Muddy Boots

What to Grow, Sow and Know This Month: July

• Keith and Elisabeth

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0:00 | 25:51

July’s Garden – this episode of Muddy Boots highlights essential winter gardening tasks to prepare for spring. Keith emphasises pruning deciduous plants, planting bare-rooted trees and roses, and improving soil with compost and additives. He recommends planting ornamentals, bulbs, and winter vegetables like brassicas and root crops. Pest control, mulching, and lawn care are also key, along with frost protection. Overall, staying active in winter ensures healthier plants and stronger growth in the coming season.

PLANTS (Recommended by Keith)

  • Lagerstroemia indica — Crape myrtle
  • Magnolia spp. — Magnolia
  • Acer palmatum — Japanese maple
  • Acer platanoides — European maple
  • Acer saccharum — Canadian maple (sugar maple)
  • Paeonia spp. — Peony (both bush and herbaceous types)
  • Nerine spp. — Nerine
  • Ranunculus asiaticus — Ranunculus
  • Brassica oleracea (various groups) — Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale)
  • Spinacia oleracea — Spinach
  • Lactuca sativa — Lettuce
  • Coriandrum sativum — Coriander
  • Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis — Wombok (Chinese cabbage)
  • Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis — Pak choy
  • Quercus spp. — Oak
  • Fraxinus spp. — Ash
  • Liquidambar styraciflua — Liquidambar
  • Rosa spp. — Roses
  • Primula × polyantha — Polyanthus
  • Viola spp. — Violet
  • Primula spp. — Primula
  • Brassica rapa subsp. rapa — Turnip
  • Allium cepa — Onion
  • Beta vulgaris — Beetroot
  • Raphanus sativus — Radish
  • Pisum sativum — Peas (including snow peas)

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SPEAKER_02

Hello, I'm Elizabeth, an obsessive backyard gardener, who might be able to offer you a couple of tips.

SPEAKER_01

And I'm Keith, a landscape consultant, and I'm also passionate about gardening.

SPEAKER_02

The one thing we both have in common is Muddy Boots. Today's episode of Muddy Boots is brought to you by BioStim's Myco Gold, the secret to stronger, healthier plants. Add it when planting or around existing plants, and you'll set them up for a lifetime of success. Visit biostim.com.au to learn more. We're about to reach the month of July, and winter has now truly set in. It might appear that our gardens have slowed down, but there's a lot going on below the surface. There are many jobs to do this month to make sure that our gardens are in top shape in preparation for spring. Let's find out what those jobs are. Keith, why is July such an important month in the garden even though everything feels slower?

SPEAKER_01

Well, it's important because there's still many so many things that you can be doing out in the garden rather than just sitting on the inside looking out and saying, Oh, it's too cold to go out there today. I might just stay in here with the heater on or the fire on or whatever else. And but there is still lots to be doing in the garden for sure.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Well, one of the biggest jobs gardeners should focus on during July. And and this sort of time of the year.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, well, you've still got this there will still be some pruning of deciduous trees and shrubs that you know you you need to be looking at to shape and just tidy up and and just make them look like they're going to take off in in the the springtime. So that's probably one of the most important things is having a having a walk around with your secateurs and looking at each individual plant in your garden, saying, Oh, how could I improve the look of that? Or if I cut this off, is it going to increase the size of this or whatever else? So, yeah, just have a little wander around with a pair of secateurs and tidy up those particular plants.

SPEAKER_02

Any cross branches and things like that in trees and just open them up.

SPEAKER_01

Just open them up, allow light and air to go through, and that that'll prevent a lot of disease and everything else coming into the and it's is it still a good time for planting?

SPEAKER_02

Is this a good month to do some planting?

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely fantastic time for doing some planting because you've still got you've still have a um a great range of bare-rooted plants that you can be putting in. And if you're gonna be doing bare-rooted plants, make sure that you're where you're gonna be putting them into the ground has got good soil preparation done, so you've got your all your compost and everything else in that particular soil that you're gonna be putting in these new bare-rooted plants.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

And if you if you could use if you just soak the soak the the bare-rooted plants in a solution of a seaweed solution, that will make sure that they're set up for when you actually start to put them in and when they actually start to grow.

SPEAKER_02

And you might have put a bit of myco gold in the bear?

