From the garden

Rootivo Garden Journal

Seasonal tips, companion planting, care and self-sufficiency — from practice, short and to the point.

· 3 min

Your garden journal in July: why taking notes now pays off twice

High summer is harvest time – and right now is when the most valuable insights for next season happen. Write them down, and your winter planning gets twice as smart.

· 2 min

Kohlrabi in July: the fast, kid-friendly star of the raised bed

Mild, crunchy, and ready in about eight weeks: kohlrabi is the perfect vegetable for kids — and mid-July is your last ideal sowing window.

· 3 min

Raspberries after harvest: prune now for strong new canes

Picked the last of your summer raspberries? Now's the time to grab your pruners: cutting right after harvest sets up next year's crop.

· 3 min

Why celeriac belongs next to your fall brassicas – and tomatoes don't

July is when broccoli, savoy and friends move into the bed – right as the cabbage white butterfly hits peak season. One old bed partner helps; two popular myths don't.

· 3 min

Wilting pots in July? 4 quick fixes for balcony heat

Leaves drooping at noon, soil bone-dry by evening: potted plants are the first to suffer in a heatwave. These four simple moves will get your balcony garden through high summer.

· 3 min

Sow in July, harvest all autumn: endive, radicchio & napa cabbage

Early potatoes, garlic and onions are clearing out of your beds right now — and that's exactly your opportunity: three autumn salads want to go into the ground now.

· 2 min

Harvesting currants: whole trusses, good timing, lasting enjoyment

In early July the bushes are loaded. Pick your currants truss by truss at the right moment and you'll save work — and enjoy the harvest far longer.

· 3 min

Swiss chard in July: the colorful greens that refill your raised bed

Lettuce harvested, radishes long gone — and suddenly your raised bed has gaps? Sown in July, Swiss chard fills them reliably and keeps you in fresh leaves well into late autumn.

· 3 min

White film on zucchini and cucumber? Beat mildew naturally

By late June it shows up almost overnight: a mealy white film on the leaves. With the right care you can slow powdery mildew down — no chemicals needed.

· 3 min

Harvesting Garlic: 3 Signs the Bulbs Are Ready

Pull too early and the bulbs stay small; too late and they split and barely keep. Here's how to nail the timing.

· 3 min

Strange spot on a leaf? Scan your way to a fast diagnosis

A spot, a hole, a white film — and you have no idea what's going on. Rootivo's photo scan gives you a first hunch in seconds, instead of helplessly googling.

· 3 min

Carrots and Onions: The Duo That Outsmarts the Carrot Fly

In late June the carrot fly's second generation takes flight — and right now it decides whether your carrots stay sound. One simple pairing helps more than most people think.

· 3 min

The 3 biggest watering mistakes in high summer (and how to fix them)

In high summer it's not the amount of water that decides your harvest, but when and how you water. Three mistakes cost you effort, water and plants — and all three are easy to fix.

· 3 min

Pinching out tomatoes in June: channel the plant's energy into fruit

Side shoots cost your tomato plant energy without adding a single extra fruit. Pinch them out regularly now and you'll harvest bigger tomatoes on healthier plants.

· 2 min

Harvesting Basil the Right Way: Keep It Bushy All Summer Long

Pluck single leaves and you'll soon be left with a bare stem. Cut it the right way and your basil grows back denser — and keeps giving well into autumn.

· 3 min

Early Harvest Done? Plan Smart Crop Rotation for Your Summer Beds

Radishes and early lettuce are out, and the empty patch tempts you to refill it with the wrong thing. One simple crop-rotation rule keeps your soil healthy and productive into autumn.

· 3 min

Half-empty June bed? Let the Magic Wand replan it

Radishes harvested, spring lettuce gone to seed — and now there are gaps in your bed. Instead of stuffing in whatever's left, the Magic Wand gives you a thought-through replanting plan in seconds, with companion planting and crop rotation already baked in.

· 2 min

Bush beans in June: the fast win for a family garden

Big seeds, fast germination, a generous harvest: bush beans are the perfect June crop for beds with kids. Here's how to direct-sow them — and which neighbour makes them thrive.

· 4 min

Aphids in June: The Allies That Really Work — and 3 Myths

Sticky leaves, curled shoots, an army of tiny suckers: aphids boom in June. Here's which beneficial insects and companion plants actually help — and three popular tips you can skip.

· 3 min

Cut-and-come-again lettuce: fresh leaves all summer long

Head lettuce loves to bolt in June and turns bitter. Loose-leaf lettuce, on the other hand, gives you leaf after leaf for weeks. Here's how to keep it thriving even in the summer heat.

· 3 min

Mulching in June: How a Layer of Mulch Carries Your Beds Through Summer

Once the heat arrives, bare beds dry out fast. A layer of mulch saves you litres of watering all summer long — and a lot of work.

· 2 min

Zucchini in June: Plant now, harvest into October

A single zucchini plant can feed a whole family — and in June there's still plenty of time to get one going. Here's how to make it thrive, even in a raised bed.

· 3 min

Strawberry season! Pick them right and make the harvest last

Mid-June is peak strawberry season. Pick the right way and you'll get far more flavour from your patch — plus three easy ways to preserve whatever doesn't get eaten on the spot.

· 2 min

Sow Now, Harvest in Autumn: June's Hidden Second Season

While everyone is focused on the summer bed, experienced gardeners are already planting the second wave. What goes into the soil in June will feed you long after the tomatoes are gone.

· 2 min

Blight Defense: What Decides Your Tomato Harvest in June

Muggy nights, warm rain, dense foliage — perfect blight weather. The next three weeks decide whether you harvest in August or watch bitter streaks spread.

· 3 min

Companion Planting in Midsummer: 7 Perfect June Combinations

Combine your plants right in June and you will harvest deep into October — with less watering, less fertilizing, and almost no pest control. Seven classics from practice.

· 3 min

Slugs in June: 5 Methods That Really Work — and 3 Myths

Half your lettuce gone overnight? We separate what actually works from what is just internet folklore — and show you the best combination for the next two weeks.

· 2 min

Garden Day on June 14: 3 Rituals You Should Not Miss

Sunday is Garden Day. Before you just sit with a coffee between the tomatoes: these three little rituals turn the day into a real anchor for your season.