12 0417 294 778 A Touch of Grass Garden Care GARDEN CLEANUPS / REJUVENATION & MAKEOVERS A SPECIALTY We offer an experienced, professional and reliable service Call Jeremy on ... Est. Gold Coast since 2001 Let us create your new and rejuvenated garden where you can sit back, relax and enjoy your tranquil surroundings ... Specialising Garden Makeovers & Rejuvenation * Garden Care * Plant Selection * Soft Landscaping As I write, the rainfall totals across most parts of the Gold Coast for the past two months are under 10mm. Our roadside trees and turf are parched. Our gardens are suffering. Trees are dropping leaves as though it’s an English autumn, and we need shade. Nectar is drying out, and the flowers are falling to the ground. Birdlife and other wildlife are affected. Allowing a garden to deteriorate may affect human comfort and can be costly. Real estate studies show that a well-tended garden, or proximity to quality parklands and public gardens, increases home values by 10 to 25 per cent. Spending some time keeping your garden healthy is worthwhile. Here are some tips to keep your garden healthy through this dry spell. Trees first…they take years to mature. Their loss is the hardest to replace. Water less frequently, but deeply, and to the edge of the root zone or foliage drip line. Well-composted organic matter absorbs water and helps soil retain moisture. Your thirsty garden can’t get enough of it. Never mulch over dry soil; water the soil deeply first. Gardening Mulch is great, but look to see if it is creating an impervious barrier to water penetration. Don’t go too deep and avoid mounding mulch close to the trunk. Rake it back, check if watering has actually penetrated beneath the mulch to the soil below. The tannins in some woody mulches create a hydrophobic barrier. Direct the hose to soil, not foliage, using gentle water pressure. Let it soak in, Use an organic-based product if applying a soil wetting agent. The product labels will inform you. Also, use seaweed extract to make healthy, strong roots. Water before breakfast or after dinner, as this is when evaporation levels are at their lowest and the soil will remain moist longer. Keep your lawn a little longer than usual so the leafy foliage keeps the roots shaded. Lawns do need some water. Check pots for moisture. If they dry out fully a couple of times, the potting mix may become hydrophobic. Any water you apply will slip down the inside of the pot. For small pots, a plunge in a tub or a large bucket may rectify. For large pots, try a wetting agent. Fill birdbaths or saucers with fresh water on the ground daily for birds and small native animals. Make sure it’s in the shade, and add a rock for creatures with short legs. They will feel safer if there is a shady perch close by. Bees and butterflies drink from wet sand or soil in a large tray or saucer. Water wisely. by Kate Heffernan Honorary Life Member Friends of GCRBG, Botanic Garden Consultant
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