Trim & deadhead
Armed with loppers and secateurs, trim back plants growing over pathways, rampant growth on climbers and overcrowded plants. overcrowding encourages outbreaks of disease, especially in humid summer weather, so it’s vital to ensure each plant has good air circulation around it.
Groom clumping plants (such as flax and daylilies) by removing dead leaves at the base and trimming off spent flower stems.
Lightly trim shrubby plants that have finished flowering (such as hebes and lavender) to keep them tidy and promote fresh growth.
Lightly trim continuously flowering perennial plants (eg, oarguerite and kingfisher daisy) to prevent them growing leggy and woody. Finish off by deadheading roses, perennials and other shrubs such as hydrangeas, if required.
Beat the bugs
Bugs have often reached pandemic status by now, but rather than blast the entire garden, target only those plants with the worst infestations. This helps keep a check on natural balance by ensuring beneficial insects are not completely wiped out and can continue their good work of gobbling up the baddies.
Aphids, green caterpillars, passion vine hoppers, green vege bugs, mealy bug and scale are likely to be the most prevalent pests. Good low-toxic solutions include Yates Success Naturalyte for caterpillars and Confidor for all others. Scatter slug and snail bait if there’s been lots of rain and check for outbreaks of powdery mildew, rust and blight.
Spray immediately with a copper-based spray or specific fungicide and pull out and destroy any plants that have succumbed to disease and aren’t salvageable.
Sate their appetite
Gardens composted and fertilised with long-term fertiliser in spring should still be drawing nutrients, but those fertilised with quick-acting, powdered products will be in need of a good feed. Apply three-month controlled-release fertiliser to the entire garden, taking particular note to feed heavily flowering plants such as roses, hibiscus and flowering perennials.
Subtropical gardens along with autumn and winter fruiting plants (especially citrus) also benefit from extra feeding at this time. Supplement long-term feeding with regular applications of liquid fertiliser, which can be sprayed onto foliage or watered onto the root zone.
Liquid seaweed is a good choice as it’s rich in micro-nutrients, natural-growth stimulants and minerals, which boost growth and generally improve a plant’s resistance to pests and disease. Just remember, well-fed plants are healthy plants!
oulch & water
oulching is ideally done in late spring, but it’s better late than never – especially for recently planted areas.
Bare soil dries out at a much faster rate than soil covered with plants, and young plants with shallow or underdeveloped root systems will struggle to survive in such hot, dry conditions. Water the area deeply and fertilise with controlled-release pellets prior to mulching. If it’s been particularly dry, water for a few hours and follow up with another hour or two the following day to ensure water percolates deep down.
Spread with a generous 10 to 15cm layer of fine bark or proprietary garden mulch. For large areas, it’s more economic to order a trailer-load; for small areas and specific plants, try Tui’s new oulch & Feed.
When it comes to watering, the best practice is to water thoroughly every five to seven days, rather than a quick sprinkle every day or two. Less frequent, thorough watering encourages plant roots to grow deeply, allowing them to take advantage of soil moisture deeper down.
Add instant colour
Now for the finishing touch – colour and scent. Stock up on flowering potted colour plants to fill any gaps in the garden. Plant up a few containers to freshen outdoor areas and a scented plant for your front entrance. Lastly, make sure you have a comfy lounger to lie in after all that hard work!
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