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely, some bio stim myco gold in the bottom of the hole. And if you sprinkle that in, just a teaspoon into the bottom of the hole, and then apply a little bit of a moisture bit of water on them, and then put your plant in on top of that, and then put that beautifully composted soil back in and around it, bang, it'll take care of it.

SPEAKER_02

A bit of Clyde compost, perhaps?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I would I always use Clyde compost.

SPEAKER_02

Clyde compost is the go. I'm doing a bit of an ad here. Um can you suggest or recommend some trees and flowering plants that can be planted at this time of the year? Maybe for a small garden to start with. Um you think of.

SPEAKER_01

Well, small garden, one of the best trees that you put if like uh as an ornamental plant, yeah, crate myrtles.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, I knew you're gonna and they should be pruned right now, shouldn't we?

SPEAKER_01

And and they should be pruned to with an inch of their life.

SPEAKER_02

Create murder.

SPEAKER_01

Crepe murders coming up in our in in in our garden very, very shortly.

SPEAKER_02

Mine too.

SPEAKER_01

So that yeah. So so there that that's a fabulous plant to be putting in. But there's lots of other um ornamental trees that you can be putting in. A lot of magnolias are just absolutely sensational. And this there's going to be a huge range of bare-rooted ornamental trees that will be available at your local nurseries and and maybe even at the big green warehouse might have some. So things like your your maples, so whether it it's um um the Japanese maples, they'll be available. There'll be European maples, and there'll also be Canadian maples that might be you might find um in a bare-rooted form. But there's lots of other plants that that you know you can get bare-rooted at this time of the year that can go in into the ground. Uh and they're such good value.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. And they really are such good value. Easy to deal with. Uh easier to get home as well, because they're much lighter. What vegetables oh no, sorry. We didn't talk about more flowering plants as well before. So just a few ideas of what sort of flowering plants at this time of year are put to put in. Can you think of any off the top of your head?

SPEAKER_01

Peonies.

SPEAKER_02

Are beautiful. Um, this is the time that bush peonies as a two both types. Because I don't know a lot about peonies.

SPEAKER_01

You can put either the the upright or the or the bush forms in at this time of the month, but make sure you're putting it into well-composted soil. Okay. Because they are really heavy feeders. They and and they well, they've got these big blousy flowers that you know that just demand so much goodness from the soil. So peonies are an absolute ripper one to be putting in too at this time of the year. And of course, for flowers, lots and lots of bulbs are still available to be putting in.

SPEAKER_02

This is a good time to put still a good time to put them in. Autumn is really the best time, isn't it, to put your bulbs in? No, not necessarily. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_01

Throughout winter as well. Wint yeah, winter is a great time because uh there's a lot of bulbs that that are still that are the summer flowering ones that are still carrying their leaves right through till August, for instance. The flowers are well and truly spent. But then you've also got a lot of other bulbs, you know, neurons and these sorts of things, uh rununculas, these sorts of things you can go down and and actually purchase from nurseries in packets and take them and go and plant them. It's it's a great time to be doing that as well. Okay. So, yeah, for for the flowers, yeah, there's still lots and lots of things you'd be putting in for the.

SPEAKER_02

The garden sounds pretty already with all of those thoughts, those suggestions. Um, what vegetables are ide ideal to plant now?

SPEAKER_01

Vegetables. Well, um I would be always looking at anything in the brassica family, and uh I've got a continuation scheme going at at the moment. Um we've got things like all the all the follow-ups of all the the the the brassicas, so follow-ups of broccoli, collie's, cabbages. Um I've just just just planted 24 new collis to go in because you only get one crack at a collie. Um broccoli. Um I'm about to pull out some varieties that I that we put in that just produce the single head. They're not a good sprouting variety. So I've got sprouting varieties coming up for to go in once they've once they've gone out, right? But they'll be the soil will be replenished before they go in. Yes. Um so there's lots of things. Kale, spinach.

SPEAKER_02

Sorry to interrupt, but how long so when you say that soil will be replenished, how long do you have to wait before you can actually put the plants in after you replenish the soil?

