Gardens can still flourish during climate change

Australia is known for its hot climate, but climate change is starting to shake things up for gardeners across the country who are experiencing even hotter and drier temperatures. 

Particularly, gardeners in Toowoomba are uncertain about the persistent weather changes in Queensland, as avid Toowoomba gardener, Mark Wells explains to the ABC that winter and spring are seemingly combining into one season. 

“By the end of September into October we’re starting to get summer-like temperatures, so I think spring has been compressed,” he told the ABC. 

And the lack of rainfall doesn’t help either. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, August’s rainfall was 39 per cent below average for the whole of Australia, with Queensland below 29 per cent.

While that may seem alarming, it’s not all bad news for gardeners across Australia, as there are things you can do to continue nurturing your garden, even during the warmer months. Spring is the best season to nourish your garden beds, especially as the climate begins to change.

As told by gardening expert, Roger Fox, the easiest way to get started on caring for your garden is to break it down into three components: soil, propagation, and pest control. These three elements are significant for gardening success during warmer weather.

“Gardening has been described as ‘10 per cent inspiration and 90 per cent perspiration’. But it’s the inspiration that makes your gardening efforts a success, and every gardener loves finding a better, or easier, way of doing things,” he told Starts at 60 earlier this year.

In lieu of Roger’s expertise, here are some of his quick and helpful tips.

• Always apply a wetting agent to your soil
• Plant beneath trees for additional nourishment
• Use egg cartons filled with a seed-raising mix for better propagation
• Protect plants from pests by sprinkling ground coffee or crushed eggshells around them

Taking the necessary precautions to nurture your greens with climate change among the horizon are imperative for gardening success. And what’s even better is that you don’t have to do it alone. You can always get your grandkids involved in the gardening to keep things exciting or take them to a local nursery to pick out a plant of their choice to nurture together.