On August 24 the Bureau of Meteorology released the long range forecast for September to December. In summary, SE Queensland is in for a hot dry spring and early summer.
As gardeners we need to pay great attention to the warnings and consider how it will affect our gardens. How much water is available to help through the dry period? Is there room for another water tank? Is it practical to put up some shade cloth to keep the sun off fragile or new plants?
Planting at this time of year and for the next few months is usually advised. New seedlings have time to take hold and adjust to the increasing temperature. However, given the forecast, I believe if new plants aren’t in the ground within the next few weeks they will really struggle to make it through summer. Regular watering will help, but sometimes the intensity of the sun will kill seedlings no matter how much water they receive.
Local native species are better adapted to dealing with our climate. The reduced need for water is a big advantage when people choose a native garden. If you are wanting to put some new plants in your garden, I suggest planting no later than mid-September, and be prepared to keep the water up to them for longer than the usual 6 weeks after planting.
Below is an older article that has relevant information for planting during a dry spell.
Michelle’s Gardening Tips – Water crystals
Along with diligent watering, a way to increase the success of planting is to use water crystals.
Water crystals are polymers that hold water for plants to absorb. They are biodegradable and nontoxic. I use them in most conditions, but they aren’t needed when the soil is always moist as in water ways.
This is the brand I prefer to use and it can be bought locally. There are cheaper brands available, but I have found they expand too much and push the plants out of the ground.
The photos show how much the crystals expand after 12 hours of soaking. This was 2 small handfuls mixed with about 750ml water. I would add the same amount of water again before using these ones. If they are too dry they will expand in the ground and push the plants out. A consistency similar to sloppy soup is good.
To use the crystals, dig a hole a little bit deeper than normal. Pour about 1 cup of the wet crystals in and mix with the soil then plant as usual. They can also be added to potting mix by following the directions on the container.