SPEAKER_01

Um look, a week. A week is is is enough, you know, because i there's there's not enough of a drawdown of the goodness in the s in my soils anyway, that affects the the next lot that comes in. Okay. And I don't have a problem with with replanting in the same spot because I I've got d disease-free beds, you know, with the rock dust and everything else that goes into those beds. So there's all of that. You know, so there's there's there's all that. So I said silver beet and and even lettuce. I mean, lettuce is an in very very important one to go into our garden this time of the year, because it's something that we use not not every single day of of of you know for a meal, but you know, at least once or twice a week. Yep. You know, Les Leslie will go out and she'll pick some lettuce from the garden and we'll have a salad rather than having you know vegetables.

SPEAKER_02

Gives you good varieties of choice. And I think you've turned up with a bit of lettuce, have you?

SPEAKER_01

No, there's no lettuce.

SPEAKER_02

I thought I saw I thought I hinted a little sort of.

SPEAKER_01

No, what you've what I brought you is I've got I've got you some slow bolt coriander. Oh fantastic wombok.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, lovely.

SPEAKER_01

That m what would be fabulous for stir fries and also some pack choy. So, you know, they'll they're all just you know, you go out there once they get big enough, you go out there and just harvest the outer leaves and leave the plant to reproduce rather than just chopping up, you know. Fantastic. So the you know the wombok is fabulous in that respect.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, thank you. I've just sort of stopped thinking about what we're talking about here. Um where am I up to? Any specific recommendations as far as the trees were? Because we talked about small gardens. What about larger gardens?

SPEAKER_01

Once again, there's there'll be lots of bare-rooted um trees like oak trees, for instance. Yeah. Um there's lots of beautiful oaks, um, ash trees. So you get there's a range of those. You know, so as I said, um the largest supplier of uh of of bare-rooted trees to the industry is a is a company called Flemings.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And they are harvesting all these plants and as we speak. Right. So bare-rooted if you can get hold of these bare-rooted plants, they're gonna be so much cheaper and so much better than than the same plant in a pot.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Because what a lot of nurseries do is they go to Flemings and and buy their their bare-rooted trees in in you know, already th three, you know, th three foot, four foot, two metres tall or whatever else, and they plant them into a pot and they grow them for one season, they sell them for a fortune. Yes. You know, so have a look to see what's available. But yeah, there'll be lots of lots of the bigger type trees, the l lots of the English oaks will be available, uh, the ash trees, liquid ambers, all these sorts of things uh are all all ready and available.

SPEAKER_02

Great. Why is winter such a good time for planting things like deciduous trees and roses? Now's the time to plant your roses, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

Great time, once again, bare-rooted roses.

SPEAKER_02

That's why. But they're but also apart from that, why is it a good time for planting deciduous plants? Because they're dormant.

SPEAKER_01

They're dormant. And it's a better time to plant them. And and you you also get a great opportunity to um buy a plant that that someone in a nursery situation has already pruned up and trimmed.

SPEAKER_02

Ready to go.

SPEAKER_01

Ready to go. So, you know, they're not like you know, you digging up uh an old rose and moving it somewhere. It's these are already up and re ready to take off. Um and it's just a matter of when you're having a look at um roses or even any bare-rooted plant that you have a look at the roots and if they uh look like there's any ripping on them from when they've been harvested, just prune those back. Um great if you if even if you're not putting in ro uh you know roses, but if you've got them in your in your garden, it's now a great time to be applying something like lime sulphur to to kill any fungal spores that are just sitting there ready to jump into life as the as the spring hits. Um and and lime sulphur is also great if you if you have any indication of scale on your plants as well. So not just rose, but any plants, any deciduous plants. Um and if you're gonna be applying lime sulphur, you you apply it to the stage that you can actually see the lime effect on the that greeny lime effect on the actual plant itself and spray it till till it runs off.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, all right. Well, seeing we're now on that on the com on the subject of diseases and things, what other diseases should we be looking for out for at this time of the year? And should we still be w doing our weekly spray of echoneme and echo oil on particular plants? Yes.

SPEAKER_01

One of the m one of the things that that that hits really badly as the weather comes in is is is aphids, um black aphids, green aphids, um and and we had crops in it in our garden where it was actually netted with a two-mil micron netting. And you you looked at the plant because it was behind the net and not you know readily accessible, but you looked at it and you thought, oh my goodness, those the the outer leaves on that plant are curling over a little bit. What's what's caused that? So when you get in, lift the net up and you go in and you peel back that that that curling over section, there's a whole heap of little black aphids sitting in underneath that that thing, just sucking the living daylights out of the out of the leaves and turning turning that leaf, the cells to collapse over. So you need to be applying eco-neem and eco-oil. And if you if you're applying that on a weekly basis, I'm telling you now, you won't have any pests using those two. Great.

