Summer tasks in an Australian native garden by climate zone
Summer is the season that tests any garden. Established natives are built for heat and dry spells, but plants in their first 18 months have not yet grown the root system to match. Most of the work in summer goes into supporting those plants. The rest is about covering soil, pruning with restraint, removing weeds and helping wildlife through.
The tasks below are organised by climate zone. Find your zone and work through the list, because summer means something a bit different in each.
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Cool temperate
Melbourne · Hobart · Canberra · Elevated NSW and VIC
Summers in cool temperate gardens are warm to hot with long dry spells. Heat events can arrive suddenly in Melbourne and Canberra.
| Task | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deep water plants younger plants | Give new plants a slow, deep soak about once a week and more often in a heatwave. Water in the early morning. Deep watering draws roots down to cooler soil, while frequent shallow watering keeps them near the surface where the soil dries first. A buried terracotta olla delivers water to the root zone slowly. A hose with an adjustable spray gun suits the rest of the bed. |
| Top up mulch before the heat | Check that mulch is 7 to 10cm deep and clear of plant stems. Mulch reduces moisture loss from the soil and keeps roots cooler. Replace what has broken down or blown away. See our mulching guide. |
| Finish pruning early | Spring-flowering shrubs that have finished can still be lightly shaped in early summer with bypass secateurs. Avoid heavy pruning once hot weather arrives, because removing outer growth exposes inner leaves and stems to sun they are not adapted to. |
| Weed before seed | Summer weeds set seed quickly. Lift them with a hori hori while the roots come out whole, and do not let flower heads mature on the bed. |
| Protect new plantings | Newly planted natives put on soft growth once they are watered regularly. Birds and possums will browse it. A wire cloche protects the plant while letting full sun and airflow through. |
| Do not fertilise in hot weather | Feeding during a hot spell pushes soft new growth that scorches easily. Native plants are also sensitive to phosphorus, so hold off until autumn or the next growth flush and use a low-phosphorus native formula only. |
| Hold new planting until autumn | Unless the weather is cool and wet, wait to plant new stock. Autumn gives roots months of mild weather before the next hot season. |
Why early morning is bestLess water is lost to evaporation in the early morning, and the foliage dries as the day warms. Watering at night leaves leaves wet for hours, which invites fungal disease in humid weather. Midday watering loses much of the water before it reaches the roots.
Warm temperate
Sydney · Adelaide · Coastal NSW and SA · Perth hills
Warm temperate summers differ by region. Adelaide and Perth have long dry summers, while Sydney is warm and humid with heavy storms.
| Task | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water young plants on a schedule | In Adelaide and Perth rain can be absent for weeks, so a deep weekly soak for younger plants is the baseline. In Sydney, check the soil before watering because summer storms may have done the job. Water in the early morning and use an olla where watering by hand is hard to keep up. |
| Check for water-repellent soil | Dry sandy soil, including the sands of the Perth coastal plain, can repel water. If water beads on the surface or runs off, apply it slowly in several short passes and keep mulch in place so the surface stays shaded. |
| Tidy after flowering | Remove spent flower stems on kangaroo paws and lightly tip prune shrubs that have finished flowering, such as grevilleas and callistemons. Use sharp hand pruners and never cut into old leafless wood. Keep pruning light while the weather is hot. |
| Watch for humidity problems | Humid weather in Sydney brings fungal leaf spot and sooty mould. Thin crowded growth to improve airflow. |
| Weed before seed | Remove weeds before they flower. A hori hori lifts tap-rooted weeds with the root intact. Pay particular attention to the weeds of national significance in your area. |
| Hold new planting until autumn | New plants in summer need frequent watering and still risk heat stress. Wait for autumn unless you can commit to the watering. |
Why summer pruning needs restraint
Outer growth shades the leaves and stems beneath it. Cut that growth back in hot weather and the inner tissue is suddenly exposed to full sun, where it can scorch. A plant that is already under heat stress also has less energy to recover from a heavy cut. Keep summer pruning to dead wood and light shaping.
Subtropical
Brisbane · Northern NSW · South-east Queensland
Subtropical summers are hot and humid with heavy rain and storms. Growth is fast and so are the weeds.
