Welcome to Gardening in South Africa!

Hawk moth caterpillar. Picture courtesy Kobus PretoriousIf your Arum lilies have holes in the leaves or are completely stripped, you probably have hawk moth caterpillars. They also attack other garden plants like fuchsias and impatiens; and other species attack a variety of garden plants. The moths of these caterpillars are olive-green with black and pale stripes with a wingspan of about 70mm. They appear during the warmer months and lay their eggs on the host plants. The caterpillars can grow up to 8cm long and may be speckled brown or a smooth pale green; with two distinctive eyespots and a horn on the tail. They feed at night and can hardly be seen during the day. Pick them off by hand at night; or spray with Margaret Roberts Biological Caterpillar, or any spray containing natural pyrethrins.

Red Hot Sally Improved Salvia. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyAll Regions

Whether you’re staying at home or going away in December, it’s time to prepare your garden for the festive season. If you’re staying at home and want a gorgeous show, finish planting out your summer seedlings and perennials early this month; but if you are going away for the holidays and do not have a reliable person to water for you, just mulch your beds to conserve moisture and let your garden rest.

If your budget is limited and you are expecting guests, there are economical ways to have a sleek and colourful garden which won’t break the bank.

Firstly, a neat garden always leaves a good impression; so if your garden has become a rambling and weedy mess, start by giving it a good spring clean and pruning. If you are revamping an old established garden, work with the existing plants in the garden, adding plants that will enhance the design, or removing those that really clash.

Image by Mylene2401 from PixabayLawn

A beautiful, healthy lawn goes a long way to creating a chic looking garden, and needs regular attention throughout the growing season, so if you want a good-looking lawn for December, continue to feed and water regularly with a slow release organic fertiliser for lawns.

Try to water in the morning so that the blades can dry off during the day, as this will help prevent fungal diseases. This applies especially to Kikuyu lawns as they are susceptible to a fungal disease called "fade out".

For a lovely fine textured lawn with no yellow spots, mow more frequently but do not cut too short. If possible, mow during the cooler part of the afternoon. Periodically change the direction in which you mow your lawn to prevent ridges and uneven growth.

On most soils a lawn requires watering to a depth of about 30cm each week, so to save water, measure how much your irrigation system is delivering and adjust as required. If moles are a problem, continual use of a ‘garlic based’ repellent should hopefully chase them away.

Dragon Wing Red Begonias & Silver Falls Dichondra. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyColour in the garden:

Next decide where a bit of colour will be most effective in the garden, and visit your garden centre to select annuals and perennials which flower well in December. Perennials will not only provide colour this season, but even more next year; saving you money in the long run.

Click here to find lists and articles on perennials.

If you want a peaceful and pleasant end result, do not overdo colours in your garden, and stick to a simple colour scheme.

If used well, colour will help to lead the eye through the garden; drawing attention to focal points and tying together various other landscaping elements like stretches of lawn or background trees and shrubs.

Colour will also soften and accentuate low walls and pathways and is used to demarcate various ‘rooms’ in the garden and lead from one to another.  

Click here to find plant lists and articles on how to add colour to the garden.

What sets one flower garden apart from another is the structure and design surrounding the flowers. The easiest way to create an attractive and continuous display of colour in your garden is to plant perennials, bulbs, annuals and groundcovers around a framework of shrubs, roses and ornamental trees. The various plants will support each other visually and make a rich patchwork of texture and colour. If you try to create a flower garden without first planting this framework of shrubs and trees it can be likened to painting and decorating the interior of your home before it has even been built!

Corona Cherry Magic Dianthus. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyIn fact, landscaping the garden is similar to designing and building your own home, starting with the architectural design of the building. Think of the large trees and shrubs as the bare structure of the building, before the walls and interiors are done. These give the home or garden its specific style.

Next, consider hedges, and plantings of smaller shrubs as the walls of the garden; demarcating the various rooms in the design and providing background colour, rather like selecting the paint for your interior walls in the home. These plants will provide year round structure and substance to the garden, providing the perfect backdrop for your flowering perennials, annuals and bulbs, which can be thought of as the interior colours and ornamentation of the home.

