Summer Gardening Tips: Make the Most of June, July, and August

Are you looking for practical gardening tips for the summer? Summer is the season you’ve been working toward all year. The garden is in full bloom, the evenings are long, and the patio table is set for the evening sun. But anyone who wants to keep their garden looking beautiful all season long knows that June, July, and August demand a lot from you. With the right approach—and the right tools—it’s not work, but pleasure. In this article, you’ll find month-by-month summer gardening tips to help you along, along with the hand-forged tools from Sneeboer that are perfect for the job.

Every summer month has its own rhythm. June is all about growth and tending to your plants, July is about harvesting and watering during the heat, and August is about bringing in the harvest while looking ahead to fall. Whether you’re working in a vegetable garden, an ornamental garden, or an orchard, with the right timing and the right tools, you’ll get the most out of the season. Below, you’ll find a month-by-month guide to the most important tasks.

Summer Gardening Tips: June – Growth, Blooming, and the First Harvest

June is the month of abundance. Everything is growing, blooming, and spilling over its own boundaries. The biggest concern is keeping up with that lushness—not to rein it in, but to guide it. The grass is growing at its fastest right now. Mow regularly, but not too short: a height of five to seven centimeters keeps the soil moist and prevents it from drying out on hot days. A neat edge along the borders immediately gives the entire garden a more serene look. A lawn edger is indispensable for this. And water early in the morning, so that the plants start the day with full cells and the leaves don’t get scorched by the midday sun.

June is also the perfect time to keep weeds under control before they go to seed. Taking action now will save you months of work. The soil is still moist enough to pull up roots completely in one motion. And don’t forget your roses: cutting off wilted flowers—known as deadheading—encourages new blooms. Use sharp pruning shears to cut just above a leaf axil. Sharp tools aren’t a luxury here—they protect the plant from ragged cuts.

• Harvesting Flower Bulbs: Use the Harvesting Spade/Bulb Spade to remove spent bulbs without damaging them.
• Filling in summer borders: Plant summer-blooming flowers using a hand bulb planter or a trowel.
• Weed Control: Use a hoe or weeding fork to clear weeds between plants.
• Dividing Perennials: Divide plants like irises using the Plant Spade.
• First potato harvest: Use the potato harvesting fork to carefully harvest the tubers.
• Composting: Start a new layer with the compost fork.

Want to keep your tools in top condition during the summer months? Check out our maintenance tips for garden tools.

Recommended Gardening Tools

Summer Gardening Tips: July – Peak Season, Harvesting, and Summer Pruning

July is the hottest month and the most demanding for the garden. It’s also the most beautiful: if you’ve taken good care of your garden, you’ll now literally be reaping the rewards. If you have a vegetable garden, you’ll be harvesting almost every day in July. Zucchini, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs all need to be picked regularly—not just for eating, but also to keep the plants productive. A week without rain can quickly deplete the garden, so check the soil moisture near the roots daily. Note: the surface may look dry while the soil deeper down still contains enough moisture—or vice versa. So be sure to feel the soil with your fingers before reaching for the watering can. Mulch around your plants retains moisture and saves you a lot of watering. Use a leaf rake to spread the mulch evenly over the soil.

July is also the time for summer pruning of apple and pear trees. Removing excess shoots gives the fruit more light and space. It may seem counterintuitive to prune in the summer, but it allows the tree to rest and ensures a better harvest. You can support tall perennials that are in danger of falling over with stakes or ring stakes. And if you regularly work through your borders with a hoe, you’ll keep the soil loose and aerated, which is good for root growth and moisture absorption.

• Harvesting: Garlic, onions, carrots, and beets are ready. Use a carrot puller or fork to harvest them without damaging them.
• Harvesting vegetables and herbs: A small garden knife keeps your harvest neat. The handmade Tina knife, crafted from top-quality German steel, is a real workhorse for this task.
• Plant winter vegetables: Leeks, kale, and cauliflower can still be planted. Use a trowel.
• Weeding during a drought: Pull weeds out by the roots with a Koninklijke Hand Hoe or Beet Hoe.
• Water retention: Hoe regularly and mulch around plants that need a lot of water.

And don’t forget July’s most important task: enjoying yourself. A chair in the shade, children running through the garden, the scent of freshly mowed grass. That’s what a Sneeboer garden is made for. Tip: Be sure to read our article on lawn aeration for a lush green lawn even in the heat.

Summer Gardening Tips: August – Harvesting and Looking Ahead

There’s something ambiguous about August. On the one hand, summer is still in full swing, with ripe sunflowers, lush flower beds, and warm evenings. On the other hand, nature is already tentatively heralding the new season. For the observant gardener, August is the month of both harvesting and preparing. Let your most beautiful flowers bloom all the way to seed. Poppies, nigella, and many perennials shed their seeds easily: catch them in a piece of paper and store them in a cool, dry place. Next year, you can start with your own seeds—the varieties that thrive best in your garden.

August is also the month to start sowing for the future. You can already plant spinach, turnip greens, and other fall vegetables in the ground now. The soil is still warm, and the seeds will germinate easily, so you’ll be able to harvest a second crop from your own garden in the fall. Use a rake to prepare a fine seedbed, scatter the seeds, and lightly press down the soil. A few weeks later, the garden will take care of itself.

It’s also the best time to take cuttings from geraniums, fuchsias, and other perennial plants that you want to save from the first frost. Sturdy tools will help you cut healthy cuttings without bruising them—the Tina knife comes in handy here, too. And after the summer heat, your lawn may have dried-out patches. At the end of August, when temperatures drop and the rain returns, it’s the ideal time to reseed bare spots. Lightly loosen the soil, scatter grass seed, and press it down for the best results.

• Removing plants that have finished blooming: Use a transplanting trowel to do the job neatly.
• Planting biennials: You can plant foxgloves and forget-me-nots now using a small trowel.
• Keeping patios and paths clean: Use the Joint Scraper for narrow joints to remove moss and algae from tiles.
• Improving drainage: Use the drainage spade to loosen hard soil.
• Sowing for Fall: Sow spinach and turnip greens in a well-prepared seedbed for a second harvest.
• Collecting seeds: Cut back annuals that have finished blooming using sharp pruning shears.

More summer gardening tips from Sneeboer

Want to garden successfully all year round? Check out these practical articles as well:

• Spring Gardening Tips: What You Sow Now, You’ll Harvest Later
• Moving Perennials for a Healthy Winter Garden
• Maintaining Your Tools: How to Keep Them in Top Condition for Years to Come
• Aerating the Lawn After a Dry Summer

Work with tools that will last for generations

What all these summer projects have in common is that they require tools you can rely on. Not just good for a single use, but year after year. Arie Sneeboer started out with the conviction that things could be better: garden tools that don’t wear out after a single season, but are passed down from parent to child. That philosophy is embedded in every piece we’ve made since 1913. Forged stainless steel, top-quality ash wood handles, and a balance in your hand that you’ll recognize the moment you pick it up. With these summer gardening tips and the right tools, gardening becomes even more enjoyable. Visit our online store or plan a visit to our workshop in Bovenkarspel.

Do you have any questions or would you like personalized advice? Please contact us—we’d be happy to help. You take care of your garden, and we’ll take care of the rest.