July marks the height of summer, and many gardeners believe that the busy sowing season is long behind them. But this is a common misconception! Now is actually the perfect time to get back into the veg patch and put empty beds to good use. While early crops are giving you a bumper harvest, other plants are just waiting for their turn. If you choose the right varieties now, you can be harvesting fresh salad leaves, fast-growing veg, and even autumn root crops within just a few weeks.
July is ideal for successional sowing, planting quick-maturing varieties, and filling gaps left behind by early crops. The main things to keep in mind are soil moisture, summer heat, and changing day lengths.
Why July is a Brilliant Month for Planting
Many plot-holders think it’s too late to sow anything in midsummer. In fact, July is incredibly convenient for a second wave of planting:
- Beds are clearing: Spaces are opening up after harvesting early garlic, shallots, autumn-sown onions, or early salads.
- Warm soil: The ground is thoroughly warmed up, leading to lightning-fast seed germination.
- Rapid growth: Long daylight hours and warm weather speed up plant development.
- Extend the harvest: You can keep the supply of fresh salad leaves and baby veg going right into autumn.
- Protect the soil: Keeping the ground covered prevents nutrients from leaching and keeps weeds at bay.
With the right choice of plants, your allotment will keep working hard for you until the first frosts.
The Secret to Success:
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From Plot to Plate
1. Salad Crops and Herbs – The Quickest and Easiest Wins
If you don’t want to take any risks, start with quick-growing salad leaves and herbs. They grow rapidly, need very little fuss, and are always useful in the kitchen.
What you can sow now:
- dill;
- salad leaves (cut-and-come-again);
- spinach;
- flat-leaf parsley;
- coriander;
- salad signpost (land cress);
- leaf mustard.
Dill. One of the easiest herbs to grow. It thrives in warm summer soil and germonates very quickly. You can start snipping fresh, aromatic fronds in just 2 to 3 weeks.
What dill loves:
- free-draining, crumbly soil;
- moderate, consistent watering;
- a bright, sunny spot;
- regular weeding to prevent competition.
Top tip: Sow a small pinch of dill seeds every 10 to 14 days to ensure a steady supply of fresh herbs all through the summer.
Salad Leaves. Loose-leaf lettuces grow brilliantly in July but need plenty of water. In hot weather, they can bolt (go to seed) quickly, so choose bolt-resistant summer varieties or grow them in partial shade.
Spinach. This nutrient-dense leaf crop grows incredibly fast but loves moisture. If the soil dries out, the leaves will become tough and leathery, and the plant will bolt prematurely.
Parsley and Coriander. These herbs can be sown throughout the summer. They will bring fresh flavour and aroma to your summer dishes. Germination can sometimes be a bit slow in hot weather, so make sure the seedbed stays consistently damp.
2. Radishes, Turnips, and Daikon – Fast Roots for Quick Harvests
The second half of July is a brilliant time to sow root vegetables. The key is to select fast-maturing varieties.
Radishes. Summer radishes are a classic choice for July sowing. They grow at lightning speed and can be ready to harvest in as little as 20 to 30 days.
One thing to watch: In high summer, radishes can become woody, hollow, or overly hot if they suffer from dry soil or too many hours of direct sunlight. Choose bolt-resistant summer varieties and keep them well-watered.
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Tips for crunchy radishes:
- water regularly and evenly;
- thin out seedlings early to give the roots space to swell;
- choose a partially shaded spot rather than the hottest part of the plot;
- never let the soil dry out completely.
Boost Your Yield:
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Mooli (Daikon) and Summer Radish. Japanese daikon or summer radishes sown in July turn out juicy, crisp, and full of flavour. Late-sown varieties harvested in autumn are fantastic for eating fresh or storing for winter.
They love:
- plenty of moisture;
- loose, stone-free soil;
- timely thinning.
Turnips. Quick-maturing turnip varieties can also be sown in late July. They are perfect for autumn stews and hold well in the ground.
To ensure sweet, tender roots:
- avoid letting the soil dry out;
- water consistently;
- choose a sunny spot;
- do not apply fresh manure (which causes roots to fork and split).
3. Brassicas – Go for Fast-Growing Varieties
While July isn’t suitable for starting slow-growing winter brassicas, fast-maturing varieties will easily give you a harvest before the cold weather sets in.
What you can still plant:
- calabrese (summer broccoli);
- pak choi or Chinese cabbage;
- kohlrabi.
Calabrese. Calabrese grows rapidly and loves plenty of water. With a bit of care, it will form lovely green heads before the autumn chill.
Pak Choi and Chinese Cabbage. These leafy brassicas are fantastic for summer sowing. They grow quickly and are much less likely to bolt as the daylight hours start to shorten from August onwards. Keep them well-watered for juicy, crisp stems.
Kohlrabi. An incredibly rewarding and unusual crop for the allotment. It is undemanding, matures very quickly, and has a sweet, crisp taste similar to a tender broccoli stem. Eat it raw in salads or steam it.
4. Beetroot – Last Call
If you want a crop of tender baby beets for autumn eating or storing over winter, mid-July is the absolute final window for sowing.
