OCTOBER GARDENING IN THE WESTERN CAPE

The spring garden is abloom! This doesn’t mean you should stop adding to your garden – there are still many plants, flowers and veggies to plant this month. And while October may be dedicated to roses and hydrangeas, there’s no doubt that the rest of your green paradise could use some attention, too. Here are our gardening tips to get yours off to a successful start.

SPOTLIGHT ON: SMELLING THE ROSES

October is fondly known as ‘rose month’ – these beautifully scented flowers burst into a spectacular show from the first week of the month. Many people are familiar with the iconic ‘Iceberg’ rose, as it’s the best-selling type, but there are many other types of roses for your spring garden. Read our full rose care guide for everything you need to know. Top tips to keep in mind:

• Feed your roses with Wonder Rose & Flower 8:1:5 to prolong their flowering and encourage more bud growth.
• Spray for fungus (Funginex) and aphids (Aphicide Plus) – alternate with Rose Protector or Rose Care.
• Deadhead roses when flowers are drooping to encourage more blossoms.
• Make sure your garden has good rich soil – use rose and shrub mix to help enrich your soil and help grow healthy roots.
• Mulch around your roses to keep the roots cool during our hot summers.
• For protection against pests and diseases, use Efekto Rosecare 3 (a 3-in-1 product).

  ON YOUR TO-DO LIST FOR OCTOBER

Plant & Sow

• Plant these flower seedlings in sun-exposed areas: petunias, sweet alyssum, gazanias, penstemons and C. multicaule, SunPatiens® and celosia.
• Seedlings to plant in shady areas include New Guinea impatiens, Busy Lizzie impatiens, begonias, hypoestes and coleus.
• Sow annuals such as cosmos, marigold, Portulaca grandiflora, zinnia and sunflowers.
• Sow the seeds of baby marrows, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, radishes, spinach, squash, sweet peppers and tomatoes.
• Herbs such as basil, chives and parsley will thrive if planted this month.

Feed

• Calibrachoas need to be fed with a water-soluble fertiliser twice a month to keep them in full flower. They dislike soggy soil, so be careful not to water too much.
• Plants growing in acidic soils will need some agricultural lime for performance enhancement. Young plants need only one cup, while more mature plants (older than five years) could do with two cups. A water-soluble foliar feed high in potassium should be applied monthly throughout summer.
• This is the month to feed your hydrangeas with hydrangea food to ensure a steady season of blooms in the summer. See more tips for hydrangea colour in our care guide.

 Prune & Trim

• Clean up succulents such as echeveria and kalanchoe when they have stopped flowering by dividing them and replanting them in other parts of the garden.