Lastly plant your ground covers; these should tie the whole design together, rather like carpeting or tiles in the home. Stretches of lawn or paving are used in the same way.

If strategically placed where they will have the most impact pots will transform any area of your garden. Many bedding plants grow beautifully in containers, and groupings of flowering pots and hanging baskets will instantly add a warm and welcoming touch to entrances, patios and other areas.

Colorcade Burgundy Geranium. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyPlease remember that no prize-winning flower garden can be created in the first year and a bit of planning beforehand will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

At this time of the year choose flower seedlings which are reasonably well developed rather than trying to grow everything from seed, as it is getting a bit late for many seed varieties if you want a display in December. Dig lots of compost into the beds and sprinkle with bone meal before planting out new seedlings. Try to plant in the late afternoon when it is cooler, this gives the small plants time to revive before the morning.

 You can still sow seeds of fast maturing, water-wise annuals like: portulaca, salvia, marigolds, cosmos, nasturtiums, ageratum and zinnias.

Continually pinch out the dead flower heads of your annuals to prolong flowering.Cut back the dead flowering spikes of delphiniums and foxgloves and feed them with organic 3:1:5; this encourages the plants to put forth side shoots, and they will flower again later in summer. 

Treat yourself this month with my e-book; “Growing Bedding Plants in South Africa”. It covers everything you need to know about growing your own seedlings and includes useful information on the best planting and sowing times for each variety, as well as the ideal germination temperatures and days to flowering.

The large selection of flowering bedding plants available in South Africa enables us to have colour in our gardens throughout the year. Bedding plants allow you to incorporate a fresh ‘new look’ every season by using different colour schemes and plant varieties. Combine this with the fast-maturing versatility of annuals and your garden can become a canvas with you as the artist.

Click here to order or read more

Red RosaminiRoses

With the first summer flush of roses almost over it’s time to cut off the dead blooms to neaten the bushes and encourage re-blooming. When doing this, leave as many leaves on the plant as possible because roses need lots and lots of healthy leaves to protect the stems against sunburn. Cut back to a dormant bud that is pointing in the direction in which you want the new shoot to grow.

Continue to remove any briar growth that normally shoots from the bottom of the plant. Brair growth can be noticed immediately as water shoots grow very vigorously and look different to the normal shoots. Prune your spring flowering Banksia and Dorothy Perkins roses as soon as they have finished blooming.

Spray your roses regularly with an organic insecticide and fungicide. Never mix fungicides and insecticides together, rather spray with one in the morning and the other in the evening. Be on the look-out for powdery mildew, black spot, red spider and aphids. Feed with an organic 8:1:5 fertiliser and water deeply at least twice a week during dry spells.

CMR Beetles:

Watch out for the large yellow and black CMR beetles on your flowering plants. They become active in October and populations peak in summer. Many garden plants can come under attack, especially roses; and only one beetle can destroy many blooms in a single day. The flowers of vegetables like, pumpkin, tomatoes and beans are also susceptible.

If only a few beetles are spotted you can catch them by hand, but ensure that you wear gloves because they excrete a liquid which can cause blisters. If the infestation is severe, they can be controlled with any organic formulation that contains pyrethrins. The best control is obtained by thoroughly spraying the adult beetles while they are actively feeding on warm days. Adding a wetter or sticker to the spray solution will increase its effectiveness.

Hydrangea 'Leuctfeuer'Hydrangeas

Continue to feed your hydrangeas regularly with hydrangea food, to intensify the colour of the blooms. Mulch them with bark chips or compost to conserve water, and water regularly for a spectacular show in December.

