It’s hard to believe that summer is just a week away after the glorious but not-too-hot-just-yet weather we’ve been having. There have been a few subtle reminders that the hot weather is not far off, with the sun, rather obviously, being the main driver behind such a seemingly ludicrous observation. But bear with me, if you will, because despite all the lovely cooling breezes that have made being outside a joy of late, the real damage is being secretly done by the sun going about its business, unsuspectingly, above. Baking your soil, pots and anything you may have forgotten to water – because if one thing, the rain has been a tad scarce of late and there’s no guarantee it won’t stay that way until January.
So what to do? Well, I feel like I’d be stating another obvious point, but moisture, soil health and mulch, mulch, mulch should be at the forefront of your gardening thoughts at this time of the year, if it isn’t already. Everything green and plant-like in your garden will no doubt have had a good feed to sustain all its spring growth, but all that good work will quickly come unstuck if you haven’t planned for the possibility of a long, hot summer. Right now, while your plants are healthy and hopefully not under any heat-stress, stealthy or otherwise, you need to be maintaining moisture levels in your garden beds, pots or any other eccentric containers you might be housing plants in, with a regular watering regime designed to keep them healthy through the summer months and beyond.
On top of the regular watering, a good layer of mulch is a must to stop the sun from baking it all away and risking your soil becoming hydrophobic. There’s a multitude of options to choose from, but whatever you decide upon, it needs to be in place and ready to go before the really hot weather arrives. Ideally, mulch would already be down, but sometimes mulch just feels like a chore – there, I said it. But it should be done, regardless of any mixed feelings, because it helps immeasurably.
Last of all, but by no means of any less importance, is your soil health. This is perhaps the most important detail of all, if anything. But, luckily for you, if you maintain good moisture and mulch on a regular basis, your soil health should be pretty decent. Adding some organic matter before you mulch will help boost all those microbial wonders that keep your garden healthy and vibrant. The same goes for your pots and containers, which are even more susceptible when the sun is being sneaky and trying to cook your favourite new Christmas bush unawares after you’d thought it would be alright in a pot for a few weeks until you decide where to put it. Be vigilant!
November jobs to do now:
- Mulch, of course!
- Mow lawns regularly
- Trim hedges
- De-stink(bug) citrus