SPEAKER_02

Great, great. So so basically the the that the regular application of that should help us through the winter.

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely. And also if you if you if you've got any any indications that your plants are at attracting lots of um disease or or pests, then get the the monash rock dust out and apply that. Get that into the soil because that'll help bring up the bricks level of those plants, and that's what that's will that's what will fend off pests and disease.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. We talk about improving our soils all the time, and you've just mentioned the munash rock dust. Winter is still a good time to work on the soil. It doesn't matter what time of the year, does it? You can so you can you you you you're never too late.

SPEAKER_01

Never too late. I mean every every single month is an opportunity for you to build up the quality of your soil. And look, uh I I I did a post a little while ago on not my not my raised beds, but uh a bed that that is a an overflow bed, I guess, and it's got um in the front of it it's got all my um uh Brussels sprouts, but in the back of that uh it had tomatoes. So all the tomatoes had come out, and I I've just went through with a broad fork and lifted that up. And I thought, well, what I've seen in that soil is is worth showing people. Um and that was the fact that that I have put that much compost and that much carbon into that soil that when that soil gets wet and you walk across it, that soil sticks to the to the soles of your of your shoes. And that's not because it's a clay soil, it is because that those microbes have created glues and things in the soil that that actually stick stick to the stick to be to your boots. And that is just showing you just how active and how healthy that particular soil is.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So you can never overdo it. No. Just keep on if you any time you get an opportunity to go and chuck some co compost in the soil or some lignite humate or something else like that, get it in.

SPEAKER_02

As long as it doesn't bring the weeds up, because the weeds might like it too.

SPEAKER_01

No.

SPEAKER_02

We're done with that. Uh adding well, and then that segues into my next question. Adding mulch to the soil at this time is also beneficial because it insulates the soil from extreme temperatures, it prevents the weed germination and stops the rain from washing away the topsoil. So neutrogs, hooflung dung is a really good mulch. It is. What other mulches are you going to recommend?

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_02

Well even though we've discussed it many times.

SPEAKER_01

In that in that bed I've just been speaking about, I've actually I actually still have that netted.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Um and I'm gonna leave it netted um for a little bit longer, just in case there's any little rampant white white butterfly around. But uh that's not that this this month it's not really gonna be be a problematic. But what what I have in covered that particular uh part of the soil with is something that means I'm gonna keep the nets on for a lot longer, and that is I've put pea straw down. Now I come across a really good quality pea straw that is a chopped form, so it's not long pieces of pea straw like out of out of a bale, but this is a chop form, and I've applied that over the whole thing, and then I've made sure that that I've kept the net over it.

SPEAKER_02

Because?

SPEAKER_01

Because if I don't, I'm gonna have that that pea straw chucked absolutely everywhere.

SPEAKER_02

Well, you shouldn't worry about that. I'm the one who'd worry about that, not you.

SPEAKER_01

But I it'll it the it attracts um it attracts the little the little doves and the pigeons and so forth to get in there looking for the peas.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And they kick all this all the the pea straw around trying to find the peas. So that there is one little section next to the the netting that I have put this down on, and that's all ended up on the on the gravel pathway. So that's why that net's gonna stay on there. So who flung dung is a ripper?

SPEAKER_02

Um but pea straw's great too. So what what was this new one that you found? What is the the brand? Do you remember?

SPEAKER_01

No, I'm I I don't I I can't remember what it is. I I've slept since then. No, but it's available at the big green warehouse. Um, but it is a chopped form and it's totally organic.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. All right, we'll have to look out for that, or maybe we'll put in the notes if we can remember. Um, so just while we're on the subject of our soils, this is a good time to take a quick break to tell you a little more about Biostim's Myco Gold. Healthy soil means healthy plants, and that's where Biostim's Myco Gold comes in. This powerful blend of beneficial fungi and bacteria works underground to extend root systems, helping plants to take up more water and nutrients, fighting off pests and disease and cope better during periods of drought. Just add myco gold when planting or mix it in around your established plants, and you'll be setting your garden up for success. Discover more at biostim.com.au. Now, Keith, what about the lawns? What should we be doing with those at right now?