Fuchsias

Fuchsias can also look at their best in December if they are well cared for now. Continue to feed and water regularly, but do not overwater. On very hot days your fuchsias may wilt even though the soil is still wet; try moving them to a cooler position or simply spray the leaves down with water and they will quickly perk up again in the evening.  Spraying underneath the leaves often with water will also help keep red spider and whitefly at bay. Spray early, so that the leaves are dry before evening, otherwise they will be more susceptible to powdery mildew; especially on overcast evenings.

Amaryllis 'Miracle'Bulbs

If you have not lifted and divided your winter and spring flowering bulbs yet to store for next season you should be able to do so now. (Read last month’s article)

Plant amaryllis bulbs out now and they should be in full bloom at Christmas time. Feed summer bulbs like canna, dahlia, lilium and Gladiolus, and stake your liliums. Check all your bulbs for the lily borer and treat with Margaret Roberts Biological Caterpillar Insecticide.

Lift and divide your bearded irises now if necessary; discarding the rhizome which produced the flowers and replanting only the young pieces into good, well-drained soil to which a sprinkling of agricultural lime has been added. Remove all dead leaves and check for snails. Always plant the rhizomes so they are just showing above the ground. Louisiana irises however, must be planted 3 to 5cm deep and in lime-free soil.

Plant some more summer flowering bulbs, and especially dahlias as staggered planting ensures months and months of blooms. Also, if dahlia tubers are planted this month they will bloom in February when the weather begins to cool down and the blooms will last longer. Bedding dahlias are grown from seed and are available in seed packets as well as in seedling trays. Plant dahlias in good, well-drained soil and remember to plant a stake with the tuber for tall growing varieties. If powdery mildew is spotted, spray immediately with an organic fungicide.

Members can click on the highlighted links to read more.

Perennial plants

Most perennial plants are now growing strongly and you should wait until autumn if you have not divided overcrowded clumps yet; but perennial primroses and violets can be divided once they have finished flowering; re-plant only strong healthy plants into well  prepared, fertile beds.  

How to treat yellow leaves                                                 
Epsom Salts

If your hydrangea, gardenia, brunfelsia (yesterday-today and tomorrow) or citrus tree has yellow leaves, water them with Magnesium Sulphate (Epson Salts).

Dissolve 5 tablespoons into 10l of water and drench the soil around the plants. For fully grown citrus trees, sprinkle 1kg directly onto the soil and water it in very well. Never apply fertiliser near the stems of trees and shrubs, as this can burn them.

Hibiscus plants often show yellow leaves at this time of the year but this is usually caused by cold weather, waterlogged roots or lack of nutrients.  

Summer Pruning

Prune rambling roses and frost hardy shrubs and climbers that flowered in spring and early summer like Deutzia, Abelia, Cape May (Spiraea arguta and cantoniensis), Forsythia, Mock Orange (Philadelphus), Weigelia, Jasmine, and the Snowball Bush (Viburnum). In hot, dry regions do not prune too harshly, mature plants can be cut back about one third.

Bougainvilleas can also be pruned when the first flush of flowering bracts has faded. Remove any water shoots that grow from the base of the plant.

Prune marguerite daisy bushes (Argyranthemum) and Chrysanthemums after their first flush of flowers to encourage them to bush out and produce more blooms.

Hebe 'Snowdrift'Take softwood cuttings:

November is a good time to take softwood cuttings of small plants like arctotis, renostergousblom (Arctotis); fuchsia, rosemary, Veronica (Hebe), lavender, marguerite daisies (Argyranthemum) and trailing daisy, bergbietou (Osteospermum).

Members can click on the highlighted links to read more.

Staking:

Securely stake your standard plants and trees, to protect them against wind and rain damage. Soft material, like pantyhose make perfect ties. Check your ties every two months and loosen them if necessary or they may damage your plants and trees.

Shade plants:

Shade plants that grow near or under large trees, next to walls or under the eaves of a home, need extra care in the summer, because they are competing with the trees for water and food, and often, even after a good downpour you will find that some plants growing under thick foliage or eaves etc. are still quite dry, and will require watering. They will also benefit greatly from regular foliar feeding, because fertiliser sprayed directly onto the leaves of a plant is absorbed immediately. Shade plants will also benefit from a seasonal mulch of compost and regular, deep watering.

