What Vegetable Seeds To Sow In July

July is a pivotal month for gardeners. While the summer sun blazes high, there’s still ample opportunity to plant a variety of vegetables that can thrive and yield bountiful harvests in the later months. Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a novice gardener, here’s a guide to what vegetable seeds you should be sowing in July to ensure your garden remains productive and vibrant.

Dwarf Beans 

Semi Dwarf Bean Hidatsa Red

Beans are a fantastic crop to plant in July. They grow quickly and can produce a good yield before the first frost. Opt for dwarf beans as you’re looking for a quicker harvest, as they typically mature faster than climbing beans. The perfect filler for mid summer garden gaps.

Tips for Planting Beans:

• Plant seeds directly in the garden about 2cm deep.
• Ensure they have full sun and well-draining soil.
• Water regularly, but avoid waterlogging the soil.

Carrots

Carrot Cosmic Purple

Carrots can be a perfect addition to your July planting schedule. They prefer cooler soil to germinate, so consider using a light mulch to keep the soil temperature down.

Tips for Planting Carrots:

• Sow seeds directly into the ground about 1cm deep.
• Space seeds about 5cm apart.
• Thin seedlings as little as possible to avoid attracting carrot root fly.
• Keep the soil moist but not saturated.

Beetroot

Beetroot Red Toad

Beets are another great vegetable to plant in July. They grow quickly and can be harvested both for their roots and greens.

Tips for Planting Beetroot:

• Sow seeds about 1cm deep and 10cm apart.
• Alternatively, sow 3-5 seeds to a module tray and plant out in clusters.
• Ensure they have full sun and consistently moist soil.

Chicory

Chicory Rose of Venice

Chicory is one of the most beautiful of all winter vegetables as the colder it gets, the more the colours of the foliage develop. However it need to be sown earlier in the year so it can establish some green leafy growth over summer before the cold kicks in.

Tips for Planting Chicory:

• Plant seeds 1cm deep in module trays
• Once seedlings are strong and thriving, plant out into their final position.
• Provide full sun and keep the soil consistently moist.

Lettuce

Lettuce Sioux

Lettuce varieties, especially those tolerant to heat, can be planted in July for a continuous supply of fresh greens. Opt for heat-resistant varieties like Romaine or Butterhead.

Tips for Planting Lettuce:

• Sow seeds directly into the soil, about 1cm deep.
• Thin seedlings to about 30cm apart, depending on the variety.
• Provide partial shade if temperatures soar to prevent bolting.

Winter Cabbage

Cabbage Holland Late Winter

Cabbage is much easier to grow over winter as you do not need to net against cabbage white butterflies. It is extremely cold hardy and will slowly mature through the colder months ready to give a harvest early next spring.

Tips for Planting Cabbage:

• Sow seeds about in module trays 1.5cm deep.
• Once seedlings are strong and thriving, plant out into their final position, netting against butterfly attack if they are still present
• Keep the soil moist.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower Sicilian Violet

Another brassica that thrives over winter with less pests to cope with. July sowings will reward you with delicious heads of cauli in spring.

Tips for Planting Cauliflower:

• Sow seeds about 1cm deep in module trays.
• Once seedlings are strong and thriving, plant out into their final position, netting against butterfly attack if they are still present
• Provide full sun and consistently moist soil.

Kale

Kale Jardin Ivory

Kale is a brilliant crop for food through the colder months but to be reaping those rewards it needs to be sowed this month. So in module trays first so that it can be planted out later once the butterfly population has started to decline.

Tips for Planting Kale:

• Sow seeds about 1cm deep in module trays.
• Once seedlings are strong and thriving, plant out into their final position, netting against butterfly attack if they are still present
• Provide full sun and consistently moist soil.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi Dyna

This is a really interesting brassica crop with an edible stem rather than being grown exclusively for its leaves. Purple varieties such as Dyna are particularly hardy so a great choice for sowing now.

Tips for Planting Kohlrabi:

• Sow seeds about 1cm deep in module trays.
• Once seedlings are strong and thriving, plant out into their final position and keep moist
• Alternatively sow direct but provide netted protection against pests.

July may seem like a mid-summer milestone where gardening slows down, but it’s actually a vital time to sow a variety of winter vegetable seeds. By planting these crops, you can extend your harvesting season well into the following year, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh, homegrown produce. So, grab your gardening tools, sow those seeds, and enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour!