Gardening In Perth In December

December 1, 2014 Gardening Gals Uncategorized

The year is nearly over but there are still jobs to do in the Perth garden during December before relaxing over Christmas.

Vegies to plant in December include – capsicum, eggplant, lettuce, tomato, zucchini, beetroot, celery and pumpkin.

Flowers to plant in December include – portulaca, sunflower, begonia, marigold, petunia, verbena, salvia and impatiens.

December is a great time to attend to the following tasks in the Perth garden:

• Protect ferns from burning sun and strong winds. Maiden Hair ferns don’t like to dry out at all
• Add mulch to outdoor potted plants to conserve water
• Watch for fungal diseases on roses and vegies. Help keep plants healthy by removing disease affected leaves
• Blue-green algae affects ponds and stagnant water in summer and pets should not be allowed to drink from these as it can cause illness
• Harvest leafy green vegies when the leaves are small and young and harvest often
• Bundle pots together for easier watering, especially if someone is looking after your garden while you are away
• When harvesting Basil, take a bit from each plant rather than stripping one. Pinch out tips to encourage lots of new growth
• Cover your worm farm with damp hessian to keep it cool and shaded
• Keep an eye on any new plantings. Nursery plants are constantly watered so you need to give new plants extra water until their root system has established
• Check irrigation systems to ensure they are all working properly, with all spray heads and drippers running freely
• Top up mulches to reduce moisture loss and moderate soil temperatures during summer. It also helps to suppress weeds
• Ripen green tomatoes by placing them on a sunny window sill

Enjoy your time in your Perth garden in November.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!