Click here to find articles and plant lists on shade plants.

Strawberry 'Florian' Picture courtesy MayfordsFruit:

Continue spraying your deciduous fruit trees against fruit fly and coddling moth.

Click here to find a complete spraying guide for deciduous fruit trees, under peaches and nectarines.

Water the trees very deeply about once a week to ensure a good crop; and feed regularly. A mature peach tree carrying a good crop will require 300 to 400 litres of water a week.

Check your citrus trees for scale insects and spray with a white oil in the cool of the day if necessary.

Check your citrus regularly for what is called "orange dog", as these caterpillars can sometimes become a problem in the garden, especially on immature citrus trees, because the larvae feed mainly on the young leaves. The damage caused is the same as for any leaf-eating caterpillars, but seldom will the larvae reach epidemic proportions and a few caterpillars on mature trees will not affect the health of the trees.

Gardeners are encouraged not to spray or remove these caterpillars, as the culprit is a beautiful butterfly called the "citrus swallowtail" It emerges in spring, and has large wings with bright yellow and black markings, with the distinctive swallowtail at their bases.

The spiny backs of the young larvae are black with a white mark, but as the larvae mature they become smoother and turn green, with a diagonal black stripe on both sides of the back, and black stripes across the head. They can reach 40mm long and larvae can be present from late spring to autumn.

If you feel you need to control the caterpillars, and if only a few are present they can be picked off by hand, or you can spray with Margaret Roberts Biological Caterpillar Insecticide, which is a natural product that will control orange dog caterpillars as well as many other garden insects.

It contains no toxic residues and is harmless to bees, birds, fish, pets, wildlife, beneficial insects, and natural predators. It can cause harm to the young larvae of butterfly species, but has no effect on adult butterflies, and is also safe to use on edible crops and they can be harvested directly after application. 

Feed berries such as strawberries, Cape gooseberries, boysenberries, youngberries and raspberries with organic 3:1:5. Mulch the soil around the roots and water regularly and deeply. Harvest your berries every few days to encourage fruit production. Pinch back the shoots on your Cape gooseberries to encourage them to branch out.

Grapes are susceptible to powdery and downy mildew so spray them regularly with an organic fungicide like Biogrow Copper Soap.

Continue to feed your bananas and paw-paws and ensure that your avocados are watered regularly in dry weather.

Red chilliVegetables:

Water your vegetables regularly to ensure they are sweet and tender and keep the beds weed free. Feed your tomatoes with organic 3:1:5 when the fruit begins to set. Pinch out the shoots of runner beans when they reach the top of the stakes to encourage flower production. Do the same for cucumbers and train the secondary growth along horizontal supports.

Feed your peppers and eggplants with a high nitrogen fertiliser to encourage growth. Mound the soil up over developing potatoes and apply a high nitrogen fertiliser to sweet potatoes when they are in full leaf. Harvest onions that are drying out. If space is limited grow gem squash up a trellis or up the stems of sweet corn.

Herbs:    

Sow or plant herbs like Basil, coriander, dill, parsley and Italian parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, marjoram, mint, tarragon, sage, rocket and fennel.

Weeds:

Last but not least, weed, because warmer weather and the first summer rains will have those weeds growing rapidly. Save yourself a lot of time next summer by religiously weeding this season and not allowing them to set seed.

Members can click on the highlighted links to read more.

Summer rainfall (Temperate or Highveld Regions)

Water your garden thoroughly during dry spells and if your shrubs and especially your roses are damaged by hailstorms, prune out the damaged wood and spray with a fungicide, to prevent fungal infections. Ensure that all your young trees and standards; especially standard roses are securely staked, to prevent storm damage. In warmer regions prune your hibiscus, poinsettias and tibouchinas to encourage late summer and autumn flowering.

