January

You've succumbed to making some New Year's resolutions, and now you're busting to get out into the garden, and at least take one step towards making that resolution a reality.

The reality is it's probably too hot or too wet or too humid(or all three) to spend much time in the garden. So remember to hydrate, slip on some sunscreen and slap on a hat!

To help minimise the stress many plants will be under, you can use a foliar spray of weed tea, compost tea or seaweed. Apply early in the morning, wetting leaves thoroughly. The plants will absorb the spray through their leaves, even during a drought. Apply every couple of weeks. I've found it gives plants a real pickup, and can even help minimise insect attack like scale and meally bug.

If the weather abates a little, some short DTM (days to maturity) crops can go in. Likely, it's still way too early for the winter vegetables. Crops like lettuce and radish can go in, but may benefit from some additional shade provided by shade cloth or planting in the shade of a perennial crop. Monitoring your plants needs can only happen if you watch your gardens reaction throughout the day. Shadecloth tents might be needed on other plants that are struggling.

Careful watering will help plants manage these times. Deep watering less frequently will produce stronger, more resilient crops.

Sow crops of green manure to improve garden beds for autumn/winter planting. That's likely to be March which will give time for the crop to grow, be slashed and then for microorganisms to do their thing.

Mulch

With heavy seasonal rain ahead, protect soil from compaction and minimise moisture loss through hot, humid days.

Cuttings

Take cuttings of plants that don’t like wet feet - lavender, wormwood, curry plant (Helichrysum) . If your plant dies, you'll have replacements to replant after Easter when the weather has normalised

Compost

While lawns are actively growing, compost lawn clippings with straw/shredded paper at a ratio of about 10:1. In a tumbler or bin, you can make usable compost in about 2 weeks. Store and use on vegetable beds in March.

Weeding

Pull out any weeds before they flower. Remember what grandma told you about 1 years seed equals 7 years of weeds

Pests

Be vigilant of pests - pick up old fruit to avoid fruit fly. Look out for scale, green shield bugs and aphids. Watch pots and saucers for mosquitoes.

Prune

Prune back hedges and shrubs when they’ve finished flowering. Chop and drop, or mulch to add back as a protective layer to your soil.

Avoid planting cool-season vegetables and annuals till after the wet.

The Seed Swap is on in February. It'll still be too early to plant - but you can get available seed locally, and then look online before the seed runs out.