BroccoliUnless you live in the sub-tropical regions of South Africa, It’s too late to plant slow maturing summer vegetables this month, but in the cold winter regions it is time to sow many winter crops and to start preparing and planning your winter veggie garden.

In the warm sub-tropical regions continue to sow seeds of vegetables that can be planted out into the garden once the weather cools down. Try sweet peppers, chillies, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, baby marrows, Swiss chard, green beans and cabbage.

In the cooler regions continue sowing winter vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and kohlrabi into seedling trays, for planting out in early autumn. If you started sowing last month, feed the seedlings with a liquid fertiliser that is high in nitrogen. In cooler regions it is also a good time to sow lettuce directly into well-prepared beds.

An avenue of Agapanthus. Picture courtesy www.newplant.co.zaIn our modern world we often find ourselves pressed for time and wondering where we can free up some in order to do the things we really enjoy. Gardeners are no exception, and whether you like gardening or not, everyone loves a beautiful garden overflowing with greenery and brightly coloured flowers, but seldom do we count the cost in time spent on creating and maintaining such a garden. That's where flowering perennials can save the day, because unlike annual plants which grow, flower and die all in one season, perennials can last several years before they need replacing or dividing. Also many perennials spread easily, and this, together with their longevity, makes it really worthwhile investing in them for your garden.

All gardeners, and new gardeners, there is a new DIY Garden Club in the KZN Midlands that are inviting people to join (no fees to be in the club, just a small cover fee to attend the DIY’s).  They are having their first gathering on 24 February, and if you are interested, you will need to join their group on facebook and let them know you want to be part of the group and if you want to attend.  The info for the first meeting is pinned to the top of the page.

* No membership fees.
* Monthly DIY gatherings
* Small cover charge to attend the DIY’s.
* Seed and plant swapping welcome
* New gardeners very welcome
* Children very welcome if supervised by parents.

Their page is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kznmidlandsdiygardenclub/

Heritage village
21st - 23rd September

Heritage weekend celebrates

McGregor Magic

Open Garden Festival

Achillea' Summer Pastels' mix. Picture courtesy www.ballstraathof.co.zaAchillea millefolium, a beautiful herbaceous perennial commonly known as yarrow or common yarrow, is a member of the lovely Asteraceae family, and a close relative of Chamomile and Chrysanthemums. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere; in Asia, Europe, and North America. Today yarrow can be found growing all over the world; occurring from sea level to 3,500 metres in elevation. It is most frequently found in the mildly disturbed soil of grasslands and open forests, and survives in various habitats: forests, meadows, grasslands, mountains, coastal areas, and arid regions.