* Plant winter and spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, Ixia, Leucojum, Sparaxis,
Freesia and Dutch Iris before the end of April. Mulch well and keep moist.
*Winter annuals to plant now: Primulas, Pansies, Poppies, Calendulas, Violas and
Stocks in a sunny position or Cinerarias and Primroses for shade.
* If you have a walled townhouse garden or areas shaded by large evergreen trees
most of the day, autumn is a good time to plant evergreen shade lawn.
* Cut back summer flowering shrubs.
* Plant out container grown shrubs now if needed to ensure strong new top growth in
spring.
* Mulch plants well to protect roots from winter frost and stock up on Frost-Gard to
protect tender plants during the winter months.
* Lift and divide herbaceous perennials.
* Stake sweet peas and pinch out unnecessary side shoots and tendrils.
* Cut back dahlias, lift tubers and store in a cool, dry place. Cover with a little saw
dust or loose sand.
* Seed to sow now: African Daisy, Sweet Peas, Nemesia, Virginian Stocks, Nasturtiums.
Vegetables: Plant peas, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, turnips, leeks, broad beans,
Swiss Chard and garlic.
* Divide and plant strawberries.
Have fun in the garden this month!
Days are warming up fast and the rain is unpredictable, so spread a thick layer of mulch in all beds to retain moisture, keep soil temperature down and save water.
Summer annuals should be planted by now to ensure a good show throughout the summer months. Nip out dead flowers and feed regularly with a suitable fertiliser.
Lawns need a lot of attention this time of the year. Cut the lawn regularly (once a week) at the highest setting for a fine, lush look. Fertilise with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser and water well afterwards.
Adjust watering for plants in containers and hanging baskets, as they will need to be watered more regularly during the hot season.
Prune deciduous spring flowering shrubs, eg. Forsythia, Deutzia and Spiraea when they have finished flowering.
The vegetable garden should be yielding a lot by now. Pick regularly to promote further production. Do regular but small plantings of fast growers like radish, lettuce, Swiss chard, sweet corn, beans, squash and courgette. Carrots, beetroot, potatoes and sweet potatoes can also be planted now.
Cut all dead flowers off rose bushes after the first flowering session. Treat with a fungicide where necessary. Feed with a generous helping of 8:1:5 fertiliser and water regularly and thoroughly (twice a week if no rain).
Consider investing in a rainwater tank to collect water which would otherwise go to waste from your roof area and gutters. It will save precious water and come in handy during the drier months.
To ensure a good show for Christmas, Hydrangeas need a blanket of mulch around their roots and thorough watering. Feed fortnightly with Hydrangea food.
October - the most beautiful month
Rise and shine! Spring has sprung and the hours of pondering on the patio
are over. Now's the time to put all those great ideas into practice...
Remove spring annuals that have finished flowering and plant summer
flowering annuals like marigold, impatiens, torenia, verbena, sunflowers,
zinnia, nasturtium, portulaca, petunia and lavatera for a beautiful summer
show. Pinch out the dead flowers to encourage new ones.
Trim and shape spring flowering bulbs and plant all summer flowering
bulbs now. Water deeply and regularly. Don't remove the leaves of bulbs
that have finished flowering as they provide food for the bulbs. Continue
to water and feed until the foliage dies down completely.
Your roses should be in full bud now and ready to burst into colour.
Water them at least once a week and remove faded flowers.
Fertilise monthly with 8:1:5 to promote healthy foliage and more flowers.
Now is the ideal time to lay new lawn. Shade over can be sown in shady
areas. Don't mow the lawn too short at first. This enables longer grass
to produce food for a stronger growth. Mow regularly to keep weeds at
bay and ensure compact growth.
Divide perennials that were not transplanted in autumn. The following
perennial beauties are in flower now and waiting to grace your gardens:
Aquilegia, Azalea, Delphiniums, Fuchsia, Scabiosa, Gaura, Gazania,
Arctotis and many more. The garden centre is absolutely alive with
colour at the moment.
Days are heating up and the rains will start soon. Good for the plants,
yes, but equally good for weeds. Mulch as much as possible; it not only
keeps the soil moist and cool, but also keeps those pesky weeds at bay.
