Gardening tips by month
July gardening tips: what to prune, feed & protect
A July garden checklist built from our plant care guides. Garden jobs depend on your local frost dates, so tasks are grouped for cold, moderate and mild climates. Find yours below, then tap any plant for full step-by-step instructions.
July in cold winters (zones 3–5)
Pruning in July
- Apple tree: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Apricot tree: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Arborvitae: light trim after new growth (Jun 21 – Jul 19)
- Asian pear: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Bearded iris: remove spent flower stalks (Jun 21 – Jul 12)
- Black-eyed Susan: deadhead for more flowers (Jul 19 – Aug 2)
- Blackberry: summer tipping of new canes (erect types) (Jul 5 – Aug 2)
- Boxwood: shape after the spring growth flush (Jun 7 – Jul 5)
- Catmint: shear after first bloom (Jul 5–19)
- Cherry tree: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Cherry tree: prune after harvest (Jul 19 – Aug 16)
- Climbing hydrangea: prune after flowering (Jul 12 – Aug 2)
- Climbing rose: prune after the first flush of flowers (Jul 12 – Aug 2)
- Coneflower: deadhead for more flowers (Jul 12–26)
- Daylily: deadhead for more flowers (Jul 12–26)
- Flowering dogwood: minimal prune after flowering (Jun 7 – Jul 5)
- Garden mum: pinch back for bushy plants (Jun 28 – Jul 12)
- Grapevine: shoot thinning and leaf pulling (Jun 14 – Jul 12)
- Hybrid tea rose: start deadheading (continue all summer) (Jun 28 – Jul 12)
- Kiwi vine: summer pruning (Jul 5–19)
- Lavender: main trim after flowering (Jul 26 – Aug 16)
- Mint: midsummer cut-back (Jul 19 – Aug 2)
- Oakleaf hydrangea: prune right after flowering (only if needed) (Jul 26 – Aug 23)
- Peach / nectarine: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Pear (European): thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Peony: deadhead after flowering (Jun 28 – Jul 19)
- Perennial salvia: shear after each flush (Jul 5–19)
- Persimmon: thin heavy crops (optional) (Jun 28 – Jul 19)
- Plum tree: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Plum tree: main prune in early summer (Jun 21 – Jul 19)
- Quince: thin young fruit (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Rhododendron: deadhead and light prune after flowering (Jun 14 – Jul 12)
- Sedum (stonecrop): pinch back for sturdier stems (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Spirea: shear after first flush for rebloom (Jul 19 – Aug 9)
- Strawberry: renovate June-bearing beds after harvest (Jul 12 – Aug 2)
- Thyme: trim after flowering (Jul 5–19)
- Tomato: remove suckers and lower leaves (Jun 28 – Jul 5)
- Viburnum: prune right after flowering (Jun 7 – Jul 5)
- Weigela: prune right after flowering (Jun 21 – Jul 12)
- Wisteria: summer prune of long whips (Jul 19 – Aug 16)
Fertilizing in July
- Bigleaf hydrangea: feed hydrangeas (Jul 19 – Aug 9)
- Climbing rose: feed climbing roses (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
- Hybrid tea rose: feed roses (Jul 19 – Aug 2)
- Rhododendron: spring feeding (Jun 7 – Jul 5)
- Shrub / landscape rose: feed shrub roses (Jul 5–19)
- Strawberry: feed after renovation (Jul 19 – Aug 2)
- Tomato: side-dress when fruit sets (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
Spraying & disease prevention in July
- Apple tree: scab and rust protection sprays (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
- Apple tree: codling moth and curculio protection (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
- Arborvitae: bagworm check (Jun 28 – Jul 19)
- Boxwood: preventive spray in wet spring weather (blight-prone areas) (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
- Climbing rose: preventive spray for black spot (Jun 28 – Jul 5)
- Grapevine: black rot and mildew protection (Jul 5–12)
- Hosta: early slug control (Jun 14 – Jul 5)
- Hybrid tea rose: preventive spray for black spot (Jun 28 – Jul 5)
- Tomato: preventive spray for early blight (Jul 5–12)
- Walnut tree: husk fly protection (if needed) (Jun 25 – Jul 9)
Frost & winter protection in July
- Blueberry: net against birds (Jun 28 – Jul 12)
- Cherry tree: net against birds (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
Other care in July
- Asian pear: harvest Asian pears (Jul 9 – Aug 20)
- Bearded iris: divide crowded clumps (every 3–5 years) (Jul 9 – Aug 6)
- Mulberry: harvest mulberries (Jun 21 – Aug 2)
- Pecan tree: water during nut fill (Jul 9 – Aug 20)
- Serviceberry: pick serviceberries (Jun 28 – Jul 19)
- Shrub / landscape rose: check for rose rosette disease (Jun 21 – Jul 5)
