Edibles 

• All citrus trees are surface feeders and do not like root competition from trees or shrubs. They need to be fed little and often every three months. Use a quality all-purpose granular fertiliser like Baileys Soil Matters Garden or Fruit & Citrus. 
• Baileys organic-based Soil Matters Garden is specifically designed for WA conditions and the ideal plant food for vegetable and herb growing.  Use regularly for these hungry feeders, roughly a good handful per square metre once a month.

  
  

Pot Plants & Garden Beds 

• Feed potted plants to keep them growing actively during the warm season. 
• Now's a great time to give garden beds a refresh and all over feed with new compost and a broad spectrum fertiliser. A layer of Soil Improver Plus lightly turned into beds will boost microbial activity, improve water and nutrient holding and add vital soil carbon. Then apply Baileys Blood and Bone and rock minerals, or and organic based all-in-one product like Baileys Soil Matters Garden.
  
  

Soil

• Water repellent soil is a real issue in early summer and can be fought with a quality wetting agent such as Baileys Grosorb Wetting Agent, in either granular or liquid form. This also works brilliantly for potted plants and lawns too.    
• Top up mulch levels to a depth of 75 to 100mm. If there is no bare soil in your garden you are well on the way to conserving water like a pro. Use Baileys Moisture Mulch.
• A hoe can be a great tool to control weeds popping up in your garden. On hot days weeds die fast after having their root system cut off from the stems and leaves.
  

Flowers & Ornaments

• Cut back annuals or perennials that have finished flowering and deadhead spent roses. This means cutting off dead flowers. It redirects growth into new growth or flowers. If you leave the flowers on the bush it tends to cost the plant energy as it sets about creating seeds.
  
• When you are cutting roses for a vase, take an extra-long stem and you will at the same time be giving your roses a summer trim.
  
• For more tips read our blog - Growing Radiant Roses in WA.

Trees & Shrubs

• Clip fast growing hedges and tidy up scruffy or damaged branches and out of shape hedges.  
• The best time to prune citrus is immediately after cropping before the onset of hot weather. One hint when exposing branches to direct sunlight you can unwittingly open up the bark to sunburn, as the trees are quite susceptible. Paint the newly exposed stems with a white acrylic outdoor paint. This reflects heat and prevents burning which also has the effect of encouraging disease and insect attack.
  

Pot Plants

• Potted plants go through a critical time in early summer as the first few hot days test the water holding capacity of the pot, the potting mix and the strength of the plant. You will need to ensure that the plant is adequately watered. Scratch the soil surface to the depth of the first knuckle. If you can feel moisture at this depth then you don't need to water. If it's dry give it a good soaking drink.
• Cacti can be propagated this month. Make sure that the cut surface is allowed to dry out for at least two weeks before potting in Baileys Indoor Premium Potting Mix. 
  

• Give your lawn a boost now with a high nitrogen fertiliser such as Baileys Brilliance at a rate of 25 grams per square meter. Mow at least every second week, keep it regularly watered and feed again in 4 weeks.  
• Between granular feeds, liquid fertiliser sprayed on the turf leaf (known as foliar feeding) can be utilised to deepen and extend colour and take your lawn to the next level. Try Baileys new TURFECT Rapid Green and enjoy noticeable results within 6 hours! Formulated specifically to produce deep green colour quickly, without growth, TURFECT Rapid Green provides a readily available source of iron and manganese - the nutrients responsible for chlorophyll production. Apply 5ml per square metre diluted in 50ml of water. For more information on foliar feeding and the new TURFECT Range read our Blog here.  
• Wetting agents in a granular form can be applied to lawns to improve water retention and penetration. Use Baileys Grosorb Wetting Agent at the rate of 40gms (just under half a cupful) per square metre.
• Increase the regularity of mowing as growth hits full speed. Once a week is not too often. This helps keep weeds in check too. 
  
• Couch, buffalo and Kikuyu lawns can be planted from runners or turf however they will need careful watering to get them established in the hot months.
• A source of brown spots in your lawn can be sprinklers that are not covering correctly. Check out our blog on catch-cups.

Flowers

• Azalea lace bugs can also leave rusty brown or cream markings to the underside of azalea foliage. Confidor tablets are the go to keep these nasties away.

Vegetables  & Herbs

• Powdery mildew often strikes zucchini as well as grape vines. Use non-toxic Lime Sulphur to combat these attacks. Remember this smelly liquid needs greater dilution for spraying at this time of year so refer to the label.

Fruits

• Passionfruit can be struck by fruit fly and this is the cause of hard lumps in the skin. Fortunately the thick skin stops the fly from laying eggs in the pulp.

Trees & Shrubs

• Pimple psyllids attack the foliage of lillipilly at this time of year causing tiny raised blood red lumps to pop up in young leaves. Confidor tablets are a neat way to combat these disfiguring pests. Apply this in the soil at the base of the plant. Remember its one tablet for every metre of height of the plant.