SPEAKER_01

Well, you you've got to be doing what I've just done. Good. What is it? So so I've I've gone round my my whole backyard with the broad fork, with the F D Ryan prepping fork, and I have gone round and I've pushed it right down deep into that soil profile, pulled it all back so I've allowed the air and the water to get down there, and then I've gone round and applied sudden impact for lawns. So I've put that over by neutrox, I've gone round and applied that over the lawns. And I'm I will guarantee that my Kaiku lawn, which is a temperate grass from South Africa, is going to remain green for the whole of this cold season, right into spring.

SPEAKER_02

Because of that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, because because I've I I've I'm encouraging the depth and I've I've kept the height of the grass up and then I've given it a feed and pushed it along a little bit more. In fact, you know, I'm probably after this after this recording today, I'll probably have to go home and cut the grass again because uh it's grown that much again. And that's just from the feeding. So you know, peep people overlook lawns, they sort of say, well, it's just an area you've just got to bloody keep on cutting. But if you if you want a nice looking lawn and you want a an area that the kids can run around and and fall over and not you know not hurt themselves, get the prepping fork in there and then feed the damn thing.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. Give it a good feed. Fantastic. And not done that hard to do either, really.

SPEAKER_01

It's not.

SPEAKER_02

Um now, how can gardeners deal with frost with in the frosty areas obviously of Australia? How do gardeners deal with frost at this time of the year?

SPEAKER_01

Frost protection is a very important thing, and um it's it's something that that you need to be mindful of. If you've got if if you're if you're growing certain vegetables or you've got certain plants that are are are frost tender, then you really need to be um having a look perhaps or even downloading an app onto your phone that is specific for your actual area, so your postcode, that will give you warnings. I'm getting one on from the the Bureau of Meteorology that that is giving me warnings on the on the phone. So it says, you know, there's marine wind warning, so I need to go I might need to go out and stake the ban take the uh Brussels sprouts or something. But if if if you if you do that and you come and you know that you're gonna get a frost, you can either move plants in under under cover if you're in in there in pots or in bags, if you've got potatoes growing in bags, pull them in in under under the eaves, or have a look at at some of the the the frost frost protection fabrics that are available. There's lots of these these uh frost cloths, or if you haven't got frost cloths. Frost cloths, or if you haven't got those, just an old sheet. Um what what what what can happen to citrus trees, for instance, is that they can copper frost and they'll actually burn. So you if you've got any any new citrus trees that you put in there and there's gonna be a frost, go and chuck an old sheet over the top of it if there's gonna you know, if if that looks likely.

SPEAKER_02

Do we get frost quite badly? I don't think that we do get it quite badly.

SPEAKER_01

We we don't get them here, but no there, you know, there are low-lying areas. Because it it's actually interesting. Frost comes fr frost works its way down to the ground and then moves over the the soil profile down to the lowest point in the garden, and that's where you get your frost.

SPEAKER_02

To find the lowest point.

SPEAKER_01

But the the we we don't see as many here because we've got that many houses and buildings and concrete and driveways and all that sort of stuff that actually act as heat soaks. Yeah, so it's good enough. You know, that that eliminates that sort of a problem.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, all right. Uh what are some easy jobs people can do now that will make their spring gardening easier, Keith?

SPEAKER_01

Um well there's lots of things you've been putting in, just even if we think about a bit of winter colour. Yeah. You know, you've got opportunities to be pulling in putting in, you know, polyanthemas, um, violets, primulas, these sorts of things. So that's also a great thing to do.

SPEAKER_02

So a quick burst of colour. Yep.

SPEAKER_01

Um another thing to be thinking about for this particular month um is the sowing of root crops, for instance. So July, if we if you got if you people have early enough to get this, it's the third and the fourth of this month to get root crops in, or the tenth and the eleventh to get root crops in. So things like um your your your um turnips, onions, uh beetroots, these things, things things, radishes can go in. Um and then if out of that period, it's also great if you if you look for the high growth period of putting things in like your snow peas, for instance, and and the other varieties of peas that are available. Think about getting those in for this particular.

SPEAKER_02

But you can't get your sprint your sweet peas should have been in already for spring. They should be. But you can also plant them in spring, but not not.