Opt for early-maturing varieties, as they will swell to size quickly before the soil temperature drops in late autumn.
Key requirements for beetroot:
- a sunny, open spot;
- regular, even watering (to prevent woody roots);
- crumbly, loose soil;
- a good layer of organic mulch to keep the soil damp.
Note: If the summer is exceptionally hot, beetroot growth might slow down initially, but they will put on a spurt as soon as the cooler late-summer weather arrives.
5. Strawberries: July is the Time for Runners
The second half of July is the ideal time to propagate strawberries from runners. This is the easiest, most cost-effective way to refresh your strawberry patch with strong, healthy young plants for next year.
How to select the best runners:
- take them only from vigorous, high-yielding, disease-free mother plants;
- use the first plantlet on the runner (the one closest to the mother plant);
- look for plantlets that already have visible root nubs and 2 to 3 healthy leaves.
How to plant them:
- Prepare the new planting area or pots well in advance.
- Dig in plenty of well-rotted garden compost or manure.
- Add a balanced organic fertiliser if the soil is poor.
- Peg down or plant the runner, ensuring the crown is at soil level (do not bury it too deep).
- Water thoroughly.
- Mulch the soil (straw is ideal for strawberries).
Top tip: For the first week or two after planting, cover the young plants with a light horticultural fleece to protect them from the scorching midsummer sun while they establish.
6. Legumes – Natural Soil Improvers
You can still get away with sowing certain legumes in July:
- sugar snap peas or mangetout (early varieties);
- French beans (dwarf varieties).
They will easily crop before the autumn, and they are brilliant for your soil. Legumes are nitrogen-fixers, meaning they lock nitrogen into the soil, leaving the bed highly fertile for next year’s crops.
7. Flowers for a Healthy Allotment
A great veg plot isn’t just about food. Sowing flowers alongside your crops brings colour and helps control pests naturally.
Good options for sowing now:
- calendula (pot marigolds) and French marigolds (excellent companion plants to deter pests);
- nemophila (baby blue eyes);
- pansies (for autumn colour);
- nasturtiums (act as a decoy crop for caterpillars and aphids).
Flowers brighten up the allotment, attract bees and hoverflies, and help create a balanced ecosystem.
8. What to Plant After Harvesting Garlic
Garlic is usually lifted in July, leaving a prime piece of real estate empty. Don’t let this fertile bed go to waste!
Great follow-on crops for garlic beds:
- spinach;
- salad leaves;
- dill and parsley;
- coriander;
- radishes;
- green manures.
If you don’t want to grow more veg, sowing a green manure (such as mustard, phacelia, or clover) is a brilliant way to improve soil structure and build up nutrients for next spring.
9. How to Manage Empty Beds
Never leave cleared allotment beds bare over the summer months. Naked soil loses moisture quickly, the sun bakes the soil surface, and weed seeds will colonise the space in no time.
Better options:
- sow quick salad crops;
- plant fast-maturing root veg;
- sow a cover crop (green manure);
- cover the bed with a thick layer of organic mulch (straw or grass clippings).
This keeps the soil healthy, retains moisture, and saves you hours of weeding come autumn.
Top Tips for July Sowing
To ensure your summer seeds germinate and thrive, keep these simple rules in mind:
- Water wisely: In hot July weather, water evaporates quickly. Always water deeply in the early morning or late evening when the sun is low. This avoids evaporation and prevents leaf scorch or root shock.
- Hoe the soil: After watering or heavy summer downpours, the soil surface can form a hard crust. Gently hoeing or loosening the soil breaks this crust, letting the earth breathe and retaining moisture.
- Mulch generously: Use straw, dry grass clippings, or garden compost to mulch your beds. This keeps the soil cool, conserves moisture, and cuts down on watering.
- Choose quick-maturing varieties: For July sowing, always check the packet and pick varieties with a “days to harvest” of under 60 days. Late varieties simply won’t have enough time to mature before the light fades.
- Give plants space: Fungal diseases like powdery mildew thrive in warm, humid summer air. Space your plants properly and thin out seedlings to ensure good airflow.
- Provide shade in heatwaves: If temperatures soar above 30 °C, use a light horticultural fleece or netting to shade delicate young seedlings during the hottest hours of the day.
What to Plant in July: The Quick List
Here is your handy allotment shopping list for midsummer sowing:
- dill;
- salad leaves (cut-and-come-again);
- spinach;
- parsley and coriander;
- radishes;
- turnips and daikon;
- calabrese (summer broccoli);
- pak choi and Chinese cabbage;
- kohlrabi;
- beetroot (early varieties);
- sugar snap peas;
- dwarf French beans;
- strawberry runners;
- green manures (phacelia, mustard, clover).
Conclusion
July is definitely not the end of the allotment season. It is a brilliant opportunity to get a second harvest and keep your plot productive well into autumn. The secret to success is choosing the right fast-growing varieties, keeping up with the watering, and protecting your soil from the baking sun. Don’t be afraid to experiment – with a little care, your veg patch will keep you in fresh salads and sweet baby veg until the cold winter months arrive