July in moderate winters (zones 6–7)
Pruning in July
- Apple tree: summer pruning: remove water sprouts (Jul 8 – Aug 5)
- Apricot tree: main prune after harvest (Jul 8 – Aug 5)
- Asian pear: summer pruning: remove water sprouts (Jul 8 – Aug 5)
- Black-eyed Susan: deadhead for more flowers (Jun 24 – Jul 8)
- Blackberry: summer tipping of new canes (erect types) (Jun 10 – Jul 8)
- Butterfly bush: deadhead through summer (Jul 8–22)
- Cherry tree: prune after harvest (Jun 24 – Jul 22)
- Climbing hydrangea: prune after flowering (Jun 17 – Jul 8)
- Climbing rose: prune after the first flush of flowers (Jun 17 – Jul 8)
- Coneflower: deadhead for more flowers (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
- Crape myrtle: snip spent blooms for a second flush (Jul 22 – Aug 12)
- Daylily: deadhead for more flowers (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
- Daylily: refresh tired foliage (rebloomers) (Jul 22 – Aug 12)
- Garden mum: pinch back for bushy plants (Jun 24 – Jul 8)
- Gardenia: prune right after flowering (Jun 24 – Jul 22)
- Hazelnut / filbert: remove suckers (Jul 8–22)
- Kiwi vine: summer pruning (Jul 15–29)
- Lantana: midsummer shear (Jul 8–22)
- Lavender: main trim after flowering (Jul 1–22)
- Mint: midsummer cut-back (Jun 24 – Jul 8)
- Mulberry: trim after fruiting (optional) (Jul 8–29)
- Oakleaf hydrangea: prune right after flowering (only if needed) (Jul 1–29)
- Pear (European): summer pruning: remove water sprouts (Jul 8 – Aug 5)
- Perennial salvia: shear after each flush (Jul 22 – Aug 5)
- Pomegranate: remove suckers (Jul 22 – Aug 5)
- Raspberry: remove fruited canes after summer harvest (Jul 22 – Aug 19)
- Spirea: shear after first flush for rebloom (Jun 24 – Jul 15)
- Strawberry: renovate June-bearing beds after harvest (Jun 17 – Jul 8)
- Tangerine / mandarin: thin fruit in heavy years (Jun 24 – Jul 22)
- Tomato: remove suckers and lower leaves (Jul 1–8)
- Walnut tree: prune in summer (not late winter) (Jul 8 – Aug 5)
- Wisteria: summer prune of long whips (Jun 24 – Jul 22)
Fertilizing in July
- Bigleaf hydrangea: feed hydrangeas (Jun 24 – Jul 15)
- Climbing rose: feed climbing roses (Jul 8–22)
- Gardenia: early-summer feeding (Jun 24 – Jul 15)
- Hybrid tea rose: feed roses (Jun 24 – Jul 8)
- Pistachio tree: spring feeding (Jun 3 – Jul 1)
- Strawberry: feed after renovation (Jun 24 – Jul 8)
- Tomato: side-dress when fruit sets (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
Spraying & disease prevention in July
- Apple tree: codling moth and curculio protection (Jun 24 – Jul 8)
- Azalea: check for lace bugs (Jul 15–29)
- Climbing rose: preventive spray for black spot (Jul 1–8)
- Grapevine: black rot and mildew protection (Jun 24 – Jul 1)
- Hybrid tea rose: preventive spray for black spot (Jul 1–8)
- Peach / nectarine: brown rot protection before harvest (Jul 8–29)
- Tangerine / mandarin: check for scale, mealybugs and aphids (Jul 22 – Aug 5)
- Tomato: preventive spray for early blight (Jun 24 – Jul 1)
- Walnut tree: husk fly protection (if needed) (Jul 19 – Aug 2)
Frost & winter protection in July
- Grapevine: net ripening clusters (Jul 22 – Aug 19)
Other care in July
- Mulberry: harvest mulberries (May 27 – Jul 8)
- Pomegranate: water evenly as fruit swells (Jul 19 – Sep 13)
- Shrub / landscape rose: check for rose rosette disease (Jul 8–22)
- Strawberry tree: summer watering (first 2 years) (Jul 8–22)
July in mild winters (zones 8–10)
Pruning in July
- Black-eyed Susan: deadhead for more flowers (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
- Blackberry: remove fruited canes after harvest (Jun 17 – Jul 15)
- Bougainvillea: tip-prune after each bloom cycle (Jul 1–15)
- Butterfly bush: deadhead through summer (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
- Hazelnut / filbert: remove suckers (Jul 15–29)
- Kiwi vine: summer pruning (Jul 1–15)
- Raspberry: remove fruited canes after summer harvest (Jun 3 – Jul 1)
Fertilizing in July
- Bougainvillea: feeding (Jul 1–15)
- Citrus (lemon, lime, orange): citrus feeding: early & late summer (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
- Tangerine / mandarin: citrus feeding: early & late summer (Jun 17 – Jul 1)
- Tropical hibiscus: feeding (Jul 1–8)
Spraying & disease prevention in July
- Hybrid tea rose: preventive spray for black spot (Jun 24 – Jul 1)
- Tangerine / mandarin: check for scale, mealybugs and aphids (Jul 29 – Aug 12)
Frost & winter protection in July
- Grapevine: net ripening clusters (Jun 3 – Jul 1)
Other care in July
- Shrub / landscape rose: check for rose rosette disease (Jul 1–15)
- Strawberry tree: summer watering (first 2 years) (Jun 17 – Jul 1)