Well it certainly feels like summers here with these hot spells of 30 degrees and over. And it not just you that may be feeling the effects of the heat, your plants are going to struggle too. But it’s not just the heat that does the damage, its how effective you’re watering is that causes most of the problems in our home gardens.
So if you have dry or bare patches on your lawn, wilting or dull leaves on your plants, or even ants making a mess of your lawn, paving or garden it may pay to check out the reasons why. The first thing to do is check that your watering or irrigation system is working effectively. Turn on the reticulation and check for any broken sprinklers or pipework. Next check the sprinkler nozzles and replace any that are blocked.
One of the most common factors that cause plants to struggle in gardens throughout Australia is water repellence. Here in the West with our sandy soils we are used to these problems but it is not the only one. Compaction from cars, foot traffic or sports, the build up of organic matter, the breakdown of waxy leaves and even potting mixes that have been allowed to dry out, can all make your soil repel water.
Colin’s tip to check on your garden at home is to first water the soil then scratch beneath the soil surface and see if the soil is still dry. If it is then your soil is water repellent and you need to do something about it. The good news is that all you need to do is apply a quality soil wetting agent to the soil every 3 to 6 months. This helps to save water and maximises the uptake of nutrients from the soil by increasing its ‘wettability’ and water holding capacity.
Seasol Super Soil Wetter and Conditioner combines an aquatic safe wetting agent to ensure that water penetrates deeply into the root zone with Seasol seaweed and liquid composts to further condition the soil and boost overall plant growth and performance.
Just add 50mls or three capfuls per 9 litres of water in a watering can and then apply to the soil around the roots over an area of 2 to 4 square metres. Or for extremely water repellent soils add 100ml every two weeks until it improves.
One of the great benefits is the included Seasol that provides a health tonic for all the plants in your garden. It contains plant nutrients, trace elements, alginic acid and other bioactive compounds that promote vigorous flowering and fruiting.
With larger areas like this lawn area, Colin likes to use the hose-on to apply the soil wetter. It makes it much quicker and easier to use. The additional soil conditioners help to improve the overall soil structure, increase the water holding capacity of the soil and stimulate beneficial soil microbes, to enhance the fertility and the pest and disease resistance of the soil and the plants that grow in it.
Always wash the soil wetter off the plant foliage with water after application to avoid the possibility of burning in warm weather. Remember the easy way to make your garden more waterwise is to simply use Seasol Super Soil Wetter & Conditioner, the all-in-one health treatment for your plants and garden.
The Seasol Super Soil Wetter and Conditioner ready-to-use hose-on pack and concentrates are available at Bunnings stores and to find out more go to Seasol.com.au.