Before the rainy season starts, ensure that all your gutters and down
pipes are cleaned and unblocked. If possible, invest in a rain water tank
or collect rain water in a drum and remember to be water wise.
You can really get stuck into the vegetable and herb patch now. Sow fast
growing veg like beans, marrows, squash and radish in small quantities
at three week intervals. Plant seedling of tomatoes, green peppers,
aubergine, chillies, lettuces, parsley and basil now.
Have fun in the garden this month!
October gardening tips
03 Oct 2011
By the time October comes, the much-loved South African summer is well underway, and while it is getting warmer, there is a lot to do in the garden to get it looking its best. Here is a list of the top things that should be taken care of in the garden during October:
Look after your lawn: If you had laid down lawn dressing during the early spring months, your lawn should be looking green and lush by the time October arrives. To cater for the warmer weather, let your lawn grow a little longer, as the length will help shade the roots and this will reduce the amount of water it will require. If the new growth has a yellow tinge, then fertilise it with some 5:1:5 and water well after fertilising.
Adding a bit of colour: To ensure that your summer garden is full of flowers and bursts of colour – now is the time to sow seeds and plant seedlings. Easy flowers to grow from seeds include alyssum, asters, celosia, cosmos, lobelia marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias and sunflowers. Summer seedlings to plant now include impatiens, begonias, bedding dahlias, dianthus, gazanias, petunias, salvias and verbena. Also, to keep your summer-flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas, hibiscus and fuchsias in good form, it is a good time to fertilise them now with 3:1:5 of 5:1:5 fertiliser. Be sure to prune back any spring-flowering shrubs that have faded, and you can also fertilise these, such as camellias and azaleas, with 5:1:5 to keep them looking at their best.
Delicious summer vegies: This is the time to sow seeds of summer vegetables into prepared beds, such as carrots, beetroots, beans, pumpkin, marrows, cucumbers, rocket and radishes for example. For tomatoes, eggplant, chillies, green peppers and lettuce – it is easier to sow the seeds into seed trays and wait until they germinate before you plant them into the beds, or even simpler, buy already grown seedlings from your nursery. Putting a thin layer of straw over the sown seeds will help prevent the beds from drying out in the warm weather.
Herbs for the whole family: This is a good time to plant annual herbs such as mint, sweet basil, coriander, dill and oregano. You can also plant herbs that your pets will love, such as dog grass, catnip and borage. To keep the herbs growing well, pick them regularly and feed them twice a month with a liquid fertiliser at half the strength.
Rose-coloured glasses: It is during October when your roses should be putting on a marvellous display! It is wonderful to decorate your home with roses that have been picked from your own garden, however, remember not to pick more than 50% of the roses off any particular rose plant as this will seriously set the plant back. Don’t worry too much about aphids – they are not harmful to your roses and provide great food for ladybirds and birds alike. Water your roses at least twice a week in the warm weather. – Antonella Desi
This month in the garden...
Ensure that tender plants are well protected from frost by covering with frost cover, available per meter or in pre-packed sizes. This will protect your plants to a temperature of -3 degrees C, while allowing enough filtered light and the correct moisture balance for optimum growth.
Take the drab out of winter by planting colourful winter annuals, like pansies, violas, cinerarias, poppies and primulas in beds, hanging baskets and pots. Seedlings are available at Lifestyle Home Garden in flower for instant colour.
Time to get out the gloves, secateurs and shears and start pruning your roses from mid July to ensure strong new growth and beautiful blooms in spring. This is the ideal time to transplant roses or plant new varieties. It's also the best time to transplant trees and shrubs.
Use the healthy twigs and leaves from pruned bushes and shrubs to make compost.
Winter is the perfect time to clean water features, varnish and paint wooden trellising or garden furniture and level or lay paving and edging. Also check irrigation systems for blockages and leaks.
Install water rain tanks now before the spring rains and plan practical ways to use available water sparingly and cleverly.
If you have been feeding the wild birds in your garden, continue to do so during the winter months. Provide extra energy with suet, a bit of bacon, cheese or peanut butter.
Plan and prepare beds for spring vegetable planting. Loosen compacted soil and work in compost to a depth of 20cm.
