Coping with Australian Summer

Choosing plants that suit your climate is the ideal way to have a garden that looks good most of the year.

Choosing plants that suit your climate is the ideal way to have a garden that looks good most of the year. But there are other things to remember that will help your garden survive those scorching days when the temperature just keeps climbing. Mulching is important, but make sure it is not so thick that any showers or light watering cannot penetrate. If you see flowers wilting in the heat of the day, you may be tempted to flick on the sprinklers, but this is the last thing you should do. Sometimes the sun is so hot that scalding will be the result if you water while the sun is high. Wait until late afternoon to water with a sprinkler, but if the ground is really dry, then watering around the roots of the plant without wetting the foliage may help.

Trickle or drip irrigation will save your water bills and use water much more efficiently than spray type watering. When it's really hot, a lot of the water sprayed through the air will evaporate or be carried away in wind-drift. Remember that some plants are cited as drought hardy once established - which means that they may need quite a bit of water for the first year or more. Neglecting to water them well during their growth period could mean that they will shrivel up and die, so be prepared to give them plenty of TLC until they are really well-established.

Looking for a land for sale Victoria? Homes outside the CBD area typically offer more yard space for gardening enthusiasts, so when you are looking for house and land packages Melbourne, try venturing into areas such as Cranbourne.