With it being the hottest season, summer gardening in Australia can bring challenging growing conditions. However, there’s still plenty to do in the garden this time of year, and I don’t just mean watering! Gardening is my favourite way to savour the peaceful moments before heading back to busy post-holiday routines, and to make the best of the season I’ve put together my top summer gardening tips to keep your plants happy and healthy.
What to harvest in summer in Australia
- Strawberries
- Green beans
- Tomatoes
- Dahlias
- Zinnias
- Calla lily
- Hydrangea
What to plant in summer in Australia
- Alyssum
- Hollyhocks
- Nasturtiums
- Poppies
- Baby’s breath
- Cosmos
- Sweet pea
- Cootamundra wattle
December
December is the garden’s season of giving, from fragrant blooms you can cut for your rooms to a bounty of edible produce.
As the sun climbs higher in the sky and the warm days stretch into balmy evenings, summer calls us to savour its embrace and the enchantment the season brings to our gardens. Romantic displays of delicate blooming roses, whimsical agastache and lush lavender fill the air with their captivating fragrances, crafting a dreamy fairy-tale ambience.
If you have joined me through my winter and spring guides, your garden should now be a sanctuary where each bloom shares a story of passion, and every moment spent among the flowers becomes a heartfelt celebration of nature’s beauty.
While summer gifts us with a stunning harvest of both flowers and fresh produce, there’s still plenty to be done in the garden to ensure its offerings continue.
Summer sowing
December is a great time to get those summer vegetables and flowers into the ground. Here’s a list of what I’m planting this month.
Vegetables
- Beans
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Corn
- Lettuce
- Salad greens
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Spring onions
- Turnips
Flowers
- Alyssum
- Hollyhocks
- Nasturtiums
- Poppies
If you wish to plant your own wildflower meadow or cut flower garden like the one at my place, December is the last chance to sow your seeds. To enjoy endless summer blossoms, visit meadowflowers.com.au and search for The Ashley James Range.
Succession planting
When you plant all your vegetable seeds at once, they tend to mature simultaneously, leaving you with an overwhelming abundance of a single crop that demands your immediate attention. Instead, immerse yourself in the poetic practice of succession planting, known affectionately among gardeners as successive sowing.
Rather than sowing all your seeds in one go, consider planting one or two rows initially, then a couple of weeks later returning to sprinkle more seeds in gentle harmony with the originals. This thoughtful method allows you to enjoy the fruits of your labour gradually, relishing the joy of harvesting from one plant before returning to your garden for another delightful bounty later.
Pest control
Sadly, with all this delicious produce comes my arch-nemesis: the cabbage white butterfly! While many garden pests can be rather unattractive and are easily recognisable, novice gardeners are often deceived by the graceful elegance of these butterflies as they flit about their gardens. Another pest, the cabbage centre grub, burrows deep into the hearts of tender vegetables, devouring leaves in the blink of an eye.
To protect your precious produce from both, I highly recommend netting your vulnerable plants and applying Dipel (a bio-insecticide that effectively controls leafeating caterpillars and cabbage white butterflies) on both sides of the foliage. This safe solution for edible plants ensures that your crops remain unharmed, while keeping those pesky pests at bay.
Watering and mulching
The ideal time to water your garden is early in the morning or in the evening. This gives the plants time to absorb the water that gets them through the long, hot days. I would highly recommend installing an automated watering system to help stay on top of watering, especially if you are heading away over the summer holidays. While these can seem overwhelming and expensive, there are plenty of achievable DIY options. At most hardware stores, you can pick up a fully automated watering system for under $50.
“The ideal time to water your garden is early in the morning or in the evening.”
Ashley James
I’d also recommend feeding your garden using a non-synthetic fertiliser such as potash or liquid seaweed. This can help promote new growth and aid fruiting and will keep your plants strong and healthy so they’re better able to withstand the summer heat.
January
Being one of the hottest months, January can bring some challenging growing conditions. But there’s still plenty to do in the garden this time of year, and I don’t just mean watering! Gardening is my favourite way to savour the peaceful moments before heading back to busy post-holiday routines
Watering and mulching
Following new growth in spring, this month will provide you with the most amazing blooms and abundant produce. But before we get into that, let me first remind you of the importance of watering and mulching at this time of year. The right mulch will help your plants retain moisture and protect their delicate root systems, while a good early morning or late afternoon drink will help make sure your garden has what it takes to survive those hot summer days that lie ahead.
Pinch your flower tips
Now we have that sorted, it’s time to pinch your blooms. When it comes to some flowering plants, such as dahlias and zinnias, you will want to remove or ‘pinch’ the tips to encourage lateral growth. When your plants are around 20 to 40 centimetres tall and have developed three to four sets of leaves, simply ‘pinch’ off the main stem just above a set of leaves. This will lead to more side stems, and ultimately more flowers.
Deadhead roses
While you have your secateurs in hand, be sure you keep up with deadheading your roses at this time of year. If they have finished flowering, now is the time for a quick summer prune. Simply cut back each stem to just above the third set of leaves. Follow with a feed of non-synthetic liquid fertiliser to ensure you receive a nice flush of flowers in autumn.
February
When people think of Australian landscapes, they typically envision a dry patch of land, void of life. However, our country is full of unique habitats – something that landscape designer Phillip Johnson brought to the world stage at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 with the first (and only) Australian garden. Taking out the prestigious Best in Show award, Phillip’s design promoted the beauty of Australian plants and their ability to thrive in challenging conditions.
Opt for native flowers
As a garden designer known for my cottage gardens, you may be forgiven for thinking that I don’t include Australian natives in my designs. With the changing climate, it’s especially important to use a range of plants for a resilient garden. Here are a few species I love to work with:
Leucophyta brownii (Cushion Bush) adds striking texture to any garden with its stunning foliage and neat dome shape. Resistant to drought, frost and salt spray, this tough shrub is great to use alongside pathways and rocks, and produces beautiful silvery-white flowers during summer.
Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paw) With stems that can reach over a metre tall, this robust plant is a stunning feature in any garden. They’re available in just about every colour and even work well in pots. My advice when using any variety of Kangaroo Paw in your garden is to mass-plant them!
Brachyscome multifida (Cut Leaf Daisy) is a sprawling perennial that reaches around 30 centimetres in height. With masses of dainty flowers and interesting foliage, it immediately adds interest and texture to your garden.
Time to harvest
Finally, it’s time to enjoy the bounty of your summer garden! It’s only here for a short time, so grab a harvest basket, head outside and reap the benefits of all the hard work you’ve put into your plot over the past few months. Harvest your strawberries, beans and tomatoes, collect cut flowers to display in your home, and soak up the fun of an alfresco summer.
Also read:
- What to do in your garden this Spring
- What to do in your garden this Autumn
- What to do in your garden this Winter
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
