Helping your garden survive summer
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You may have noticed the government running ads promoting the Target 155L water saving campaign. While we are not officially in water restriction stages, it's an indication that may be where things are heading, and if it does the first thing to suffer is our gardens.
Some gardens fare better than others in the heat, and this all comes down to plant choice, along with some key gardening practices.
Choose plants that have lower water requirements
In general, Australian natives are a good choice as they are used to much less rainfall than exotic plants. Lilly pilly, kangaroo paws, crowea, correa, coastal rosemary, native grasses, eremophila and native daisies not only fit in beautifully with other species, they provide a valuable food sources for native birds and beneficial insects.
Plants with grey tones. It is safe to say that if a plant is grey and furry it's fairly certain it has evolved to live in dry conditions. Plants like lavenders, euphorbias, convolvulus, helichrysum and lambs ears have grey leaves that reflect light away from them, helping them withstand the hot summer sun a lot better than others.
Plants with leathery leaves are another indication of toughness! Magnolia Little Gem, Bay Laurel, Rhapiolepis indica are just a few examples. Just take a drive along the coast and you’ll see them growing happily.
Plants that thrive in Mediterranean climates also grow well here in Melbourne, so if you have just been to Greece and feel inspired then you are in luck! Think of the herbs used in Mediterranean cooking - rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme. Not to mention olives! All of these thrive in hot weather and don't need much water.
Succulents seem to be finding their niche as our climate changes. They thrive in coastal gardens and are happy with very low watering so these plants will continue to grow in popularity as more of us discover their true value in the garden.
Supporting your plants through summer
There are a number of things you can do to give your plants a better chance of making it through summer.
If you only do one thing, then let it be mulch! A good layer of mulch helps insulate the plant roots from the worst extremes of the weather, and also helps the soil retain water so it doesn't dry out as fast.
Watering in the morning or evening directly on the soil rather than the foliage is a more efficient use of water as it's going straight to where the plant needs it. There's also less risk of evaporation. If you have a drip irrigation system, do periodic checks to make sure the nozzles are not blocked.
There is evidence that using Seasol on your plants can increase their resilience to summer heat, and helps keep your plants healthier, so a regular application can be a big boost for your garden.
If you have plants with burnt foliage, don't be tempted to cut it back right now. This will only encourage the plant to put on tender new leaves which will be exposed to the hottest summer sun and will likely burn them as well. Wait until the milder days of autumn before cleaning up any damaged leaves.
Dust storms can make the garden look a real mess! While the dust can actually benefit the plants with the addition of micronutrients and minerals such as iron, it can impact on the plant’s ability to photosynthesise. Washing excess dust off the leaves will help.
Life is too busy for us to spend too much time nurturing plants that aren’t really suited to Melbourne’s weather. Replacing stressed out and struggling plants with hardier ones will make your life easier in the long run, and will be so much more rewarding!
Her'e’s a pick of a few of our favourite drought tolerant plants.