| Task | Detail |
|---|---|
| Check drainage after heavy rain | Water that sits around crowns puts roots at risk of rot. On heavy ground build a mound at least 300mm high or plant on a slope so water drains away. |
| Water only when the soil is dry | Push a finger a few centimetres into the soil before watering. If it is damp, wait. Overwatering in humid weather does more harm than too little, particularly for plants that come from drier country. |
| Clean up broken limbs | Cut broken branches back to sound wood with sharp loppers so the wound is clean. Torn limbs are slower to heal and invite decay. |
| Weed regularly | Warm, wet conditions push weeds fast, so a short session every week or two is easier than a long clearing job later. A hori hori works well in damp soil. Remove weeds before they flower. |
| Watch for fungal problems and pests | Check for leaf spot, sooty mould, scale and chewing caterpillars. Thin crowded growth to improve airflow. Clean your blades between plants when cutting out diseased growth. |
| Refresh mulch after heavy rain | Heavy rain can wash mulch off slopes and into drains. Top it up to 7 to 10cm and keep it clear of stems. |
| Check potted natives daily in heat | Pots dry out quickly between storms and heavy rain washes nutrients out. Feed lightly with a native fertiliser for pots and small gardens if growth stalls. |
Wet summers and dry-country nativesPlants from dry inland country often fail in humid coastal summers because of root rot and fungal disease, not heat. If a plant is declining in a wet summer, look at drainage and airflow before assuming it needs more water.
Tropical
Darwin · Far north Queensland · Tropical WA
For tropical gardeners, summer is the wet season. Rain does much of the watering and growth is at its fastest.
| Task | Detail |
|---|---|
| Plant just before or in the early wet season | Planting around the start of the wet season lets the rain do the watering and gives roots months to establish before the next dry season. Dig a wide hole with a sharp spade, water in well and mulch straight away. |
| Water new plants during breaks in the rain | Rain can be unreliable at the start and end of the wet season and during monsoon breaks. Check new plantings and give them a deep soak when the soil dries. |
| Clean up broken limbs | Remove broken limbs back to sound wood with loppers or a pruning saw. Leave heavy structural pruning for the dry season and limit wet-season cutting to damaged growth. |
| Keep soil covered | Heavy rain erodes bare soil and washes mulch away. Top mulch up after heavy falls to 7 to 10cm and keep it clear of stems. |
| Weed hard | Weeds grow quickly in wet-season heat. Pull them while the soil is soft and before they flower, using a hori hori for deep roots. |
| Watch for fungal disease and chewing pests | Warm, wet conditions favour leaf spot and fungal rots. New growth attracts caterpillars. Thin crowded growth and keep air moving through the bed. |
| Protect tools from humidity | Humid air rusts steel. Wipe blades clean and dry after use and apply a light coat of tool oil before storing. |
Arid and semi-arid inland
Inland SA · Inland VIC and NSW · Inland WA and QLD
Arid and semi-arid summers are long and extremely hot, with clear skies and little rain. Natives from these regions are adapted to the conditions and need very little.
| Task | Detail |
|---|---|
| Do not plant | Summer heat leaves no reliable planting window. Wait for the cool months and plant then. |
| Deep water last winter's plantings | Plants put in during the cool months are facing their first summer. Give them a deep soak about once a week during hot spells and ease off as the weather cools. |
| Shade young plants in extreme heat | A temporary screen of shade cloth on the west side can help young plants through the hottest days of their first summer. |
| Leave established plants alone | Established eremophilas, acacias, native grasses and saltbush do not need watering, feeding or intervention through summer. Their root systems are managing conditions they evolved for. |
| Avoid pruning in extreme heat | Remove dead wood only. Cutting live growth in extreme heat exposes tissue that has been shaded and stresses the plant. |
| Check mulch cover | Replace gravel mulch or leaf litter that has blown or washed away, keeping it clear of crowns. |
Why extra water can backfire
Frequent watering keeps roots near the surface and pushes soft growth that struggles in extreme heat. Established arid-zone natives are better served by being left to draw on deep soil moisture. Water new plants deeply and infrequently, then stop.
Tasks that apply across all zones
A small number of summer tasks are worth doing regardless of climate zone.
| Task | Detail |
|---|---|
| Put out water for wildlife | Set out shallow dishes of fresh water in a shaded spot, with stones or sticks in each so bees and small birds can land and climb out safely. Refill every day in hot weather and rinse the dishes often. |
| Provide shaded respite spots | Leave some of the garden unraked and avoid clearing every corner to give lizards, frogs and small birds a cool place to shelter through the hottest part of the day (as long as it is safe to do so according to your local CFA.) |
| Move pots out of reflected heat | Pots against a hot wall or on paving cook the root zone. Stand them on feet, move them away from the wall and group them so the plants shade each other. |
| Clean tools after summer pruning | Spray sap and resin from blades with a blade cleaner, wipe them dry and apply a light coat of tool oil. Clean blades make cleaner cuts and last longer. |
| Consider moving struggling natives | Record which plants scorched, wilted or dropped buds and where they sit. A plant that struggles year after year may be poorly positioned for its sun, drainage or shelter. Plan to transplant it in the cooler months. |
This guide completes the seasonal set. For the rest of the year, see the guides to autumn, winter and spring. The maintenance guide by climate zone covers the complete year in one place.
keep reading
A Guide to Australian Native Gardening
How to plan, plant and care for a thriving native garden, whatever your experience level.
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