New Year 2006 arrived bringing with it blistering temperatures which had us reaching for the fridge for a cool drink, searching for a swimming pool or heading for an air conditioned building. But hey, what about your garden? Plants get thirsty too! If you aren't keeping the water up to them, your poor old plants could die of thirst.

The good news is that, apart from watering, there are other ways of helping plants cope with summer heat. Of course if you have done the groundwork in spring your garden has a better chance of survival. If you haven't, here are a few things that you can do now.

Realistically watering twice a week is usually enough providing you give the garden a thorough soaking. It is far better to give a deep watering than to water more often for a short period of time.  If you are time poor or simply prefer to spend your valuable time doing other things, an automated drip irrigation system is the way to go. (For information on water restrictions go to www.sydneywater.com.au)

Have you ever noticed when watering your garden that the water seems to run off the soil or form beads or pools of water on the soil surface? No matter how much you water it doesn't penetrate. This is termed "Hydrophobia" a Greek word (hydro meaning 'water' phobic meaning 'fear'). Now you may be thinking, wait a minute, what does all this mean? I've got soil that is scared of water! That's ridiculous!

What it actually means is that hydrophobic organic residues such as oil from trees coat the soil particles therefore repelling the water. This is very common especially when there is a lot of native vegetation about such as Eucalyptus trees. You can overcome this by using wetting agents. 

Many products come in containers that attach to the hose. 'Hose-on' products are simple and easy to use. Combine a wetting agent with a seaweed extract and you will help the soil hold moisture for a longer period. Seaweed extract enhances plant growth, stimulates root growth and improves heat tolerance.

When the temperatures are up in the forties it is sometimes impossible to prevent sun damage however, there is an excellent product called Yates Stressguard®, a polymer product that is sprayed onto the foliage of plants providing a protective film. It works by slowing down the transpiration of the plant and cuts down moisture loss by up to 50%.

Mulching is a key ingredient to a good healthy garden. Ensure your mulch layer is

7-10cm deep. Mulch acts as a thermal blanket keeping the roots of the plants at an even temperature and cuts down on evaporation. Organic mulches such as sugar cane or tea tree are excellent.

When topping up your mulch spread a little Sulphate of potash around too, this will

Summer is a lovely time to spend outdoors, with a small amount of preparation and care your garden will not die of thirst!

Get on Up-Jan 2006