Our top tips for Summer gardening
Your garden can flourish even during the warmest months
Summer can be a difficult period for the avid gardener. The extreme temperatures and harsh conditions mean that many varieties of plants and flowers wither and die without the proper care. For expert summer gardening tips, speak to the team at The Springs Garden World in Toowoomba.
1. Get your soil in order
- Summer is the perfect time to maintain your garden with organic mulch like sugar cane or tea tree while also suppressing weeds and conserving water.
- A balance of soil temperature and a good organic fertiliser will ensure your garden stays green and lush throughout the hotter months.
- Applying a balanced organic fertiliser before mulching will avoid nitrogen draw-down caused when soluble nitrogen is taken from the mulch during the decomposition process.
- Almost all plants and garden beds will benefit from a layer of mulch. The depth of the mulch depends on the type you’re using, about 6cm is perfect for coarse mulches.
2. Protect your garden from pests
Summer is also when the pests come out to play! Keep on the lookout for:
- Fruit fly – Hang traps and use a spinosad based pesticide or exclusion netting to thwart fruit flies
- Citrus leaf miner – Keep these bugs at bay with a horticultural spray oil
- Scale – We recommend using a horticultural spray oil to stop scale in its tracks
- Bronze orange bug – Beat these bugs by using confidor spray or carefully remove them by hand
3. Plant the right plants for the season
Toowoomba has a spectacular array of summer plants that can enhance and protect your garden.
- Our team can recommend the best plants for your garden and we stock a huge variety, including: hydrangea, buddleia, oleander, smoke bush (cottinus), cape chestnut, agapanthus, frangipani, gardenia, bottle brush and bouganvillea.
- Summer is also a great time for annual flowers, vegetables and herbs such as begonias, vinca, salvia, portulaca, sunflowers, basil, chives, tarragon, parsley, celery, rosella, corn, beans, radish, and tomato cape chestnut.
4. Keep your plants hydrated
The main aim is to keep your plants and flowers healthy and get them through the heat of the summer. Water little plants in very well and mulch around them. If you are thinking of planting a deciduous ornamental or a fruit tree, we advise you to plan ahead to avoid disappointment. We place our orders early in the year for delivery at the end of June. Just ask our friendly staff for advice on your garden's particular needs.
