So it's only Spring in sunny QLD and oh my god it has been a scorcher. Like 40+ hot.
Summer growing in QLD really is a tough gig, it's too hot and the bugs move in. Sometimes it's just easier to give up and hit the beach.
To combat some issues that you face and still get some things from your garden here are my tips for surviving summer in the vegetable garden.
Water early
Get into your garden first thing and give everything a good water so plants survive the heat of the day. Never water in the middle of the day when the sun is at it's hottest as that will burn your plants.
Mulch
So your water doesn't evaporate and it gives your plants a layer of protection make sure you have a layer of mulch. I just use cane sugar mulch as it's affordable and it breaks down quickly so I can turn my beds for each season. I recommend doing a few inches of mulch on top of your soil.
Choose heat tolerant plants
Choose plants that are fairly heat tolerant, these plants are the ones that I have found can survive direct scorching sun:-
- Tomato (although in late summer the fruit fly moves in)
- Capsicum
- Chilli
- Corn
- Cucumber
- Beans
Check out some of my go to options here.
Plant protection
If you want to plant more delicate plants like lettuce, use the taller plants to provide shade and protection. Corn, cucumber and climbing beans are great for this. I always plant my taller plants in the North Western facing aspect that way they get the morning sun but are protected for that scorching part of the day.
Shade protection
If all else fails erect some shade cloth protection to cover your more delicate plants. I often just lay over a shade cloth over the crops that I know will frizzle in the sun.
Do you have any tips for growing in summer?
