What to do in your Garden this Month

Plant and sow :

• Sow the following herbs in containers this month: basil, chives, dill, nasturtiums, parsley and watercress. Keep the soil moist until the first shoots appear. Pinch out new growth on the seedlings to encourage them to become compact and bushy.
• Sow seeds of colourful bedding fillers like primulas, cinerarias, pansies, poppies and stocks.
• Fill shady areas of your garden with the colourful foliage of coleus, which grows well in light to fairly deep shade.

Nourish :

• Feed lemon trees with 3:1:5 or 8:1:5 and water well. Surround the trees with a thick layer of organic mulch.
• Use grass and plant clippings (from pruning) as mulch in your garden beds.
• Mulch azaleas and japonicas and water three times a week.
• Water the entire garden early in the morning every 3-4 days. Give it a proper soaking, rather than watering lightly more often.

The Enchantment of a Twilight Garden

When the sun sets, there is beauty and tranquillity to be enjoyed in our African gardens.

There is a simple elegance and peacefulness in a garden designed to be at its best in the evening. It is a place where white- and pale-coloured plants take on an iridescent beauty, and where strong colours darken, adding a mysterious quality.

A twilight garden need not be large. It can be part of the main garden, or situated near a patio. In this garden it is best if the design is kept simple and uncluttered, with well-lit paths constructed of light-coloured paving. A suitable focal point could be a small pool where moonlight is reflected in the water. White and stone urns, statues and benches are more visible.

Seasonal planting

White flowers are most successful in evening gardens where they remain visible long after other colours have faded. Cream, lemon and pale pink flowers and light-coloured foliage are also useful for lighting up dark corners, remaining visible long after darker shades have merged with the shadows.

Start your own Veggie Patch

Why not get 2012 off to a healthy start by establishing your own vegetable patch in your garden? You’ll save so much on fresh produce, plus you’re likely to eat vegetables more frequently if they’re growing right outside in your garden. Gone are the days when a vegetable patch was stuck away in an obscure corner of the garden. With the wide range of ornamental lettuces and attractive crops available today, your vegetable patch should have pride of place as a focal point of your garden.

Here are a few tips to get you started :

• Most vegetables need lots of sunlight (at least 8 hours a day) for optimal growth, so make sure you choose a sunny area of the garden for your veggie patch.
• Soil preparation is very important. If you want healthy veggies, you need to ensure they have healthy soil to feed on. Add 4 spadefuls of compost to every square metre of soil. Compost also helps to improve the drainage of the soil, which is vital for healthy growth of plants.

What to do in your Garden in January

 

It’s time to plan for the year ahead and establish some new good gardening habits.

Quotes

"Ladybirds will flock to your garden if you plant fennel, dill and coriander."

"Zinnias keep their firm, fleshy appearance when many other plants wilt in the summer heat."

Plant trees to keep your home cool

When planted correctly, trees can help to keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter. Here are a few guidelines on how you should arrange trees around your home:

• Plant deciduous trees on the north (sunny) side of your home. During winter they will shed their leaves to let the sunlight in, and in summer their foliage will help to keep your home cool.
• Climbers (like bougainvillea, Chinese jasmine and clematis) planted against the wall of your home reduce indoor temperatures by 5% in summer and lower the loss of heat by 30% in winter.
• Trees planted on the east and west sides of your home will screen it from early morning and late afternoon sun. Make sure you choose low growing varieties that will block out the low-angle sun that is typical at this time of day.

Nature’s little helpers

Treasure the insects and birds that care for your garden. Ladybirds (who love to eat pesky aphids) will flock to your garden if you plant fennel, dill and coriander. Birds (who eat a variety of garden pests) are attracted by fynbos, Cape Honeysuckle and shrubs with berries.

Ideas for busy little bodies

Towards the end of the school holidays it can be difficult to find new ways to keep your children entertained. Here are a few ways to keep them busy in the garden:

• Give them a pair of secateurs (only if they are old enough to use them responsibly) and ask them to deadhead your roses and faded perennials.
• Send them on a snail hunt and pay them R1 for each snail they find (of course, this depends on how many snails you have in your garden!)
• Buy seeds of easy-to-grow plants like marigolds and Californian poppy, and get your children to sow, water and tend to their new crops.

Plant zinnias for hardy summer colour

Zinnias are known for their ability to add colour to your garden in the hottest months of the year. They are easy to grow and keep their firm, fleshy appearance when many other plants wilt in the summer heat. Plant zinnia seedlings in well-drained soil, making sure you add plenty of compost. Zinnia plants need lots of sun and a thorough watering once a week. Zinnias make good companion plants with salvia, marigolds and ornamental grasses.

Make some gardening resolutions

Most New Year’s resolutions are pretty hard to stick to, so why not turn over a new leaf in your garden instead? Consider adding these resolutions to your 2012 list:

1.       Add more indigenous plants to your garden. They’re far easier to grow and you will save considerably on your water bill.

2.       Wherever possible, buy pest- and disease-resistant plant varieties. The fewer chemicals you have to use in your garden, the better.

3.       Pull up weeds as soon as they appear. Young weeds are far easier to uproot than old, established ones.

4.       Discover the benefits of mulch by using it in all your garden beds. It looks attractive, helps to keep the soil moist and discourages the growth of weeds.

5.       Resolve to spend more time in your garden this year. Numerous studies have proved the therapeutic benefits of caring for plants and spending time outdoors.

6.       Start a gardening journal. Make a note each month of which plants look their best, what needs extra care and which pests are a problem. It will be far easier to plan ahead for the following year if you know what to expect in advance.

