NOVEMBER GARDENING IN THE WESTERN CAPE

Gardening in November has us all excited for the summer months ahead – the garden is a-bloom! Follow our gardening guide for water-saving tips to maintain your lush summer garden.

Spotlight on: Planting in pots
Container gardening is becoming increasingly popular and convenient for many gardeners – plus it’s a great way to save water! Use our step-by-step guide to planting in pots, then brush up on ways to save water in containers. We have our annual Going Potty promotion coming up this month – watch our Facebook page for announcements on dates and specials.  

Plant & Sow

• Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as amaryllis, dahlias, Zantadizia and gladioli.
• Plant heat-tolerant flowers such as red salvias and vincas for long-lasting summer blooms.
• Sow seeds of felicias, forget-me-nots, Namaqualand daisies and Shirley poppies.
• Sow the seeds of veggies such as beetroot, cabbage, climbing beans, corn, cucumber, French beans, lettuce, melons, parsnip and pumpkin.
• Add herbs such as marjoram, origanum, rosemary, sweet basil and thyme to your garden.

Feed

• Feed plants with an organic fertiliser such as Seagrow or an all-purpose fertiliser.
• Use a 3:1:5 fertiliser for flowering plants.

Prune & Trim

• Prune fynbos such as buchus, ericas, leucospermums and proteas after flowering.
• Give confetti bushes a good pruning.
• Deadhead rose blooms once their first flush is over.

OTHER FRESH IDEAS

Grow your own herbs Adding herbs to pots serves a dual purpose – they look and taste great! Have fun arranging different herb pots on your windowsill (it will save water and be easier to access), create a herb zone in your courtyard or garden, or interplant herbs among your vegetables. Best of all, most herb plants are easy to look after and use minimal water.

Tip: Chives keep the pests away.

Herb of the month: Lemon thyme Lemon thyme is a popular herb grown for its use in cooking and for its attractive foliage. It has a zesty zing that adds wonderful aroma and taste to chicken dishes. It can also be planted as a fragrant ground cover or among pavers along a path or patio. The tiny flowers are bee attractors, encouraging the pollination of surrounding plants.