Well there is quite a lot that can be done in July…so wrap up and get rid of cabin fever, winter blues or whatever you may be suffering from.

Start pruning your roses. Begin with climbers then standards and then bush. If you are not sure where too start come into the garden centre and I will talk you through it. If any of your roses have very little new growth or not much top at all, you would be better to dig it out, remove the old soil and plant a newer variety, which will be more vigorous and give you more flowers. Why spend time on a plant that is not going to reward you with flowers.

Wrap up warm and enjoy the brisk weather. Unfortunately we still haven’t had much rain. It is still dry at the bottom of the hole if planting a new season rose or a shrub, so you must give them a good soaking after planting .
New season roses are in the garden centre now, so come and have a look as numbers are limited. We have plenty standard Icebergs, as it is still the most planted variety.
If you are replacing a rose you have removed because it didn’t do well, you must replace the soil with new compost or potting mix, as that soil could well be hosting fungi and bacteria that caused the problem.

Many studies have shown that regular physical gardening activity reduces the risk of depression, high blood pressure and strokes.

Gardening also improves strength, stamina and flexibility. The Vitamin D your skin absorbs while you are outside is essential for your immune system and good health.

Now on too what needs to be done in May.

• Mothers Day - Give Mum a plant. Most mums love plants. A flowering cyclamen, a lily bulb [Christmas lilies are in], or voucher if you want her too choose something.

• Plant a feijoa. Why pay $7 a kilo when you could grow your own. They are easy!

Harvesting, tidying and thinking winter are the main things.

You can still plant carrots, parsnip, turnips and broad bean seeds. Plant brassicas again now as the white butterfly are not such a problem as the temperatures cool down. But caterpillars will still be hatching and eating, so spray with pyrethrum or target. Pyrethrum is a good natural spray for caterpillars but must be applied in the evening as it breaks down with the UV rays.

Plant leeks, lettuce[during the cold they grow OK but are a little coarse as they are growing slower but still good to plant and pick a leak or 2 as required. Mizuna and Coriander are good to grow during the winter and can spice up a winter salad. Kale, Pax Choy and Spinach are good quick growing greens for the cooler times.

Early autumn is a good time to feed winter and spring fruit producers, especially citrus. It is a good idea to use citrus fertilizer and then mulch with a bag of organic compost. Feigoa and citrus trees[lemon, manadarins, oranges etc] are all available to plant now.

Sow lupin or mustard seed in areas of your vegetable garden that you don’t wish to plant this winter. These crops can then be cut down early august and then dug in, improving the soil structure and nutrient levels.

Spring bulbs can be planted now.

I know we are now busy watering, feeding and harvesting our summer vegetables, but we also need to be thinking winter. As soon as you have dug potatoes, used broccoli or beans have finished, pull them out, fertilize, add a bag of compost and then think winter. You can plant leek plants, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage plants and sow seed of parsnip, carrots, turnips, swedes.

You will need to protect the brassicas from white butterfly caterpillars, either by dusting regularly with Derris Dust or completely covering your crop with Microclima. A natural protection is to add Neem tree granules into the hole at planting.