Gardeners have just days left to complete 1 task

Gardeners have until the end of July to give their gardens a boost of colour with this one flower. July is a crucial month for gardeners as it offers plenty of benefits for sowing seeds and planting flowers. The warm temperatures and longer days of sunshine create the ultimate conditions for growing beautiful plants directly outdoors, and watching them thrive.

However, while July is a great month for gardening, it is the last month gardeners can grow certain plants before the harvest and flowering season begins. Therefore, gardeners are urged to make the most out of the last days of the month and grow these dramatic, yet stunning flowers.

Delphiniums, best known for their vibrant sapphire blue flowers, produce towering flower spikes that can soar over two metres tall. In addition to blue, the flowers can also come in mauve, pink, white, and red.

For those who would love to feature the flowers in their outdoor spaces, Gardeners' World says "July is the last month to sow these cottage garden stalwarts for flowers the following summer," leaving gardeners just days to get the job done.

The flowers should be grown in "moist but well-drained soil in full sun," with gardeners digging a planting hole and adding compost or well-rotted manure in the bottom to give them "a nutritious boost."

Gardeners' World also said they should be planted "at the same depth it was growing in the pot" and back-filled with soil, gently ensuring it is firm and watered well.

The plants also need regular care to remain looking their best. They are also hungry plants and, therefore, need to be fed regularly. Applying a liquid fertiliser every couple of weeks after the first shoots appear is recommended as it will help encourage strong growth.

When protecting your flowers from diseases, it is crucial to keep the soil around them moist, as delphiniums are susceptible to powdery mildew in dry weather. Rust can also affect the plants, leaving rust-coloured pustules on the foliage. Any affected leaves should be picked off.

Additionally, delphinium black blotch is a bacterial infection that causes large black blotches on the leaves. This infection, which can affect the health of the entire plant, is typically common in wet summers. If your plant is impacted, the only option is to remove it to prevent the disease from spreading.