Continue planting out summer bulbs like dahlia, eucomis, glalioli, amaryllis and the beautifully coloured arum lily hybrids. It is not too late to plant out summer seedlings and to sow seeds of fast maturing flowering annuals.

Make your last sowings of eggplant, sweet peppers, chillies and tomatoes. Try some Globe artichokes green mealies and sweetcorn this season; and if you have space, plant potato and sweet potato tubers. If space is limited, try growing them in a large barrel or dustbin. Asparagus, beetroot, bush and runner beans, celery, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, Swiss chard and lettuce can also still be planted.   

Winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean)

A thorough watering twice a week is more than enough for established shrubs and trees. Seedlings and potted plants can be watered more frequently. Please ensure that your bird bath is always full. Prune fynbos plants like buchu, confetti bushes and indigenous daisies which have finished flowering. Take softwood cuttings of arctotis and osteospermums. Water your garden during the coolest part of the day. Buffalo lawns require less water and fertiliser than kikuyu. Save water by replacing some of your lawn with hard landscaping materials like pavers, gravel, pebbles or mulch. A cooler alternative is to plant more groundcovers which will act as a 'living mulch'.

It is not too late to sow seeds of fast maturing summer annuals or to plant out summer seedlings. Before you pull out Namaqualand daisies, Shirley poppies, felicias and forget-me-nots, collect seed to store and sow next season.

Continue to sow or plant summer vegetables like carrots beetroot, eggplant, sweet peppers, tomatoes, green mealies and sweet corn, pumpkin and squash; try sowing some spanspek and watermelon. Feed berries with a slow release 3:1:5 and spray grape vines regularly to prevent fungal diseases like powdery mildew.

Subtropical summer rainfall regions

November is a rainy month in this region, so fertilise your garden regularly with a balanced fertiliser like 2:3:2 or 3:1:5. Feed your lawn with a balanced fertiliser that is high in nitrogen, like 7:1:3. Remember to seal your fertiliser packets or containers properly after using or the humidity will make it moist and un-useable. Continue to spray plants that are susceptible to fungal diseases regularly, with an organic fungicide. Check your palm trees for rhino beetles which bore into the heart of palms and cause the crown to die off. Check your trees and tree ferns for white ants; if you see what looks like mud on the trunks, treat with an appropriate commercial ant spray. Alternatively you could try diluting 3 tablespoons of Jeyes Fluid to five litres of water and spraying thoroughly.

Remove any old, dead crowns from your bromeliads and feed them with 3:1:5; blast the stale water out of the centre of your plants as mosquitoes may breed there. Fertilise your cannas and marantas and water well. Prune out old dead palm tree fronds and feed them with a nitrogen rich fertiliser.

If you simply must have roses try the following disease resistant ones: Rosa chinensis ‘Mutabilis, ‘Deloitte & Touche’, ‘Knock Out’, ‘My Granny’ and any of the ‘Sunsation' range. Plant out the last of your summer seedlings and sow seeds of fast maturing summer annuals. Okra, sweet potatoes, eggplants, chillies and peppers will grow well no matter how hot it gets, so will sweet corn and green mealies.

Dry, semi-arid and continental regions

Prune your frost bitten evergreens and rambling roses this month, as well as spring and early summer blooming plants when they have finished flowering. Feed and neaten up bougainvilleas, but once new blooms appear stop feeding and do not overwater them. Water your garden during the coolest part of the day. A thorough watering twice a week is more than enough for established shrubs and trees.  Seedlings and potted plants can be watered more often. In very hot regions dahlias can be planted out at the end of the month.

