Bishy Barnabee’s Cottage Garden

Sow in July

Biennials, succession sowing, and late-summer planning

What to sow in July
Flower seedsAnnuals & perennialsVeg seedsFrom salad to squashHerb seedsKitchen and gardenBiennialsSow now, flower next yearCut flowersLate-summer successionUnder £2.50Stock up favourites
49 products
Beetroot BoltardyNew
Vegetable Seeds

Beetroot Boltardy

Beta vulgaris 'Boltardy' Heritage bolt-resistant beetroot, RHS AGM The…

Sow: Mar–Jul
£1.95 View
Several Beetroot Chioggia from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd with green leaves rest on a wooden cutting board; one is sliced to show its pink and white rings, with a kitchen knife beside the vegetables against a soft background.New
Vegetable Seeds

Beetroot Chioggia

Beta vulgaris 'Chioggia' Italian heritage variety with pink-and-white concentric…

Sow: Mar–Jul
£1.95 View
Cabbage GreyhoundNew
Vegetable Seeds

Cabbage Greyhound

Brassica oleracea 'Greyhound' Heritage pointed summer cabbage The cabbage…

Sow: Feb–Jul
£1.50 View
Coriander from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd rests on a rustic wooden surface beside a round, pastel plate and a glass container.
Herb Seeds

Coriander

Coriander Seeds A culinary powerhouse with fresh, citrusy-parsley flavour

Sow: Mar–Sep
£1.99 View
A mezzaluna knife rests on a wooden board with chopped herbs—great for pickling—and fresh dill sprigs, perfect for planting Dill Bouquet seeds from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden, beside a beige cloth.
Herb Seeds

Dill Bouquet

Dill 'Bouquet' is the variety the cutting garden…

Sow: Mar–Jul
£2.15 View
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Sowing in July — your questions answered

What can I sow in July?

Biennials are the main July sowing — foxgloves, sweet williams, wallflowers, and honesty all benefit from being started now for next year's flowers. Continue sowing fast vegetables like salad leaves, radishes, beetroot, spring onions, and chard. Start sowing autumn and winter crops: leeks, spring cabbages, kale, and turnips. French beans can still be sown for an early autumn crop.

Should I be feeding my growing plants?

Yes — most flowering and fruiting plants will benefit from a weekly feed by July. Tomatoes, peppers, and chillies need high-potash feed (a tomato feed) once flowering starts. Cutting flowers benefit from the same. Leafy crops are better with a balanced feed or seaweed solution. Always feed onto damp soil, never dry.

My plants are looking tired — what should I do?

Mid-summer slump usually comes down to water stress, root constraint, or exhausted soil. Water deeply twice a week rather than little and often. Mulch around stems to retain moisture. If plants are in pots, check whether they need potting on. For annuals approaching the end of their natural life, sow a fast replacement now — calendula or cornflowers will flower by September.

Can I still plant for autumn colour?

Yes — chrysanthemums (from cuttings or young plants), late asters, and sedum are still worth adding. From seed, fast-growing varieties like calendula, cornflowers, and cosmos sown now will flower from September through the first frosts. Late-summer-sown hardy annuals are also a possibility for an extra-long autumn show.