How to Save Your Garden on the Dacha in Hot Weather: 5 Ideas from Australia

The end of spring and the beginning of summer this year have been hot. If you're already worried about your garden and afraid of drought, read our post.

Use mulch

This is a material used to cover the surface around stems. Australian landscape designers apply mulch generously on all garden beds.

Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil. Even if you water plants less frequently, they won't die. The best materials for this task are decomposed leaves and soaked old newspapers mixed with compost.

And soil moisturizer

To break down the water-repelling wax-like layer that forms in the soil, Australians use special hydrogels.

The colorless powder or crystals are soaked in water and added to the soil. These small reservoirs of water distribute moisture well. Especially effective during rain.

Also — organic additives

Just like mulch, they help retain moisture in the soil and assist plants in surviving droughts.

Water plants early in the morning

This is when the air is still cool, and water won't evaporate actively. It's an excellent time to prepare plants for the hot day.

Choose drought-resistant plants

For example, succulents aren't afraid of high temperatures. Australians grow familiar plants like sedum, echeveria, aloe, and agave.

Also, heat-tolerant herbs like thyme, oregano, and sage do well. Among flowering plants, lavender and protea are great choices.