Record run puts heat on gardens

HOBART’S heatwave is reaching unprecedented levels, with the city expected to break another record today.

The unseasonably warm weather is great for beachgoers, but it can be either a blessing or a curse for gardeners such as Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens horticultural team leader Anne Griffin.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Glen Perrin said Hobart was expected to break its record streak of consecutive days over 26C today.

Temperatures have been recorded since 1882.

“Hobart has had six consecutive days over 26C and that’s a record run of November days above 26C and it equals any month’s run of over 26C,” Mr Perrin said.

“It’s supposed to be 27C [today].”

That’s not the only milestone to be set.

“There’s now been eight days over 26C this month, and that’s a record for Hobart, most Novembers on average have around two days over 26C,” Mr Perrin said. Tasmanian Gardening Aus

tralia presenter Tino Carnevale said although some plants, such as olives, tomatoes, and roses don’t mind the heat, others, such as rhododendrons, hated it. He said mulch was essential, and deep watering in the morning was best.

Mercury gardening columnist Peter Cundall said it was important new seedlings were planted as soon as possible.

“You don’t leave them in the car, because they’ll disintegrate,” he said.

“As soon as you get them home, you place them in the shade and water them. Any plant that shows any sign of wilting that’s in a container in the heat ... I immediately put them in the shade and they pick up in seconds.”

The early heatwave comes as a rare form of the La Nina climate cycle is forecast to reach Australia next month — but it may not be as strong in Tasmania, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

Climatologist Ian BarnesKeoghan said the bureau had predicted a rare form of the cycle to hit Australia soon, with a “La Nina watch” active as sea temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean continue to cool.

But Mr Barnes-Keoghan said the cycle usually occurred during winter and into spring, causing wetter summers. He said it didn’t normally occur this close to summer before petering out in autumn

La Nina is a climate driver characterised by stronger trade winds that create in a pool of warmer water in the western tropical Pacific Ocean off northern Australia.

The increased heat transfer into the atmosphere, or convection, produces more rising air, clouds and rain over parts of the country.

“It’s an unusually late developing La Nina ... so it’s likely to be weak and short-lived in [Tasmania],” Mr BarnesKeoghan said.

“This effect in Tasmania is usually to give us wetter conditions into spring and summer but as this La Nina is late, we don’t expect ... wetter weather in Tasmania.”