BBC gardening expert Monty Don reveals one thing to avoid doing to grass in July

Monty Don has spoken. If you want your garden at its best this summer, people are being warned to avoid one habit too many of us fall into.

Top TV green-fingered expert Monty Don has shared his advice on what you need to know - and it could impact next year's garden. In his latest blog post for July 2024, the expert said that the summer month boasts some warm nights and days with everything grows "lustily". And whilst the days are longer, which can help gardens grow, you need to be cautious.

If you, like Monty Don, are a keen gardener, the TV star has warned people that there's one thing you need to do this month. After you've trimmed your grass, he states that it is crucial that you remove it all - don't leave it just lying out.

Not only does it look unsightly, but it affects plants. He explains: "All Spring-flowering bulbs should have completely died back so that long grass can be cut without affecting their display next year.

"At Longmeadow we often wait until August to do this because not all wild flowers have set seed, but by the end of July most wild flower meadows can be safely cut back. The important thing is to remove all the grass, raking up every last piece to compost so that it will not enrich the grass and thus limit next year’s wild flower display."

In good news for those wanting more tips, the expert set off a year ago to film the first of five programmes for 'Monty Don's UK Gardens’ in Scotland. He says: "A year later I have just completed the fifth, filmed in Scotland, and the completed series will be shown on BBC 2 next February."

Talking about which fruits and veg are currently thriving this month, Monty Don adds that items like salad leaves, peas, beans, new potatoes, beetroot, garlic, carrots and artichokes, cucumbers, courgettes and tomatoes are all ones to look out for.