Welcome to our notes for August
The weather we’ve had in the past week or so, and particularly looking at next week’s forecast, makes it safe to say that spring is definitely on the way. While we can still expect some cold nights and days over the next few weeks, and hopefully more good rain, there is a shift in our weather patterns.
This is the perfect time to prepare your vegetable plot for all your summer veggies. Animal manure, cow manure for example, and compost can be spread over your plot and dug in. This will break down in the next four weeks or so, and when the soil has warmed up enough to plant your tomatoes, etc., it will provide them with everything they need to get off to a great start.
Get Ready for Summer Veggies: Tips for Early Preparation and Growing!
It is still too early to plant most of the summer veggies, such as tomatoes, capsicum, and chillies, but you can certainly buy them now to grow on, ready for when the soil warms up. Pot them up using a good quality potting mix into pots at least 140mm across, keep them in a warm, sunny spot in the garden, water and feed them, and they’ll be well on their way by the time the soil warms up to planting temperature—high teens to 20 degrees—which, given the cold winter we’re having, may not happen until at least October.
If you like to grow veggies from seed, get them going too. Tomatoes, capsicum, and chillies can all be sown now and will be ready to plant out or pot on in four to six weeks. The first of the petunias and summer flowers are hitting the shelves in stores too, a sure sign that spring is on the way!
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Essential Feeding, Maintenance, and Mulching Tips!
Feeding your garden should be another priority at the moment. Fruit trees, although not producing much flower or actively shooting yet, will have their root systems becoming active and looking for their first feed of the season. The same goes for roses, lawns, and pretty much all of the garden. Spring-flowering bulbs, which are just starting to show color, will also appreciate regular feeding from now on, right up until the foliage browns off after flowering.
Fruit trees will be blossoming soon, so don’t forget to apply a copper spray to your peaches and nectarines to control leaf curl as soon as they show some flower color. Last year was reasonably severe, and there will be plenty of spores around in buds and on the bark.
August is a great month for a little maintenance and pre-spring preparation. Summer grass lawns will start to grow with a bit more sunshine this month, meaning we’ll need to drag the mower out of the shed again. Give it a good once-over, book it in for a service if needed, but at least check the blades and spark plug and replace them if they’re not up to scratch. Irrigation systems can also be given a test run to ensure everything is still in good working order. Check for leaks and make sure all drippers, sprays, etc., are functioning properly, and replace any that aren’t. There’s nothing worse than getting a warm spell and finding out you need to hand water everything!
If the rains tail off this month, keep an eye on your garden for dry spots and consider applying mulch early to conserve the rain we have had. A good application of mulch will help control weeds as well as reduce the need for hand weeding or spraying. There are plenty of weeds around, so stay on top of them, whether by spraying or hand weeding.
Final Notes
The few moments of sunshine, even if not particularly warm yet, are, as previously mentioned, a sure sign that the seasons are changing. So rug up and spend a little time in your garden now—the rewards will come in spring and summer.
Ask one of our knowledgeable garden staff members for advice if you have any questions regarding anything having to do with your garden, indoors or out. We would be pleased to lead you on the correct path. Call us on 1300 165 165 or visit your local store.