According to our Indigenous Noongyar culture, this season is called Bunnuru and it is the hottest time of the year. http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/nyoongar/bunuru.shtml
During February and March here in Perth it is hot and dry with little to no chance of rain. We did have a short heavy shower last Friday night but that was a bit of a teaser, just like the thunderstorm a couple of weeks ago. In February 2024 so far we have had 0.22mm of rain in Perth, which is about the same as we had last year in 2023.
There are some things that you can do during this time to help your garden thrive and not look dry and crispy, which let’s face it is enough to make even the most positive person feel a little down and sad.
Every year the same conversations are had all over Perth, the week that the kids return to school…”Oh my God, it is so hot!!!” Well, it is and we just have to get used to it, wear fewer clothes, drink more water get a bigger fan, and embrace this lovely warm weather.
Indigenous people used to move towards the coast at this time of the year so that they could be well placed to enjoy what we now call the Fremantle Doctor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremantle_Doctor
The cool sea breeze blows from the Indian Ocean over the city in the afternoon. The afternoons are a great time to get out with the hose and water your garden by hand. I find it very meditative. It is a time when I feel very connected to my garden.
HELP OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS
Once the worst heat of the day has passed, grab a cool drink for yourself, wash the dust from the leaves of your plants, and give them a drink at the root zone. Top up the bird bath too so that the next day the birds have a. cool drinking spot early in the morning.
We have hundreds of tiny little birds come to visit our garden at about 4 pm and again early in the morning at about 6 am. They won’t bathe or drink warm water so are super grateful when we top ours up with fresh cold water morning and night. Ensure that you position your birdbath where you can see it so that you can enjoy the show put on by all the birds as they take turns to bathe (I guess that’s why it is called a pecking order) but also so that it is in the shade so that the shallow water does not heat up too much.
We also have bigger birds who come to visit early in the morning. These kookaburras are frequent flyers.
Indigenous people enjoyed the fruits of the sea at this time of the year, enjoying lobster, prawns, and fish in the evenings while they rested in the shade of the trees during the day. I think that sounds like a pretty good plan…why not head on down to the beach for a picnic…some prawns and a glass of wine sound very good.
GREEN LAWN MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER
Your lawn may be looking a little patchy- ensure that you lift the blades of the lawn mower a notch or two so that the roots of the grass are not exposed to the sun. A bit of hand watering is good on a super hot day and a wetting agent is a must. This one is a beauty. https://sabrinahahn.com.au/product/hydrowet/ It is an important time to check for lawn grubs too. You can tell if you have them because your lawn may appear patchy despite getting plenty of water. There are some great commercial blends available to treat lawn grub. I am currently using Scotts Lawn Grub Control and it works a treat. Check that your reticulation covers all of your lawn to give it deep water twice a week.
IT IS NOT THE TIME FOR PLANTING
Resist the urge to plant trees or shrubs at this time of the year, wait until the end of March, April and May. These are the best months for planting new plants, the soil is cooler and you never know, it might even rain. If you have to plant anything in February and March then dunk the whole potted plant into a seaweed solution of say Seasol until all the bubbles are gone, then remove the plant from the pot and place it into the well-watered hole that you have prepared. This will reduce transplant shock in the heat. https://www.seasol.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Seasol_TearOffTags_Seasol_Bunnings_2018SML.pdf
This is the time of the year to not move too quickly, enjoy the work you did in the pre-Christmas, sit under the shade of a tree with a cool drink, sit on the front porch and wave to your neighbors, have a chat, water the garden with your hose if it needs it, and enjoy the afternoon breezes courtesy of the Fremantle Doctor.
