Growing Strong: Your Summer Garden

 

One of the oldest occupations, gardening is as old as a civilization. From the ancient Egyptian times, more than 18,000 years ago, gardens are also a creative and visual experience as well, and every gardener considers his profession as a form of art. Horticulture is one of the main pillars of our society, and the fruitful earth beneath our feet is the reason why we are here. Still, “we know more about celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot” as the legendary Leonardo da Vinci once said. But there are some key factors that can help us realize how much we depend on the progress of horticulture.

Did you know that on the year average, we spend significantly more on football tickets than on gardening in Australia? And homes that have gardens in the backyard are raising their values for more than 20%. Having a garden is a certain investment that pays off, not just based on the value of the house, if you are growing your own food chances are you are eating much healthier products that you can buy on today’s market. If you choose to produce your own compost, then it is definitely a more nutritious and far healthier choice and you should feel as proud as fit you are. Australia is famous for its vigorous summers, and every local gardener will tell you that you have to be prepared, because the temperatures will keep on rising and your garden needs protection and help to grow strong. Here are a few tips for gardening beginners and enthusiast how to have a fruitful summer garden.

 Pest invasion

Worms, ants, termites, seems that the only thing they love more than summer is to cause you troubles. Not just that they eat your plants and roots, they also lay eggs and reproduce so fast that once it takes its course it is really hard to stop them, and that’s a one problem more for your garden. There are several ways to deal with this problem. The most organic way is to plant sunflowers, cup plants, alyssum and anise to attract pests natural enemies, beetles and spiders mainly. Sounds weird, but it actually works!

Of course, the best solution for this, and any other problem, is prevention. If you have good soil, remove rotten plants as soon as you spot them, keep a regular control of your garden you can actually have a pest-less summer.

Row covers

Row covers can help you with insects and protect your plants from the direct exposure to the sun and overheating. And not only that, this can also be a great protection for your garden during winter because it protects your crops from cold and winter. They are easily assembled and installed, and you can remove them with minimum effort too. Although they cover all surfaces, they do transmit light and allow rain to soak into soil. Take it from Martha Stewart and look how she did a great job protecting her new garden.

Water supplies

The most important thing that you have to do is to keep your plants regularly watered. The optimal time is in the early morning before the sun comes up, and you should consider even protecting your lawn because the Australian sun can be merciless to exposed plants. You should find an outdoor plumber that will help you maintain your watering system and provide you with the best service. Do not take this problem slightly; just a few days of sun exposure can really damage your garden with no possibilities for recovery.

One more tip, and equally important, is to protect yourself from the heat. A beautiful garden will do you no good if you yourself don’t feel well. So keep yourself safe and have a green day everyone!