Dal’s Gardening Tips for Summer

As the temperature rises and the days get longer, it’s time to give our gardens the care they need. From new lawns to flowering plants and vegetables, here are some essential gardening tips for the summer months.

 

December: What to do

New Lawns

New lawns seeded in spring will have had their first topping cut to a height of about 5 cm by now. They should be cut regularly now and kept at that height. It is important to keep as much foliage on the grass as is possible during the hot weather until it is well established. The roots must receive shade, otherwise they will burn, and the lawn will suffer.

Gladiolus

Gladiolus that flowered in November or earlier, will be ready to lift out this month. This should be started as soon as the leaves start to yellow. Cut the foliage cleanly away from the corms and clean all the soil from them. Allow the corms to dry thoroughly somewhere in the shade, making sure to keep the colours together and labelled for guidance next planting season. When they are completely dry, dust them with sulphur, and store them in a cool, dry place until planting time next year.

 

Roses

Roses and other lush-leafed shrubs may be showing yellow leaves that wither and drop off during spells of hot, dry weather. Look carefully at the undersides of the offending leaves. If there is a silky web, with little rusty marks, then your plants are infested with red spider. This is a small mite that thrives in hot, dry weather. Humidity is one enemy of the red spider, also ekatin. It’s a little hard to control the climate, but regular sprayings of the ekatin will rid your garden of the pest.

Watering Tips for the Holidays

Watering is often a problem during the holiday period. Shrubs, trees and garden beds should come to no harm while you are away, if they are mulched the heavily with a suitable material and given a good soaking drink just before you leave. Lawns, if they are flooded for several days, will survive several weeks drought.

Indoor plants and tubs are a different proposition altogether. Indoor plants will keep quite well if they are put into a bath or sink, well watered and packed in wet newspaper. Pull your outdoor tubbed plants into a shady spot and pack them close together. Water them thoroughly and wrap wet bags around them to help keep the sides from getting hot and drying out.

December: What to plant

Salad vegetables: Lettuce, Spring Onions, Beetroot, and Radish will grow rapidly and soon develop during the next few months. Sow weekly, small crops of these plants for a consistent supply.

Winter flowering annuals: Cinerarias, Stocks and Poppies can be sown from seed at this time of the year, provided the seed boxes are well shaded.

Flowering annuals: Ageratum, Amaranthus, Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Aster, Calliopsis, Candytuft, Canterbury Bells, Carnation, Celosia, Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Cornflower, Dahlia; Delphinium, Dianthus, Eschscholtzia, Gaillardia, Geum, Hollyhock, Unaria, Lupin, Nasturtium, Nemophila, Petunia, Salpiglossis, Scabious, Sweet William, Verbena, Wallflower, Zinnia.

Vegetables: Beet, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Cress, Cucumber, Egg Plant, French Beans, KohlRabi, Lettuce, Melons, Onions, Parsnip, Peas, Pumpkin, Radish, Spinach, Tomato, Turnip.

Trees, Shrubs and Climbers: Container-grown trees and shrubs can be planted out. Many are being sold in flower at present and will add instant colour to the garden or go into tubs for patios. Climbers for colour or fast shade available for planting now are: Antigonon, Bouganvillea, Ornamental Grape, Passionfruit, Phaedranthus, Solanum, Thunbergia, Wistaria.

Perennials and Annuals: Advanced herb, rockery and perennial plants are available, also flowering indoor plants such as Gloxinia, Tuberous Begonia, etc. Advanced heading plants of summer an Aster, Marigolds, Petunias, Phlox, Verbena, Sweet William.

 

January: What to do

Watering

Water is of prime importance throughout the summer months. Regular, deep-soaking drinks will ensure that all your plants are maintained at peak condition.

 

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas received as Christmas gifts or purchased in flower from the Garden Centre should be pruned lightly to remove spent flowers and then planted out into tubs or the open ground. Choose a nice shady spot where they will be protected from hot winds.

Roses

Roses should be rested in readiness for their autumn flowering. Mulch them well and ease back a little on the watering. Do not feed them at this time of the year. All you will get is lots of strong growth and fewer flowers.

Annuals

Annuals can be kept at their peak by keeping up the water and regular feedings of liquid fertilizer.

Fuchsias

Fuchsias will have almost finished flowering. Prune them lightly and give them a side dressing of blood and bone fertilizer.

Dahlias

Dahlias wilt have started to make vigorous growth by now. Pinch back all the main shoots and tie the plants to stakes.

Passion Fruit

Passion fruit should be ripening. Help the fruit along with regular watering. Give them a feed of sulphate of ammonia, spread around the base of the plant. Remember to water it in well.

Iris

Iris will have finished flowering by now. Cut back any dead or diseased growth. Well-established clumps can be lifted and divided. Discard any old growth and plant out only healthy, young material.

Prepare beds for winter annuals and vegetables. It will soon be time to plant seeds for winter. Dig the beds over well and work in a good, thick layer of well-rotted compost.

