Plant a LIVING MULCH
Bare soil heats up rapidly in hot weather. A good way to keep soil cool is to plant some well-chosen groundcovers. They act like a living mulch, shading the surface and helping retain soil moisture. Here are some to consider.
Spanish shawl (Heterocentron elegans) This sun-lover spreads to make a blanketing cover studded with magenta flowers in spring and summer. It prefers warm temperate, tropical and subtropical areas.
Native violet (Viola hederacea)
A great pick for slightly damp, shady areas, this is suitable for all climates.
Variegated star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides
‘Tricolor’) This can be a little slow to get started, but once established, it provides a tough, dependable and drought-tolerant groundcover for many years. It grows in full sun to light shade and in all but the coldest areas.
Spreading succulents Sedums, echeverias, blue chalksticks and pink iceplant (Oscularia deltoides) are great performers in hot, dry conditions and will grow in most parts of the country.
Dwarf chenille plant (Acalypha reptans) This groundcover has fluffy, pinky-red flowers and foliage that looks like strawberry leaves. It prefers a sunny, wind-protected spot and thrives in the tropics and subtropics. Lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina)
With its velvety silver leaves and purple flower spikes, this is a good choice for dry areas, but it may need some extra watering in hot summers. It grows in cold, warm temperate and arid regions.
Netting is one of the best ways to protect fruit trees from predators, such as possums, bats and birds. It’s important to get your summer fruit trees covered before the fruit reaches the delectable and desirable stage.
Choose a sturdy knitted mesh with holes that are less than 5mm across. Netting with 2mm-wide apertures also protects fruit from insect pests, such as fruit fly and codling moth. White is the safest netting colour to use as it can be more easily seen by night-time visitors, such as bats and possums, and it provides the tree with a small amount of protection from sunburn.
Set up a supporting frame made from star pickets and 50mm irrigation pipe. Stretch the netting firmly over the support, and secure it to the ground. Think about how you will access the fruit when you need to (some nets have an overlapping opening). Check regularly to make sure the netting is still in place and hasn’t trapped any creatures.
Prune bottlebrush (above), tree waratah (Alloxylon flammeum) and native frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum) after flowering finishes
Dig out congested borders of Moses-in-the-cradle (Tradescantia spathacea) and improve the soil before planting divisions or fresh cuttings
Check trees and remove weak or suspect branches before the arrival of the cyclone season
Divide and replant cannas, making sure they stay well watered while they are re-establishing
Take tip cuttings of mint and Vietnamese mint and put them into jars of clean water to form roots
Plant the small-growing edible pandan in a damp spot in the garden and, once well established, harvest its leaves for cooking
Pick up fallen fruit from beneath trees to avoid encouraging pests or spreading disease
Harvest pineapples, using a sharp knife, ensuring you wait until they have developed good colour and a strong, sweet perfume
Plant root crops, such as taro and cassava, which will flourish in the coming wet season
Separate bromeliad pups from parent plants (below) and pot them up into an open, free-draining mix