Indoor plants can be watered less frequently, but do not allow to dry out. The beautiful and dainty Cyclamen is in flower now. In shades of pink, red and white, it will add colour and warmth indoors or outside on a protected patio. Feed this and other flowering indoor plants regularly.
Continue watering the garden when necessary even during the cold months. Many plants in the winter garden die, not because of frost, but due to a lack of sufficient water. Stressed plants are also more susceptible to frost. Water mid morning, not late afternoon. If you use an irrigation system, it should be adjusted to deliver less water less frequently.
Remember to mulch to keep soil moist and provide some protection to roots.
Not too long now until days will become warmer and our gardens will reward us with their beauty.
* Plant winter and spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, Ixia, Leucojum, Sparaxis,
Freesia and Dutch Iris before the end of April. Mulch well and keep moist.
*Winter annuals to plant now: Primulas, Pansies, Poppies, Calendulas, Violas and
Stocks in a sunny position or Cinerarias and Primroses for shade.
* If you have a walled townhouse garden or areas shaded by large evergreen trees
most of the day, autumn is a good time to plant evergreen shade lawn.
* Cut back summer flowering shrubs.
* Plant out container grown shrubs now if needed to ensure strong new top growth in
spring.
* Mulch plants well to protect roots from winter frost and stock up on Frost-Gard to
protect tender plants during the winter months.
* Lift and divide herbaceous perennials.
* Stake sweet peas and pinch out unnecessary side shoots and tendrils.
* Cut back dahlias, lift tubers and store in a cool, dry place. Cover with a little saw
dust or loose sand.
* Seed to sow now: African Daisy, Sweet Peas, Nemesia, Virginian Stocks, Nasturtiums.
Vegetables: Plant peas, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, turnips, leeks, broad beans,
Swiss Chard and garlic.
* Divide and plant strawberries.
Days are warming up fast and the rain is unpredictable, so spread a thick layer of mulch in all beds to retain moisture, keep soil temperature down and save water.
Summer annuals should be planted by now to ensure a good show throughout the summer months. Nip out dead flowers and feed regularly with a suitable fertiliser.
Lawns need a lot of attention this time of the year. Cut the lawn regularly (once a week) at the highest setting for a fine, lush look. Fertilise with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser and water well afterwards.
Adjust watering for plants in containers and hanging baskets, as they will need to be watered more regularly during the hot season.
Prune deciduous spring flowering shrubs, eg. Forsythia, Deutzia and Spiraea when they have finished flowering.
The vegetable garden should be yielding a lot by now. Pick regularly to promote further production. Do regular but small plantings of fast growers like radish, lettuce, Swiss chard, sweet corn, beans, squash and courgette. Carrots, beetroot, potatoes and sweet potatoes can also be planted now.
Cut all dead flowers off rose bushes after the first flowering session. Treat with a fungicide where necessary. Feed with a generous helping of 8:1:5 fertiliser and water regularly and thoroughly (twice a week if no rain).
Consider investing in a rainwater tank to collect water which would otherwise go to waste from your roof area and gutters. It will save precious water and come in handy during the drier months.
October - the most beautiful month
Rise and shine! Spring has sprung and the hours of pondering on the patio
are over. Now's the time to put all those great ideas into practice...
Remove spring annuals that have finished flowering and plant summer
flowering annuals like marigold, impatiens, torenia, verbena, sunflowers,
zinnia, nasturtium, portulaca, petunia and lavatera for a beautiful summer
show. Pinch out the dead flowers to encourage new ones.
Trim and shape spring flowering bulbs and plant all summer flowering
bulbs now. Water deeply and regularly. Don't remove the leaves of bulbs
that have finished flowering as they provide food for the bulbs. Continue
to water and feed until the foliage dies down completely.
Your roses should be in full bud now and ready to burst into colour.
Water them at least once a week and remove faded flowers.
Fertilise monthly with 8:1:5 to promote healthy foliage and more flowers.
Now is the ideal time to lay new lawn. Shade over can be sown in shady
areas. Don't mow the lawn too short at first. This enables longer grass
to produce food for a stronger growth. Mow regularly to keep weeds at
bay and ensure compact growth.
Divide perennials that were not transplanted in autumn. The following
perennial beauties are in flower now and waiting to grace your gardens:
Aquilegia, Azalea, Delphiniums, Fuchsia, Scabiosa, Gaura, Gazania,
Arctotis and many more. The garden centre is absolutely alive with
colour at the moment.
