Gardening in January

The summer heat isn’t kind to gardens or gardeners either, so it’s a good idea to work in the cool of the morning and do only what’s necessary. These smart little tips will help both you and your garden get the best results from your efforts:

• Prune buddleias, NSW Christmas bush, bottlebrush and lavender after flowering, and clip wayward tendrils of climbers such as star jasmine and wisteria.
• Don’t cut the lawn too short – a bit of length helps shade the roots and conserve moisture.
• Water and harvest early in the morning, or pick vegies just before using.
• Replenish lucerne, compost or sugar cane mulch.
• Treat powdery mildew on pumpkins, zucchini and melons with a weekly spray of one part full-cream milk and nine parts water. This works on grapevines, figs and roses too.
• Concentrate on watering early in the morning, especially pot plants, vegies and fruit trees.
• Pull out weeds and keep mulch topped up.

Things to plant in January

The ABC’s Organic Gardener recommends that long season brassicas such as purple sprouting broccoli and heading cabbage can be started from seed now, along with root vegies such as beetroot, parsnips and carrots. The latter two will germinate strongly in sun-warmed soil.

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• Gardening
• Living and Lifestyle