We are now into the last calendar month of summer and what a summer it has been! We can only guess what the next few months will bring but often in Whanganui, we tend to have settled weather which can roll on into April and even May some years.
Since the rain in early January, growth has been phenomenal. Many have commented about the frequency that they have had to be mowing their lawns. As I write this we are forecast to get some more rain from the effects of tropical cyclone Fehi which will make our gardens and lawns continue to grow wildly.
Gardens benefit from being covered with mulch particularly during the summer months. This helps to retain moisture after rainfall as well as adding organic matter to the soil as the mulch breaks down. Applications of compost, strawbales or 'feeding mulch' are a useful means of helping to retain soil moisture around plants susceptible to drying out.
If trimming back plants, cut up the trimmings and use as a mulch. Note that many plants form "Sun" leaves and "Shade" leaves and if all the sun leaves are trimmed off the plant may not survive. A good practice when plants are under stress and particularly with hedges is to trim one side only and to trim the other side when some recovery growth has occurred on the side previously trimmed.
If you have a glasshouse or plastic covered tunnel house or frame you may wish to shade it to help keep it cooler. An old technique was to lime wash the glass or plastic of your hot house. Using watered down white acrylic paint solution (10% paint, 90% water).