Too much paving will make your garden very hot, so consider planting lots of groundcovers to act as ‘living mulch’, keeping the soil and your garden cooler. Osteospermum jucundum and the sour fig (Carpobrotus) are tough groundcovers that don’t mind poor soil and brak water. The salt bush (Rhagodia hastate) thrives in hot, dry gardens and can be pruned into low hedges or balls. Rosemary, westringia, lavender and santolina also thrive in these areas. Brak water forms a hard layer on top of your soil that water can’t penetrate. Dig the beds over and enrich the soil with lots and lots of organic matter. A 20cm layer of soil will need 8cm of organic matter to change its structure. Sprinkle 100g of bone meal, per square meter and dig it in well. If you do this every season, the texture of your soil will greatly improve. If you have very sandy soil you can improve its texture by adding a thick layer of shredded newspaper to the bottom of your planting holes and a generous quantity of compost and newspaper to the remaining soil before planting. The newspaper will help retain both moisture and nutrients.

Sow seeds of summer annuals and plant out seedlings. Try petunias this summer and prune back and feed plants which become scraggly. If you live in a very hot region do not sow nasturtiums this month as they will struggle to survive the heat in December; rather sow them in April.

Continue to sow summer vegetables like beetroot, radishes, egg plants, sweet peppers and chillies, tomatoes, pumpkin and squash. There is still time to plant potato and sweet potato tubers or to sow some delicious Cape gooseberries, watermelon or melon.

See under Small Plants

Dierama pulcherrimumCondensed Version:

The plants of this genus are evergreen perennial herbs growing from large, fibrous-coated corms and forming a large clump of narrow, grass-like green leaves. When in flower, the slightest breath of wind causes the stems to sway gently; adding a magical quality to the plants. Even after the flowers have fallen and before the seed capsules develop, the bracts from which the flowers emerge, which are usually silvery or brown, give the appearance of a tall elegant grass in flower. Flowering is mainly from September to March, depending on the species; and there are many cultivars in shades of pink, reddish-pink, mauve, white and rarely, yellow.

Dierama grow well in the summer rainfall regions of the country and at the coast. They are hardy to frost and temperatures down to -5°C. In the garden they like an open and airy site in full sun and will grow in most well-drained soils. These plants will grow in seasonally boggy soils which do not dry out totally in summer; they will however not tolerate water-logging during winter. To look their best they require deep and thorough watering in summer, especially in dry regions of the country.

Dierama corms are best planted in spring, with the corms 5 to 7.5cm deep. Spring and early summer are the best times to plant out from nursery bags, but care must be taken not to disturb the roots, and a heavy drenching with water is needed directly after planting.

Hairbells can be grown in deep containers using a fertile but very well-drained potting soil. Adding river sand to the potting soil will greatly aid drainage. Apply a general purpose fertiliser and some bone meal in spring. These perennials can take 2 to 5 years to reach their ultimate height and the various species vary in height and spread, ranging from about 1 to 1.6m tall and 75 to 90cm wide.

Although hairbells are evergreen they will take a rest period in winter and it is important to note that even during this phase they must still receive adequate sun or very bright light for them to produce flowers in early spring and summer. Dieramas need very little maintenance and will form dense clumps with age which should be left undisturbed for up to five years or more. Also, the green leaves should never be cut back as this severely retards growth and flowering; only the old outer brown leaves should be removed by gentle tugging.

Dierama pulcherrimum Full Version:

Description, History & Interesting Facts:

Dierama is a genus of about 44 species of flowering plants in the iris family Iridaceae and is endemic to Africa. The majority occur in South Africa, with the greatest diversity found in KwaZulu-Natal which has about 26 species. The geographical range of the genus runs much further north with several species occurring at relatively high altitudes in tropical East Africa; in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, with one species in Ethiopia. Being evergreen they are adapted to the summer rainfall regions with their westerly range terminating at Knysna. In the Eastern Cape and Natal they may be found from just above sea level to the Drakensberg escarpment, but in the tropics Dierama is largely montane. Despite its wide distribution, dierama is restricted to a single major habitat - moist grassland.

