July 8, 2026
Uncle Mike’s Monthly Gardening Tips: July
July is when your garden really starts earning its keep. Tomatoes are ripening, flowers are putting on a show, lawns are feeling the heat, and unfortunately, insects and plant diseases are just as active as everything else.
This month, Uncle Mike is sharing a handful of his favorite products to help keep your lawn and garden looking their best through the hottest part of summer. Whether you’re growing vegetables, caring for your landscape, or simply trying to stay ahead of the weather, these are products we reach for time and time again.
How Can You Naturally Protect Your Garden from Summer Pests and Diseases?
Summer warmth and humidity create ideal conditions for insects and fungal diseases. Rather than waiting until you see significant damage, it’s often much easier to stay ahead of problems before they spread.
Captain Jack’s Neem Max is one of Uncle Mike’s favorite multi-purpose garden products because it helps prevent and control many of the most common garden issues. Made with pure cold-pressed neem oil and approved for organic gardening, it works on insect eggs, larvae, and adults while also helping prevent diseases like powdery mildew, downy mildew, rust, scab, and leaf spot.
It’s an excellent option for vegetable gardens, flowers, houseplants, herbs, and ornamentals, making it a versatile addition to any gardener’s toolkit.
Uncle Mike’s Tip: Don’t wait until your plants are covered with insects or disease. Preventative treatments are often far more effective than trying to cure a severe infestation.
What’s the Best Way to Feed Tomatoes and Vegetables During Summer?
By July, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and other vegetables are growing rapidly and producing heavily. That takes a tremendous amount of energy, so regular feeding can make a noticeable difference in both plant health and harvest size.
While Neptune’s Harvest Tomato & Vegetable Formula is an excellent choice for edible gardens, Uncle Mike also reaches for Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer throughout his garden. It’s one of his longtime favorites because the combination of fish and seaweed provides balanced nutrition that supports healthy roots, vigorous growth, and strong overall plant performance for vegetables, flowers, trees, and shrubs alike.
Either one of these Neptune’s Harvest formulas will work beautifully for your veggies. For best results, mix fertilizer with water and feed your vegetables weekly throughout the growing season. Uncle Mike is also a big fan of applying it as a foliar spray, allowing plants to absorb nutrients directly through their leaves for an added boost during the heat of summer.
Consistent feeding throughout the season helps keep plants healthy and productive, encouraging continued flowering and fruit production instead of slowing down when summer temperatures rise.
How Do You Keep Plants Properly Watered During Hot Weather?
One lesson Uncle Mike shares often is that watering isn’t just about turning on the hose—it’s about watering deeply and thoroughly so moisture reaches the entire root zone.
Having the right watering tool can make that job much easier. Dramm has been a trusted name in professional-quality watering tools for generations, known for producing durable, long-lasting products that gardeners and horticulture professionals rely on season after season. The Dramm Revolver 9-Pattern Nozzle is a versatile option that lets you quickly switch between nine spray patterns, from a gentle mist for delicate flowers to a stronger stream for watering larger areas or tackling outdoor cleanup.
For hanging baskets, containers, raised beds, and hard-to-reach plants, the Dramm One Touch Rain Wand provides excellent control with a comfortable thumb-operated valve and a soft, rain-like shower that waters thoroughly without washing away soil or damaging plants.
Uncle Mike’s Tip: The goal isn’t just to get the surface of the soil wet—it’s to water deeply enough that moisture reaches the roots where plants need it most. Deep, infrequent watering encourages stronger root systems that help plants better withstand periods of hot, dry weather.
WHAT FERTILIZER WORKS FOR NEARLY EVERYTHING IN THE GARDEN?
Sometimes you simply want one dependable fertilizer that works across almost your entire landscape.
Jack’s Classic 20-20-20 All Purpose Fertilizer has been trusted by professional growers for decades because its balanced formula feeds through both the roots and foliage, encouraging lush green growth and healthy plants.
It’s ideal for:
- Annuals
- Perennials
- Houseplants
- Containers
- Lawns
If your plants are looking tired midway through the season, a regular feeding with Jack’s 20-20-20 can help restore healthy, vigorous growth.
HOW CAN YOU KEEP YOUR LAWN HEALTHY DURING SUMMER?
A healthy lawn starts with healthy soil, and organic fertilizers help build that foundation over time. Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Food provides slow, steady nutrition using natural ingredients such as feather meal, soybean meal, and blood meal. As soil microorganisms break down these ingredients, nutrients are released gradually to support steady growth, encourage deeper roots, and promote a naturally greener, more resilient lawn without the risk of burning when applied as directed.
what are uncle mike's biggest gardening tips for july?
If there’s one thing July teaches gardeners, it’s that consistency matters.
A few simple habits can make all the difference:
- Water deeply and slowly so moisture reaches the root zone. It may surprise you how much water some plants need during the heat of summer. Uncle Mike often checks by digging a few inches into the soil—if it’s still dry several inches down, it’s time for a longer soak.
- Stay hydrated yourself! Gardening in July can be demanding, so don’t forget to take care of yourself while you’re taking care of your plants.
- Feed vegetables regularly to keep plants healthy and productive.
- Stay ahead of insects and diseases with preventative organic care.
- Don’t be afraid to keep planting. July is a great time to sow another round of cucumbers and beans for a later harvest, and carrots and beets can be planted in August for a productive fall harvest. A vegetable garden doesn’t have to be “one and done” in May—it can keep producing all season with succession planting.
- Check your garden every few days so you can catch small problems before they become big ones.
A little attention throughout the month will reward you with healthier plants, better harvests, and a landscape that continues looking its best well into late summer.
Whether you’re growing your first tomato plant or tending an established landscape, our team is always happy to help you choose the right products for your garden. Stop by your local Mahoney’s Garden Center to explore Uncle Mike’s July recommendations, ask questions, and let us help you keep your lawn and garden thriving all season long.