HELPED by the recent rain, your garden may be looking the lushest it has ever been. If you’re fearing the wilting effects of a Goulburn Valley summer, don’t look past these essential tips for summer-proofing your lawn and garden.
Protect your pots
Potted plants, especially those in terracotta pots, are vulnerable to overheating. Lightly mulch, and where possible, position them out of hot western sunshine. Standing potted plants in sauces of water encourages root rot and mosquito breeding. Stand pots in saucers filled with sand and help keep the sand moist instead. This ensures roots stay cool, keeping your plants healthy.
If potted plants dry out to the point where re-wetting is hard, soak them in a bucket of water for half an hour, then drain.
Keep the lawn long and lush
It is a misconception that cutting lawns low reduces cutting frequency. Brown, bare, weed-infested lawns are symptoms of scalping, which means you’re cutting your lawn too low. Instead, mow lawns as high as your mower permits. Longer turf will wear better. Fresh lawn clippings are great for activating compost heaps and mulching shrubbery when applied in a thin layer (up to 5cm deep). Thicker layers can burn leaves and cause collar rot on trees and shrubs.
Water early to stop mildew
Water in the coolest part of the day. The best time is the morning, but if you water in the afternoon be sure to allow enough time for foliage to dry out before sunset. This reduces the prevalence of mildew and other fungi attacking leaves. There’s also less chance you’ll be caught outside with mosquitos and sandflies. Mildew frequently targets roses, pumpkin, melon, zucchini and cucumber.