The plants of this genus are evergreen perennial herbs growing from large, fibrous-coated corms and forming a large clump of narrow, grass-like green leaves. When in flower, the slightest breath of wind causes the stems to sway gently; adding a magical quality to the plants and making it easy to understand why Dierama is commonly called angel’s fishing rod. They are also commonly known as Hairbells because of the fine hair like stems from which the flowers hang. Even after the flowers have fallen and before the seed capsules develop, the bracts from which the flowers emerge, which are usually silvery or brown, give the appearance of a tall elegant grass in flower. Flowering is mainly from September to March, depending on the species; and there are many cultivars in shades of pink, reddish-pink, mauve, white and rarely, yellow. The flowers are excellent for cutting, and as they  develop, their increasing weight causes the main stem to bend like a fishing rod under strain; and  when the seeds develop the extra weight can cause the stems of some plants to bend more and in some cases make a parabola shape with the tips touching or almost touching the ground.

(Dierama pendulum)

Dierama pendulum is one of the most well-known and desirable members with a somewhat limited distribution extending from Knysna in the southern Cape, to the Zuurberg and Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape where it grows wild in grasslands and hillsides in full sun and on stony or marshy ground. Its flowering period extends from early spring to early summer.

(Dierama pulcherrimum)

Dierama pulcherrimum grows wild in the Eastern Cape and is also known as the East London hairbell.  It is a tall, robust species which grows about 1 to 1.6m tall in open, stony grasslands. It has magenta pink to rosy-purple flowers in summer.

(Dierama nixonianum)

Dierama nixonianum has lovely shell-pink or white flowers and grows +-1.2m tall.

(Dierama latifolium)

Dierama latifolium has bright pink flowers in spring and grows 1.1 to 2.7m tall.

(Dierama trichorhizum)

Dierama trichorhizum has bluish-mauve flowers and grows +-60cm tall.

(Dierama reynoldsii)

Dierama reynoldsii grows in medium to high-altitude grassland in the Eastern Cape (former Transkei) and KwaZulu-Natal. It has wonderful magenta-red flowers and grows +-1.5m tall.

(Dierama grandiflorum)

Dierama grandiflorum is rare and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and spectacular of the species with conspicuous, large and widely opening pink flowers. It appears to occur in only two populations - one on the Bosberg Mountain above Somerset East in the Eastern Cape, and the other some 100 km further west on the Oudeberg north of Graaff Reinet. Other populations hopefully occur in suitable mountain habitats on the ranges between Somerset East and Graaff Reinet, but they have not been seen or recorded yet. In the Bosberg mountain region it occurs in small localised populations on high grassy slopes at altitudes of 1300 to 1400m and often in rocky and stony areas. Read more about this rare dierama here….

In the Garden:

Choose an open and airy position in full sun to plant dierama. They grow well in coastal gardens and look great in grassland, cottage and informal gardens; as well as in gravel or rock gardens. Try mixing them with ornamental grasses or use them as an accent plant in flower borders. They are a good choice to plant on banks and slopes and are attractive near water, but careful positioning is necessary as the corms must not get too wet, especially in winter. They will also grow in deep containers. The flowers attract butterflies, honey bees and carpenter bees, and even when not in bloom, their foliage remains attractive.

Cultivation:

Hairbells grow well in the summer rainfall regions of the country and at the coast. They are hardy to frost and temperatures down to -5°C. In the garden they like an open and airy site in full sun and will grow in most well-drained soils: sand, chalk, loam and even clay. Heavier clay soils and lighter sandy soils should be improved by incorporating lots of compost into the beds; raised beds would work best in heavy clay soils.

Dierama do not seem to be particular as to the pH of the soil, they are tolerant of an alkaline soil though a neutral to acid soil is likely to suit them best, particularly as some species occur naturally in peaty areas in the wild. These plants will grow in both well-drained garden beds and seasonally boggy soils which do not dry out totally in summer; they will however not tolerate water-logging during winter. To look their best they require deep and thorough watering in summer, especially in dry regions of the country.

Dierama corms are best planted in spring, with the corms 5 to 7.5cm deep. Spring and early summer are the best times to plant out from nursery bags, but care must be taken not to disturb the roots, and a heavy drenching with water is needed directly after planting. Hairbells can be grown in deep containers using a fertile but very well-drained potting soil. Adding river sand to the potting soil will greatly aid drainage. Apply a general purpose fertiliser and some bone meal in spring.

