant fall blooms.
• Shear annuals — Petunias, calibrachoa, and alyssum benefit from a mid‑summer trim to refresh growth.

 Other July Tasks

• Water lawns 1 inch per week — Follow City of Kamloops watering restrictions. Water early morning to reduce evaporation.
• Dig and divide spring bulbs — If tulips or daffodils were crowded or underperforming, lift and replant them once foliage has fully died back.
• Refresh mulch — Top up mulch around shrubs, trees, and perennials to conserve moisture and reduce heat stress.
• Check irrigation systems — Ensure drip lines and soaker hoses are working efficiently.
• Collect seeds — Poppies, columbine, and nigella set seed now; harvest on dry mornings.

Be sure to take time to enjoy your garden — July is peak beauty. Take time to sit in the shade, watch pollinators, and appreciate all your hard work.