As summer temperatures rise, careful watering, mulching and choosing plants that tolerate dry conditions will help keep gardens looking their best, says gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
With the summer heat beginning, now is the time to start watering to keep plants alive through the warmer months. Watering is best done in the morning, before the heat of the day, or in the evening when plants are in the shade.
Watering the soil is far better than watering the foliage. It is the roots that need water most, allowing plants to take up what they need to survive.
Mulching all garden beds helps minimise fluctuations in soil temperature. When bare soil is exposed to the sun, the roots of nearby plants can dry out, increasing their need for water.
Choosing plants that require little water will help keep the garden looking good through dry periods. Plants with grey foliage or compact growth can shelter themselves from the heat, helping to conserve moisture within their leaves.
Generally, the smaller the leaves, the better a plant can conserve water. Identify the windy areas of the garden, particularly where winds flow through, then choose small-leafed plants for those positions. Large-leafed plants are better suited to the eastern side of the house or somewhere sheltered from hot westerly winds.
MANY plants survive summer with very little water, particularly succulents and cacti.
Succulents thrive in our hot summers, with an increasing range of frost-tolerant varieties now available that can also cope with Canberra’s winter frosts.
Succulents are generally more pet and child friendly, but it is the flowers of cacti that make them particularly appealing. Although a cactus flower may last only a day, the display can be spectacular.
Flowering cacti are magnets for bees and other pollinators, drawing them into the garden. Many succulents also benefit nectar-feeding birds, including honeyeaters, eastern spinebills and parrots.
To grow succulents or cacti successfully in Canberra, good drainage is essential. A raised garden bed filled with coarse soil and added sharp, washed sand will help provide the drainage their root systems need.
SNAILS can be a problem in the vegetable garden at this time of year. Fortunately, non-toxic, pet-safe, iron-based baits for snails, slugs and slaters are now available in pellet form. These can be lightly sprinkled throughout the vegetable or ornamental garden.
Another option is diatomaceous earth, sprinkled around young seedlings in the vegetable patch. However, it will need to be reapplied after rain.
HEDGES should be trimmed on cloudy days when temperatures are mild. Ideally, pruning should be done a little but often, although some hedging plants naturally want to grow much larger than the space available.
The smaller the leaves, the tighter and neater the clipped hedge will be. Larger-leafed plants generally produce a less formal appearance.
Remove spent leaves from beneath hedges to improve airflow, then top up the mulch. Where required, ensure irrigation reaches the drip line throughout summer to maintain strong growth.
FOR a brilliant summer display in a shady, moist part of the garden, it is hard to go past hydrangeas.
They need a little more water than some other plants, but their spectacular flowers make the extra care worthwhile.
Flower colour depends on the acidity of the soil. Acidic soils produce blue flowers, while alkaline soils produce pink blooms. White hydrangeas, however, do not change colour.
Jottings
- Lightly prune lilacs after flowering.
- Tie up dahlias as they grow.
- Throw spent hellebores flowers where you want them to grow.
- Keep fresh water in a shallow dish for wildlife.
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