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To prolong flowering, deadheading is extremely important at this time of the year - but
herbs like basil and parsley, should not be allowed to flower at all. Nip out the flower buds as soon as you spot them and this will encourage the plant to keep producing lots of lovely, tasty leaves. Meanwhile chives and nasturtiums can be left to flower merrily. Have you tried using the flower heads in your salads - they are edible and look gorgeous too.

Feeding is also important in July - a good weekly liquid feed is essential to help your plants flourish by giving them all the right nutrients in the correct proportions. For more feeding tips please visit our useful guide.

Usually we'd be reminding you to continue watering your plants in July, however if you've been hit with the downpour of rain that's been affecting a lot of the UK, hopefully you've been collecting this in your water butts. Although please don't forget to water your containers - pots dry out easily and rain showers never quite get enough moisture to the roots, so give all potted plants a good soaking too.

Pest and disease control is also vital and the best organic way to help your plants fight off disease is to regularly inspect them and to remove dead or dying material. This prevents the spread of fungal and other diseases from infected leaves and is particularly important with roses in areas where black spot is a problem. If you're not sure what's wrong with your plant, try our Pest and disease identifier.

Finally continue harvesting courgettes and other crops and sowing salads to ensure your crops continue through the summer.

That's all for now, enjoy your gardening weekend.