Summer Gardening

After all your hard work in Spring getting your Summer garden ready, Summer is the time to relax and enjoy your garden. Just don't get too relaxed because there's still plenty to do to keep the garden looking fresh and attractive: pruning, weeding, watering... However, you can use a weather station to predict the weather and use it to your advantage to make summer gardening easier. This article is full of gardening and weather tips to keep your summer garden looking great!

The high humidity that summer brings can have a significant effect on your garden. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere: when it is high, the air absorbs and retains moisture, leaving little for the plants. Different plants have their own humidity preference but most will benefit from a relative humidity level of around 45 to 60%. Relative humidity can be measured using most weather stations, allowing you to determine when your plants may require extra water.

To combat the humidity you need to ensure you water your plants regularly. If your plants begin to wilt, it means they haven't got enough water and by this stage they are already damaged. To ensure that your plants are getting all the moisture you provide them with, avoid watering during the hottest part of the day (between 10am and 4pm) as the direct heat on the water will cause it to boil, 'cooking' your plants as a result, this will also evaporate the water preventing them from getting necessary moisture. Also, try not to water after 5pm; watering at night when it is cooler causes the water to sit longer, creating a damp environment for your plants that can increase the chances of fungal growth.

In the higher humidity, pot plants also need increased water as they have less soil surrounding them to retain water. Keep an eye on indoor plants in particular, especially those near windows, as the sun beating through the glass may dry out the plants too much. A weather station determining the indoor and outdoor temperature can help you determine when your garden plants and indoor plants will benefit from extra watering.

Summer is also the time to spray your plants against insects and pests because at this time of year they seem to reproduce overnight! The most common pests at this time of year are snails, slugs, and caterpillars. Spray with a suitable spray (ask at your local garden center which spray will be safest for the types of plants in your garden) to protect your plants from being eaten by these pests. Also keep an eye out for aphids, there are sprays available for these as well, or you can just gently rinse them off your plants with soapy water. However, if you are applying sprays, make sure it is not about to rain or your efforts may be washed away, by ensuring you have checked the weather forecast, or alternatively, you can get an accurate forecast of whether rain is likely in your area with a weather station that forecasts weather.

Because of the humidity and extra water, weeds are always rampant at this time of year. Continue pulling weeds to keep your garden looking tidy. One trick that can reduce the number of weeds is to cultivate the soil on a regular basis. This is basically mixing the soil, but to a consistent depth (approximately 4 inches). This also allows cool air and water to penetrate further to the roots of the plant. Once you have removed all the weeds from your garden, continually pull stray weeds whenever you see them, this will help prevent the weeds building up, going to seed and spreading. Another good trick to reduce weeds it to invest in plants that 'shade' the garden or grow close to the ground. These plants reduce the sunlight that weeds need to photosynthesize and therefore reduce the overall number of weeds.

Summer conditions are perfect for fertilizing. You should fertilize your garden at least twice a year, especially around blooming time. Early in the season when buds are just beginning to open, apply a slow release fertilizer, this allows the plant to take up nutrients as needed over time. Alternatively you can use a general purpose fertilizer when the plants begin to show color, and reapply this later in the season. It is important to keep the weather in mind when fertilizing. If using a nitrogen based fertilizer, ensure you fertilize when it is not hot and dry, an overcast or showery day is ideal. Once you have fertilized, you should water to help dissolve the fertilizer and allow your plants to absorb the nutrients, alternatively, use a weather station to determine when it is just about to rain, and go and sprinkle some fertilizer on the garden, then allow the rain and nutrients to fertilize your garden naturally.

Summer is also the time to start planning your winter garden. Good flowers to plant in anticipation of winter are Hellebores, Daphne, and Rhododendrons. For veggie gardeners, now is the time to get planting cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and silverbeet.

Amongst all this, the most important thing is to enjoy yourself. Summer is a great time of time of year to get outdoors and relax. Getting out in the garden is a great way to enjoy summer and get some exercise, and even better, you will see great results for your hard work.