Summer is the season when work seems to take second place and fun in the sun becomes our priority. There are however some jobs in the garden that just can't be neglected.
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Complete hard garden tasks, such as mowing the lawn, in the cool of the evening.
Keep the grass length quite high during summer, brown or white patches in lawns are sure signs of mowing too low. It is a misconception that by mowing low reduces the frequency between cuts.
Short on time? Then just do the edges of the lawn and spread some fresh mulch across garden beds to keep the garden looking tidy.
Water plants in the early morning; this will reduce the incidence of disease and provide plants with moisture through the heat of the day. If you must water in the evening be sure to allow time for foliage to dry before sunset.
Maintain soil moisture to fruiting plants like citrus trees and vegetable crops. Also watch the weather for upcoming heatwaves and use products like Yates DroughtShield to reduce water loss from heat-sensitive pants.
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Monitor citrus for bronze orange bugs and remove by hand but wear glasses, gloves and old clothes. Adults are about the size of a 20-cent piece, distinctively brown to black in colour. If left unchecked their numbers will increase rapidly and the damage they cause results in wilting shoots and premature flower and fruit drop.
Continue to harvest as vegetables and fruits ripen and don't allow them to fall and lie on the ground, they will become a source of infection and encourage pests, like fruit fly.
Weeds are in rapid-growth mode now, so stay on top of them by hand weeding or use a non-selective broadleaf weed killer and spot spray. Always target weeds in active growth and spray prior to flowering. It is often too late to spray once weeds begin to flower as they will set seed.
A light prune of roses by reducing flower stems to the fifth leaf from where the growth emerged, will bring on a new flush of growth and flowers for later in the season.
There is always something to do in the garden, but your safety and comfort is of the highest importance, so apply sunscreen, stay hydrated and when things get too hot, seek some shade.
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