1. Prune your nuts
MOST FLOWERING GUMS
have finished for the season, leaving behind decorative gumnuts. Cut stems 20cm behind nuts for a striking indoor display – if left on the tree, they may reduce next year’s blooms.
2. Grow more plants
TAKE HARDWOOD CUTTINGS
of rosemary, azalea and camellia. Trim a 10cm piece, remove lower leaves, slice a little of the bark and dip into hormone gel. Use your finger to create a hole in a pot filled with propagation mix, then insert and firm in the cutting.
3. Raise the mower
KEEP MOWER BLADES HIGHER
when cutting your lawn, and remove no more than one-third of the leaf length at a time. Longer grass shades roots, reduces soil temperature and slows evaporation. Top dress to level dips and holes, and apply a soil wetter to improve water penetration during hot weather.
For more about how to care for your lawn, click here.
4. Welcome birds
PLACE BIRD BATHS
near nectar-rich plants like grevilleas and bottlebrush to attract small birds. Use broad, shallow dishes so birds can easily land and wade. Add a small solar fountain to mimic moving water and prevent mosquitoes. Offer water at varying heights for differentbird sizes, and don’t forget ground-level saucers for lizards. Plant spiky-leaved acacias and hakeas to provide safe refuges.
5. Beat summer stress
NEW PLANTINGS
are especially vulnerable to water stress during the peak of summer. Cut the base off a large plastic bottle and bury the neck 10–15cm into the soil at the base of your tree or shrub. Fill weekly to slowly deliver water deep to the roots.
6. Check for pests
LOOK FOR LILY CATERPILLARS
clustering on the undersides of clivia and crinum leaves. These voracious feeders will quickly decimate whole clumps. Spray with Yates Success Ultra or OCP’s eco-neem.
7. Nourish to flourish
FEED EXISTING VEGETABLES
and be sure to add mulch to those in raised planter boxes as this soil will dry out a lot quicker in the hot weather.
To learn more about delicious vegetables, click here.
8. Much ado about mulch
THINK ABOUT MULCH
as being your garden’s sunscreen. You’ll want to put it on, and make sure you top it up at least once, but preferably twice, a year for maximum benefits. This extra layer of organic material helps to conserve water, keep ground temperatures cooler and keep weeds at bay. If you can, aim to get your mulch layer around 7.5cm deep. Don’t forget pots – mulch surface to help retain moisture. If water sits on top instead of soaking in, use a soil wetter to help penetrate.
If you wish to learn more about the mulch in your garden, visit our article on How to know the perfect mix for your plants.
9. Stop the weeds
GET RID OF WEEDS
quickly, especially during the warmer months and peak growing seasons. Left unchecked, they steal water and nutrients from your soil. We like to use a natural weed killer, such as Richgro’s Beat-a-Weed, because it’s safe for use around our vegie patch and around kids and pets.
10. Water smarter
Keep your plants thriving and make sure every drop counts with these simple watering habits:
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Water in the early morning or evening, when the sun is low. Midday watering wastes water through evaporation and can scorch leaves.
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Train your lawn to bemore drought-tolerant by watering deeply but less often. This approach encourages roots to grow down, and it’s still manageable even during a sprinkler ban.
11. Stay alert
FUNGAL DISEASES THRIVE
in high humidity so check the foliage of high-risk plants such as begonias and fuchsias for signs of powdery mildew. Treat with a fungicide. Watering the soil rather than splashing the leaves will help decrease the risk.
12. Defend your grass
SUMMER CAN LEAVE LAWNS
vulnerable to fungal disease and lawn grubs. Control grubs with Richgro Lawn Beetle and Grub Killa, and keep your lawn healthy with Neutrog's Seamungus Lawn, an organic fertiliser that nourishes soil, strengthens grass and helps resist heat, drought, frost, pests and disease.