Days are heating up and the rains will start soon. Good for the plants,
yes, but equally good for weeds. Mulch as much as possible; it not only
keeps the soil moist and cool, but also keeps those pesky weeds at bay.
Before the rainy season starts, ensure that all your gutters and down
pipes are cleaned and unblocked. If possible, invest in a rain water tank
or collect rain water in a drum and remember to be water wise.
You can really get stuck into the vegetable and herb patch now. Sow fast
growing veg like beans, marrows, squash and radish in small quantities
at three week intervals. Plant seedling of tomatoes, green peppers,
aubergine, chillies, lettuces, parsley and basil now.
Have fun in the garden this month!
October gardening tips
03 Oct 2011By the time October comes, the much-loved South African summer is well underway, and while it is getting warmer, there is a lot to do in the garden to get it looking its best. Here is a list of the top things that should be taken care of in the garden during October:
Adding a bit of colour: To ensure that your summer garden is full of flowers and bursts of colour – now is the time to sow seeds and plant seedlings. Easy flowers to grow from seeds include alyssum, asters, celosia, cosmos, lobelia marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias and sunflowers. Summer seedlings to plant now include impatiens, begonias, bedding dahlias, dianthus, gazanias, petunias, salvias and verbena. Also, to keep your summer-flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas, hibiscus and fuchsias in good form, it is a good time to fertilise them now with 3:1:5 of 5:1:5 fertiliser. Be sure to prune back any spring-flowering shrubs that have faded, and you can also fertilise these, such as camellias and azaleas, with 5:1:5 to keep them looking at their best.
Herbs for the whole family: This is a good time to plant annual herbs such as mint, sweet basil, coriander, dill and oregano. You can also plant herbs that your pets will love, such as dog grass, catnip and borage. To keep the herbs growing well, pick them regularly and feed them twice a month with a liquid fertiliser at half the strength.
Ensure that tender plants are well protected from frost by covering with frost cover, available per meter or in pre-packed sizes. This will protect your plants to a temperature of -3 degrees C, while allowing enough filtered light and the correct moisture balance for optimum growth.
Not too long now until days will become warmer and our gardens will reward us with their beauty.
Decorate a blank garden wall
Here's a great solution for a blank wall: espalier, the art of growing a plant along a flat surface. It may look costly and complicated, but it isn't. This project is something you can do in a weekend. Perhaps you haven't tried growing vines because they seem unpredictable. This method helps you control that. Choose the right one, and you'll get a lot of coverage for the money.
First, select a pattern. The technique of espalier was originally used to produce a lot of fruit in a small space. Though you may not be growing fruit, you can still borrow from the method. Choose from one of the classic designs below, or create your own.
Fine vines
Select a vine that climbs by twining or by tendrils and has small to medium leaves. The scale of the vine should work with the pattern you select. Ivy is a tempting choice because of its beautiful foliage and fast growth (once established). However, it climbs by aerial roots that can attach to walls and turn into a maintenance nightmare if left unattended. If you do use ivy, choose one of the variegated selections, which tend to be slower growing. When selecting the right vine, speak to your local garden centre - they will be able to advise you on the growing habits of each variety.
Do it like a professional
When choosing a pattern, allow for a mature, maintained vine width of at least 15 to 20cm.
2. Centre the pattern on the wall. Mark connection points with a grease pencil, and drill points with the appropriate bit. Insert eye screws directly into brick, stone, or wood. Apply clear silicone caulk made for outdoor use around the eye screws to keep moisture out.
3. Starting at the bottom, thread and secure cable through the first eye screw, and then thread it through the second eye screw. Pull tight, and loop it through again. Move to next eye screw, and repeat, finishing the pattern and tying off the cable.
4. Plant one vine below the centre of the pattern for candelabra and fan designs. For diamond patterns, plant a vine at the base of each bottom point. Twine the vines around the cable, and secure with twist ties.
Maintaining the look
Continue training the vines to grow around the coated cable until the pattern is complete - usually in one to two growing seasons. Once the vines have covered the cable, clip as needed to maintain the form.
Article courtesy of: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/
