I suggest to every new beek that after the flow when your bees ain't doing anything productive anyway you start trying to Learn this. Expect lots of failures but you'll be a better beek at the end.
For me this is the most interesting part of beekeeping.
Good luck, and hang in there.
I had thought of trying a split this year in July or Aug. I tried it a couple of years ago and raised a good crop of wax moths.
In July, there's not much going on before the goldenrod. Do you suggest feeding splits, and what ratio of syrup?