January: What to plant

Seeds of indoor and glasshouse-flowering plants can be sown now. These include: Cinerarias, primula, cyclamen, gloxinias and tuberous pegonias. Sow the seeds into boxes of finely sifted loam and peat moss or well-rotted organic compost. Place the seed boxes in the glasshouse or under a frame. Water the seeds well and do not let the soil dry out until the plants emerge.

Sweetcorn can still be planted as a late crop. Even if the crop is light, the plants will provide a useful windbreak for other less hardy crops.

Autumn flowering bulbs: Amaryllis belladonna, Brunsvigia, Sternbergia lutes, Colchicum and Zephyranthes candida can be planted now.

Flowering annuals: Ageratum, Alyssum, Asters, Calendula, Cineraria, Iceland Poppy, Lobelia, Lupin, Pansy, Phlox, Primula, Stocks, Sweet Peas, Verbena, Viola.

Vegetables: Broad Beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, French Beans, Lettuce, Onions, Parsnip, Peas, Radish, Turnip.

Trees, shrubs and climbers: Plant out Christmas gift potted plants (in the garden or repot for balcony or patio use). Plant Hydrangeas in the shade. Expose other container plants to the sun gradually to harden them off. If your flower display has been spoiled by bad weather, add extra colour with plantings of small-foliage plants such as Coleus, Iresine, Vinca major ‘Variegata’ and silvery Artemesia, Santolina, Senecio and Nepeta (Catmint). Climbing plants such as Allamanda, Antigonon, Bougain-villea and many other summer/autumn flowering creepers are available now.

Annuals: Seedlings of annuals like Marigolds and Snapdragons can still be planted to give flowers through to autumn. Seeds of winter/spring flowering annuals can be started in seed boxes and kept in a cool semi-shade position.

February: What to do

Watering

This month, extreme heat can last for days in South Australia. Make sure you water your plants regularly, so they stay refreshed. Pay special attention to citrus and avocados because they need more water as they are coming into fruit.

Keep an eye on potted plants. If water drains straight through the potting mix, this means the soil has dried out and is hydrophobic. A good tip to get it back into shape is to place the pot in a bucket of water and leave it there for a couple of hours. The water will soak through and re-hydrate the soil and plant roots.

Keep an eye on water gardens and ponds as with the hot weather, water levels can get quite low due to evaporation

 

Similar to the one photographed: Orbit Max Oscillating Sprinkler

Fruit

If you’ve already got fruit growing, now is the time to harvest. Stone fruits, such as nectarine and peach, are coming into season and taste delicious fresh off the tree, grapes are ready too. It’s also apple season, depending on the variety you’ve got in your garden, they will start ripening through to autumn.

Garden beds

Now is a good time to tidy up the garden. Preparing beds and patches now means that when autumn planting time arrives, your garden will be ready and waiting to be at its most productive. Remove old plants, clear weeds and improve your soil with some compost or manure.

Keep topping up mulch in hotter weather on your vegetable patches, herb gardens and ornamental beds. Apply soil wetter for improved watering as your garden soil will still struggle in this weather to absorb your water efficiently.

Roses

If you have deadheaded your roses or they are about to bloom again, give them a good feed. Treat black spot and throw away any diseased leaves – don’t use in compost.

Azaleas and Camellias

This is also a good time to feed acid loving plants such as your azaleas and Camellias.

Geraniums

Prune geraniums to promote bushy growth and plant annuals such as pansies to add some vibrant colour to any garden.

Bugs

Ants thrive in hot weather so use an effective insecticide.

Check your plants carefully for diseases and bugs. February is a month where plants can really start to suffer from disease and bugs are also very active.

 

February: What to plant

Trees, shrubs and climbers: Plant out all container-grown trees, shrubs and climbers and stake pre-planting in windy or exposed areas it prevents storm losses. Avoid excessively hot periods — plant in cool of evening -and provide temporary shade in very hot districts. Keep watered.

Perennials and Annuals: Seed or seedlings of Ageratum, Alyssum, Anemone, Aquilegia, Aubrieta, Bells perennis, Calendula, Candytuft, Canterbury Bell, Carnation, Cheiranthus (Wallflower), Cineraria, Cornflower, Dianthus, Forget-me-not, Gypsophila, Honesty, Larkspur, Linaria, Livingstone Daisy, Lupin, Marigold, Mignonette, Nasturtium, Nemesia, Nemophila, Nigella, Pansy, Pensteliton, Polyanthus, Poppy (Iceland), Primula, Scabiosa, Schizanthus, Snapdragon, Stocks, Sweet Pea, Sweet William, Viola, Virginian Stock.

Bulbs: Bearded Iris, Cyclamen. In temperate and cool zones start planting all spring-flowering bulbs: Babiana, Daffodil, Dutch Iris, Freesia, Hyacinth, Lachenalia, Leumjum (Snowflake), Muscari (Grape Hyacinth), Narcissus, Ranunculus, Scilla, Sparaxis, Triteleia.

Vegetables: Beans, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cress, lettuce, onions, -parsley, parsnip, -/ peas, potatoes, radish, shallots, silver beet, swedes, turnip.

 

Happy Gardening, Adelaide! As always, thank you for your support!

Dal Akers.