![Top tips to get ready for summer holidays Healthy soil will help get your plants through a hot summer.](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Gardening tips_Annemarie Bolduc-500x500.jpg)
Top tips to get ready for summer holidays
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Whether you are heading out of town or staying home to spend time in your garden, here's some tips from our experts to prepare for the rest of summer and beat the heat.
![How to beat the summer heat Plant seedlings in soil that's protected by mulch.](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Protecting seedlings with mulch_Phil Dudman_web-500x500.jpg)
How to beat the summer heat
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Helen McKerral has plenty of tricks to help keep vegies happy and productive throughout the summer months, including choosing heat-tolerant varieties.
![Protecting plants from winter cold & frost Winter morning in Cosgrove, Victoria, Australia.](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Winter morning in Cosgrove 2022_KLS-500x500.jpg)
Protecting plants from winter cold & frost
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If you have good house heating, it’s easy to forget that out in the garden some plants need protection from the cold. Here's some tips to help your plants through the winter months, from Karen Sutherland.
![Reviving a garden after floods Silt is super fine soil particles that form a hard crust if allowed to dry.](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/OG133 Flood recovery by Kate Wall-500x500.jpg)
Reviving a garden after floods
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Scientist Kate Wall experienced the Brisbane floods of 2011 and now 2022: here's two important tips she's learned to help gardens recover.
![Hot weather watering tips Watering](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/IMG_0055-500x500.jpg)
Hot weather watering tips
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Some tips from Penny Woodward to help keep plants alive during summer heat.
![Chill factor Chill factor](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Chill factor-500x350.jpg)
Chill factor
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Lots of vegies love the cold and are sweeter for a frost. Justin Russell tells how to take advantage of this while also protecting plants.
![Frost, good or bad? Frost protection](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Frost protection over a vegie garden 1-500x500.jpg)
Frost, good or bad?
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Frosts are part of many gardeners lives but Penny Woodard asks are they good or bad?
![Avoiding the big sneeze Cornflowers are a safe option for hayfever sufferers](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/650x320Newsletter_Ornamental-500x320.jpg)
Avoiding the big sneeze
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Want flowers but not hayfever this spring? Karen Sutherland explains what to plant and what to avoid.
![Use shade to beat the heat Shade Cloth Lettuces](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Shade Cloth Lettuces-500x500.jpg)
Use shade to beat the heat
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Trying to keep your cool in the vegie patch? JUSTIN RUSSELL explains how he uses shade cloth to spare lettuces and leafy greens from the worst of the summer heat.
![Stop the rot – how to control pawpaw fruit rot organically Stop the rot - how to control pawpaw fruit rot organically](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Pawpaw fruit rot-500x500.jpg)
Stop the rot – how to control pawpaw fruit rot organically
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Fruit rots are the curse of organic pawpaw growing. PHIL DUDMAN suggests some simple organic controls and cures.
![Lime-based whitewash Lime whitewash](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Whitewash_620px-500x350.jpg)
Lime-based whitewash
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Here is Phil Dudman’s explanation of how to make a whitewash to protect fruit tree trunks.
![How to solve problems with passionfruit passionfruit](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/passionfruit 2-500x500.jpg)
How to solve problems with passionfruit
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Got a passionfruit vine that’s giving you grief? Garden writer PHIL DUDMAN helps to unravel some of the most common hitches.
![How to prepare for summer organic gardening How to prepare for summer organic gardening](https://www.organicgardener.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Water Fruit 1-500x500.jpg)
How to prepare for summer organic gardening
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Summer in the organic garden can pose its challenges, particularly in hot areas. PHIL DUDMAN shares a few tips for staying cool and keeping crops productive.