The Bureau of Meteorology recently released a special update of their climate outlook for the next three months. They are now predicting warmer than average daytime and overnight temperatures for the southern half of Australia from October to December.
In the west of Melbourne, there’s a 70-75% chance that over the next three months we’ll have higher than average daytime temperatures. There’s also a 60-65% chance that we’ll have higher than average overnight temperatures.
This September was the third driest on record for Australia, and according to the update, there’s a 65-70% chance that the west will have a drier than average October to December.
All the signs point to a hot, dry spring here in the west – which means our plants and gardens will appreciate some extra care as we head into summer.
This won’t be news to most locals, because the western suburbs are drier and often warmer than other parts of Melbourne. We just need to keep this in mind as we work on greening the west.
There are a number of things you can do to protect your plants and make sure you are watering efficiently. For example, you can add mulch around your plants to keep the soil cool and moist. If you’re adding or replacing plants in your garden, you can pick plants that tolerate higher temperatures and less water.
And you can be smart about when and how you water. SmartGardenWatering is a great tool for calculating and optimising water use in your garden.
For more tips about saving water and spring gardening: