As the weather warms our plants are in need of some extra loving care and protection.
 
Here are our best tips to help your plants survive through high temperatures and periods of drought - 


1. Watering


If you know high temps are on their way, be prepared and water the day prior by giving your plants a really good deep water.


Deep water by installing irrigation or alternatively leaving your hose on a slow trickle over an hour or two at the rootball is most beneficial rather than hand watering.  And watering once or twice a week deeply is better than a little bit every day.


Remember overwatering can be damaging to plants as excess water doesn't have time to drain naturally and roots can drown.  Over watering/lots of rain can also lead to fungal issues.


2. Mulching


This will help retain moisture in the garden beds and drop the soil temperature to as much as 15-20 degrees. 


As an example, once temperatures start getting into the high 30's, soil that is bare with no mulch can reach temperatures of 10-15 degrees hotter causing severe damage and death to plants.


3. Seaweed Plant Tonics


Applying a seaweed based plant tonic regularly will improve plant's resistance to heat and drought stress. 


It's also a fabulous product to use if plants are under stress or on newly planted plants.


4. Adding Compost


Adding Compost to your soil can help benefit the soil by helping to retain moisture and nutrients.


Think about adding a worm farm or tumbler or traditional composter to your home to produce your own beautiful compost! 


5. Shade Cloth


Using a shade cloth particularly over plants that are soft leafed, heat sensitive plants and veggie crops. 


Using a shade cloth with 50% shade factor can reduce the temperature to the plant by around 10 degrees.  Choose white in colour rather than darker colours. 


6. Protection - Anti-Transpirant


Using an anti-transpirant product such as AgroBest 'Envy' which is sprayed onto foliage and works like a sunscreen, stopping plants from losing moisture from its leaves and protects plants from heat in hot dry conditions, moisture loss, sunburn, frost stress and other environmental and climatic stressors.  Not suitable for use on veggies/edibles as this is not an organic product. 

Another product 'Kaolin Clay' can also be beneficial to protect against sun damage for fruit trees and vegetables. 


7. Heat Damage


If you do happen to encounter plants with heat damage such as burnt branches or foliage, don't be in a rush to remove/prune them off as these will protect the plant from further damage during a heatwave.  However once the heat has passed you can cut back.


Landscaping Plant Varieties that handle the higher temps - 


* Murraya paniculata - Excellent for hedging - More Info HERE 

* Lagerstroemia Crepe Myrtles - Beautiful flowering feature trees - More Info HERE

* Bougainvillea - Colourful climbers

* Frangipani - Beautiful tropical feature trees - More Info HERE

* Viburnum tinus - Shorter hedging - More Info HERE

* Citrus - Lemons, Limes, Oranges and Grapefruit - More Info HERE