Shade solutions

Not sure what to grow in shady areas of your garden? Try colourful coleus, begonias, impatiens, aquilegia, bacopa, mimulus, trailing torenia and variegated plectranthus.

Clematis - queen of vines

Clematis are often referred to as the “queen of the vines”, a term that is easy to understand when these spectacular climbers are in full bloom. Given the right growing conditions and care, clematis can be relied on to produce masses of flowers year after year.

“In South Africa clematis fare best if they are started out in pots before being transplanted into the garden.”

“Clematis are climbing plants so they need a structure to climb up from the moment they are planted.”

“Clematis should be watered frequently in dry weather, especially if they are grown in pots.”

Clematis is a large, varied genus of evergreen and deciduous plants which produce a spectacular display of flowers on delicate tendrils. The clematis genus contains over 280 varieties and belongs to the Ranunculaceae botanical family. Almost all varieties of clematis are climbers, with the exception of a few herbaceous species which work well in garden borders. The word clematis comes from the Greek “klema”, which means vine, a clear reference to their climbing nature. Although they grow well in all parts of South Africa they tend to produce the best displays in areas with the coldest winters.

By planting a variety of clematis hybrids you can ensure that you have masses of blooms – along with their attractive seed heads – from early spring until late autumn. You can achieve this by mixing varieties which flower at different times (for more information, see the types listed under “Pruning made simple”). Clematis is available in a wide range of colours – from pale pink and white to intense purple, burgundy and cherry shaded varieties – and includes hybrids with single, double and mixed blooms. Many varieties, such as C. armandii and C. integrifolia, are also sweetly scented, providing a wonderful perfume in the spring and summer garden.

How to plant clematis

In South Africa clematis fare best if they are started out in pots before being transplanted into the garden. Most clematis breeders advise growing them in a pot for at least the first three years. Fill the pot with loamy, well drained soil and plenty of organic matter like compost. Add some extra bone meal to boost the root development of your new plant. Clematis will fare best if planted in a spot where the crown of the plant receives plenty of sun, but the roots are shaded from the worst heat of the day. You can also keep the roots cool by surrounding your plants with a thick layer of bark mulch. However, don’t apply mulch right next to the stems, as this can cause the stems to rot.

When planting clematis, remove the lower leaves of the plant so that the bottom 10cm of the stems are completely bare and plant the root ball at least 12cm below the surface of the soil. The reason for this deep planting method is to ensure that you have a back-up plan should some of the shoots above the ground wilt or die back. If this happens, the buds below the soil will send out new shoots to replace those that have died back.

Support is essential

Clematis are climbing plants so they need a structure to climb up from the moment they are planted. Try mounting three canes in a pot to form a pyramid shade for your clematis to climb up. Alternatively, clematis will also climb up walls, a trellis, or nearby trees or shrubs. If you would like your clematis to climb up a nearby tree make sure you plant it at the edge of the tree canopy where it will receive water and sunlight. Then use a rope to guide the clematis towards the tree so that it can begin to climb.

Caring for your clematis

To get the most out of your clematis, you should fertilise them once every two weeks during the growing and flowering season (spring to summer). Feed with a high nitrogen fertilizer like Seagro, Nitrosol or Multifeed Classic. You can stop feeding them when the plants become dormant (usually around April or May). Clematis should be watered frequently in dry weather, especially if they are grown in pots. They will grow best in moist, but not soggy soil, as this can cause their roots to rot.

Pruning made simple

The best time to prune your clematis depends on the variety concerned. Clematis fall into one of three groups:

·  group 1: Those that flower in spring on old growth,

·  group 2: Those that flower twice a year on both old and new growth, and

·  group 3: Those that flower in summer on new growth.

Clematis in group 1 (for example, C. cirrhosa, C. macropetala and C. montana) should not be pruned. You can simply tidy them up after they have finished flowering.

Clematis in group 2 (the large flowered hybrids like ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Miss Bateman’ and ‘Duchess of Edinburgh’) should be given a light pruning after each flowering flush. Remove weak growth as well as dead leaves and shoots and re-tie bare steams to the support.

Clematis in group 3 (for example, C. florida, C. integrifolia, C. texensis and C. viticella) should be pruned back hard to just above the lowest joint of the plant.

The exception to this rule is the first year after you have planted your clematis. All varieties can be cut back by half a few months after planting to encourage bushier and healthier growth. After pruning, feed your clematis with a high potassium fertiliser to encourage good growth and foliage in the next flowering season.

Dealing with pests and diseases

What is clematis wilt?

If clematis is not securely attached to a support structure, the stems can become damaged, which provides a perfect breeding ground for fungal attacks. Once a fungus attacks the plant, the affected stems start to die back and collapse, a condition referred to as “clematis wilt”. Small flowered clematis varieties are usually resistant to clematis wilt, but it is fairly common among the large flowering varieties. If clematis wilt occurs it is vital to remove and destroy the affected stems. Cut off all wilted stems, removing at least 3cm of healthy looking stem along with the wilted section – or remove the whole stem if it is entirely wilted. The fungus that causes clematis wilt spreads easily so make sure you destroy the affected stems and disinfect any cutting tools after use.

What is eating my clematis?

Snails and slugs are the most common culprits when it comes to damaging your clematis plants. They are especially fond of munching on new growth, so it’s best to surround your clematis plants with snail bait in early spring before these pests have the chance to wreak havoc. Aphids, white flies and red spider can also attack clematis – inspect the foliage regularly and spray with a general insecticide if necessary.

Did you know? The pastel shaded varieties of clematis tend to produce more intensely coloured blooms if they are grown in a semi-shady position, as full sunlight causes the petals to fade.

Planting guide