A Brief Guide to Garden Care in the Summer
Summer can be the most challenging time of the year for gardeners. Since plants thrive in moisture, drier climates can take a toll on the health of flowers and plants. By the end of December and through January and February, the combination of intense heat and the lack of rain can affect both plant growth and survival.
Keep your garden in good shape throughout summer with this summer gardening guide:
Deadhead Flowers
When you remove spent and wilted flowers, you spur the plants to produce more. Deadheading can also control the undesirable spread of plants, keeping your garden tidy. Annual blooms and repeat flowering shrubs will have more colour despite the warm weather if you deadhead.
Weed Management
Pesky weeds love the summer heat and take over the soil quickly if left unchecked. It’s important to pull them from your garden – as they steal moisture and nutrients from your plants. They are easiest to pull when they’re small and when the ground is slightly wet. Be sure to pull them from the roots so they don’t sprout up again.
Keeping Pots Cool
Potted plants, especially those in terracotta pots, are prone to overheating during the summer. If possible, position your potted plants away from direct sunlight in a shaded area of your garden. For potted plants that have already dried out, soak the soil in a bucket of water for half an hour, then drain.
Applying Fertiliser
Midsummer is a great time to fertilise plants. Yellowish leaves are often signs of an iron deficiency in unhealthy plants. Apply rich soluble fertiliser after a round of watering ‒ adding nutrients to the soil will correct mineral deficiencies. When your plants are well-fed in the summer, they’ll bloom better.
Pest Control
Although gardens attract pests all year long, summer seems to be the most troublesome time for pest control. Be on guard for species that bring more harm than good to your garden, such as cucumber beetles, grasshoppers, squash bugs and tomato hornworms. Watch for signs of disease in plants, like black spots or powdery mildew. The key to maintaining the health of your plants is in early detection of pest issues and prompt, decisive treatment.
Harvesting Fruit and Vegetables
If you grow fruit and vegetables in your garden, be sure to pick them as soon as they are ripe. Allowing the fruit to become over-mature slows its production in the summer and may spell the end of the season for those plants. You also need to harvest fruit before they are eaten by garden animals, which may also result in the plant being damaged.
Long and Lush Lawns
Some homeowners think cutting their lawns short keeps it alive in the hot weather. The truth is that letting the grass grow longer means better wear and suppresses weed growth. Keep your lawn lush in the summer by watering it more often and adding a small amount of fertiliser.
Water Reserve
Water shortages are common in the summer, especially in drier climates like in Perth. Water tanks are an excellent solution for keeping water for the summer. They collect fresh rainwater and store it until you’re ready to water your garden.
At Rainfill Tanks & Curved Roofing Supplies, we carry a range of rainwater tanks made from durable and high quality materials. Maintain your garden in the summer by investing in a rainwater tank today.
Call us on 08 6401 0705.