Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 4 – Keeping Your Garden Green
Help your garden to flourish under the intense summer sun with these 10 simple steps for plant maintenance
While summer is undoubtedly a much-loved season in Australia, it can wreak havoc on your lush garden. Dry winds, long days and high temperatures can quickly turn your vibrant verdant oasis into a brown and brittle mess. Luckily, there are simple solutions to help you keep your garden green, healthy and inviting throughout the warmer months. A little bit of extra attention now will make a big difference to lawns, flowerbeds and other plants, so that you can continue to enjoy them throughout the coming months.
2. Keep weeds at bay
As the weather warms and your garden bursts into life, so too do the weeds. Weeding is not the most pleasant of jobs, but it’s essential for the health of your garden.
Weeds compete with other plants, taking valuable water and nutrients away from them. The most effective way to remove weeds is is to get down on your knees and pull them out, roots and all.
Low-care landscaping
As the weather warms and your garden bursts into life, so too do the weeds. Weeding is not the most pleasant of jobs, but it’s essential for the health of your garden.
Weeds compete with other plants, taking valuable water and nutrients away from them. The most effective way to remove weeds is is to get down on your knees and pull them out, roots and all.
Low-care landscaping
3. Pruning sessions
Summer brings mad growth to the garden. A good prune and tidy-up early in the season will keep your garden from turning into a jungle. Trim the hedges, shape the topiaries and remove the lower limbs of trees and shrubs. Invariably, people don’t prune deep enough, so go a little further than what you think is needed.
Summer brings mad growth to the garden. A good prune and tidy-up early in the season will keep your garden from turning into a jungle. Trim the hedges, shape the topiaries and remove the lower limbs of trees and shrubs. Invariably, people don’t prune deep enough, so go a little further than what you think is needed.
4. Add nutrients to the water
Make watering serve double-duty by adding fertiliser, feed and minerals to the water. Soluble seaweed fertiliser is great for all around the garden, but some plants require certain minerals and solutions as well. Many soluble fertilisers are commercially available and give detailed instructions to match them to the appropriate plants.
Make watering serve double-duty by adding fertiliser, feed and minerals to the water. Soluble seaweed fertiliser is great for all around the garden, but some plants require certain minerals and solutions as well. Many soluble fertilisers are commercially available and give detailed instructions to match them to the appropriate plants.
5. Go mad for mulch
One of the most useful additions to any garden is a nice thick layer of mulch. It stops the evaporation of water while helping the soil retain nutrients. When the sun is blazing, it will also help protect the root systems of your plants, and maintain the underground environment.
One of the most useful additions to any garden is a nice thick layer of mulch. It stops the evaporation of water while helping the soil retain nutrients. When the sun is blazing, it will also help protect the root systems of your plants, and maintain the underground environment.
6. Mow regularly
Whether you do it yourself or get help from a professional, regular mowing will keep your lawn healthy. However, if there’s a long dry spell forecast, then keep the mower in the garage. Wait ‘til the weather is cooler and the chance of rain is higher, to keep the mown lawn from drying out and dying.
How to keep a green lawn
Whether you do it yourself or get help from a professional, regular mowing will keep your lawn healthy. However, if there’s a long dry spell forecast, then keep the mower in the garage. Wait ‘til the weather is cooler and the chance of rain is higher, to keep the mown lawn from drying out and dying.
How to keep a green lawn
7. Add a rain collection system
There’s nothing worse than watching your lovely garden and lawns die due to water restrictions. A water tank is a simple, effective solution for keeping your plants healthy and thriving.
Water tanks come in a range of sizes and shapes, and can even be fitted under decks, patios or balconies to hide them from view.
What to ask before installing a water tank
There’s nothing worse than watching your lovely garden and lawns die due to water restrictions. A water tank is a simple, effective solution for keeping your plants healthy and thriving.
Water tanks come in a range of sizes and shapes, and can even be fitted under decks, patios or balconies to hide them from view.
What to ask before installing a water tank
8. Go native
The Australian bush has evolved to flourish in our harsh climate, so why not capitalise on this fact by creating a native garden? They are low-maintenance, use less water and can look fantastic when done properly. Trees, succulents, grasses and flowering shrubs are all available in native varieties, and can be used to create a stunning garden.
The Australian bush has evolved to flourish in our harsh climate, so why not capitalise on this fact by creating a native garden? They are low-maintenance, use less water and can look fantastic when done properly. Trees, succulents, grasses and flowering shrubs are all available in native varieties, and can be used to create a stunning garden.
9. Keep pots cool
Potted plants look great scattered around the exterior of the house, but be careful where you place them. If left in direct summer sun, overheating can quickly kill the plant. Use a watering can to keep the soil moist and a little fertiliser to ensure the plants stay healthy.
Potted plants look great scattered around the exterior of the house, but be careful where you place them. If left in direct summer sun, overheating can quickly kill the plant. Use a watering can to keep the soil moist and a little fertiliser to ensure the plants stay healthy.
10. Protect new plantings
When adding new plants and seedlings to the garden, they will need a little TLC. A shade cloth will protect them from the drying effects of the summer sun, giving them a chance to become established in the garden. A few weeks’ coverage should be sufficient.
TELL US
What are your top tips for getting your garden ready for summer? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 1 – The Big Clean-Up
Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 2 – Outdoor Furniture Update
Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 3 – Preparing the Pool
When adding new plants and seedlings to the garden, they will need a little TLC. A shade cloth will protect them from the drying effects of the summer sun, giving them a chance to become established in the garden. A few weeks’ coverage should be sufficient.
TELL US
What are your top tips for getting your garden ready for summer? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 1 – The Big Clean-Up
Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 2 – Outdoor Furniture Update
Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 3 – Preparing the Pool
The only way to stop your garden from drying out during the hot season is with regular watering. If you have a water tank for this purpose, even better!
Try not to water in the afternoons as this is the hottest part of the day, and more water will evaporate than will be soaked up by the garden. The best time of day to water is in the cool of early morning. The soil is at its most receptive and the water will easily reach the root systems of all your plants.