SPEAKER_01

No, I'm just talking about the edible peas at this stage.

SPEAKER_02

I know, but I'm just thinking about what will make the carton prettier and easier, you know, dealt with. Already for spring. Yep. Okay, that's right. We've covered that then. Um is July a good time to move or transplant anything? Depending on the moon calendar, of course.

SPEAKER_01

Yep. Anything can be literally. Anything. Any, just about anything.

SPEAKER_02

Anything that's transplantable can be transplanted.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02

But one of those things.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I I think it's a case of walk around your garden and see what you'd like to do.

SPEAKER_02

See if it comes out or not. Exactly. If you kill it, then that's not transplantable. If you don't, then it is. Okay. Is that the answer to that question?

SPEAKER_01

I think that's knocked it on the head. That's an easy answer.

SPEAKER_02

What indoor gardening jobs or propagation projects can you think of? That people can enjoy through winter to Keith. He's not much of an indoor garden, so let's see what he comes up with.

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely not anything of an indoor garden.

SPEAKER_02

You've got a fiddle leaf fig inside.

SPEAKER_01

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

What else have you got inside?

SPEAKER_01

I haven't got a fiddle leaf fig anymore. I actually no, I actually I actually put that on the nature strip, the fiddle leaf fig. I had enough of it because I just got sick of it. So it went on the nature strip and then it moved In seconds. To next door. They they they took it in. The neighbours. Um but you know, y it's also a good time to be doing division of plants, if you indoor plants.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Um the one behind us, for instance.

SPEAKER_02

That's right. Right behind us. Pillia? Pili Pillia Pepera. I can't say pepera me or with you or something.

SPEAKER_01

So that can be actually divided.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it can. It's all you can't. You can keep dividing it always. And give it to your friends and your family. I used to do that a lot, but I haven't got time now.

SPEAKER_01

So I I'm in, you know, I'd rather spend my time outdoors than indoors.

SPEAKER_02

Anyone who likes indoor gardening, don't ask Keith. Don't ask Keith. Moving on. I'm sure many of us would prefer to stay warm and cozy inside at this time of the year. How can people stay motivated in the garden during the colder months? What can motivate them to get outside, Keith? Is that a good question?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's a good question. The motivation outside is improving your garden.

SPEAKER_02

And the peace and the calm.

SPEAKER_01

Yep, and you know, we we we we did a you know, we've we've just found out just how good gardening can be for mental health. That's right. It's just a wonderful thing. So if you're feeling a little bit down, then get out in the garden and it will allow you to slow down when you look at just what's happening in the garden or what's not happening in the garden. But you know, it's it's a it's a a time to to contemplate, to enjoy that open space. And if it's wet, well, still get out there with an umbrella and walk around and have a look at it.

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. Just put a cup, just put a hoodie on the fine.

SPEAKER_01

But it's yeah, lovely just to get rugged up and just walk out and just see just what your garden's telling you and and and and look at it and say, Well, listen, I don't like that plant there. I might either dig it up and throw it out, or I might dig it up and move it and put it over the other side over there. So you've got all these opportunities to to absolutely walk around, enjoy that open space, you know, and enjoy the the Serenity.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, the fresh air. What's one simple July gardening job that will uh give provide rewards later on? Can you think of something? One job.

SPEAKER_01

That's that's it for me. It's composting and and whether it's it's adding compost to a bed that you're about to or you're about to change over the plants in, or whether it's um composting around an existing tree or shrub. Um in my backyard I've got lots of deciduous trees, so there's always an opportunity out there to to to to to add compost to the soil using the the the uh the prepping fork from FD Ryan. Go around that, open the soil up, chuck some compost in, wash wash it in, and I tell you what, that will give you so much more rewards for when that plant actually comes back into growth in the spring.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. All right, well, thank you, Keith. Unless you can think of anything else to think even in the depths of winter, the garden is quietly preparing for the seasons ahead, and July is a perfect time for us gardeners to do the same. We hope today's episode has inspired you to pull on the boots and your coat and brave the cold, enjoy everything this season has to offer in the garden. Thanks so much for listening. Please share Muddy Boots with your friends, and we'll be looking forward to catching up with you again next week. Thanks. Bye. Thank you for listening to Muddy Boots. For more information on today's podcast, please go to muddyboots.net.au and happy gardening.