These perennials can take 2 to 5 years to reach their ultimate height and the various species vary in height and spread, ranging from about 1 to 1.6m tall and 75 to 90cm wide.  Although hairbells are evergreen they will take a rest period in winter and it is important to note that even during this phase they must still receive adequate sun or very bright light for them to produce flowers in early spring and summer.

Dieramas need very little maintenance and will form dense clumps with age which should be left undisturbed for up to five years or more. Also, the green leaves should never be cut back as this severely retards growth and flowering; only the old outer brown leaves should be removed by gentle tugging.

Propagation:

The two best ways of increasing stocks are by seed and division. Fresh ripe seeds grow easily and can be sown into individual small pots in a well-drained germination mix.  Protect the young seedlings from frost when growing on and they should be ready to plant out the following spring.  Plants grown from seed can take up to five year to flower.

Named cultivars can be propagated by division in spring or immediately after flowering; but this should only be undertaken occasionally as disturbed plants are slow to re-establish and can take one to two years before they will flower freely again.  Gently lift the plants and separate the corms, taking care not to damage the brittle, fleshy roots. Cut the leaves in half with secateurs before replanting.

Pests & Diseases:

Dieramas are generally pest and disease free but the corms are a favourite food of mole rats, to overcome line the planting hole with plastic or wire mesh. Watch out for snail, aphids and slugs.

See under groundcovers

All Regions

Luckily we are all inspired to garden at this time of the year, because there's no time to rest for gardeners in October. If you really want a good return on money spent in the garden this season you need to get cracking and finish planting this month. This will give you the whole season to reap the rewards of summer with her promise of bountiful blooms, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Although October is a busy month in the garden, set time aside to visit some of the gardens which are open to the public at this time of the year for inspiration and practical tips.

October is undoubtedly rose month in South Africa and nothing compares with that first flush of perfect blooms which last so much longer because the sun is not too scorching hot yet. Many other spring flowering plants like yesterday, today and tomorrow, crab apples, and flowering cherries and peaches are also in full bloom; not forgetting the beautiful bearded irises, foxgloves and delphiniums

Members can click on highlighted text to read more about the plants mentioned.

It is essential to water your roses thoroughly about two to three times a week and to start feeding for that beautiful October show, using a balanced fertiliser that is high in nitrogen and potassium, like 8:1:6. Nitrogen and sufficient water are very important at this time of the year because you want to encourage not only beautiful blooms but also lots of healthy green leaves to support the roots of your plants, as well as to protect the delicate stems from sunburn during our hot summer days. 

Mulching is also vital to conserve moisture and to keep the roots cool. Avoid wetting your rose leaves in the late afternoon as wet leaves at this time of the day will encourage black spot and powdery mildew. As a preventative measure, start spraying for fungal infections now with a good organic fungicide like Margaret Roberts Organic Fungicide, or Biogrow Copper Soap. If your roses are susceptible to red spider during hot, dry spells start spraying now with a good organic insecticide like Margaret Roberts Organic Insecticide, or Biogrow Bioneem, both of which will also control aphids and other insects.

Good leaf coverage is essential in summer so do not cut off too many leaves when cutting long stemmed roses for the vase. Cutting roses for the vase can be done at any time of the day as long as they are immediately plunged right up to their necks in a bucket of water. If you leave them overnight in the bucket before arranging, and then add 1 teaspoon of household bleach and 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar to 1 litre of water for the arrangement, they will last for much longer.

Briar growth must be removed from your bushes. This grows out from the rootstock of Hybrid Tea Roses from just below the graft and is a light green colour, with smaller leaves. Do not cut them off or they will just grow again; rather tug them off gently at ground level when they reach about knee height. Briar growth should not be confused with new water shoots which have thick reddish stems and will become the new framework of the rose bush; when these reach about knee height, nip out the growing tip to encourage branching.

Prune your banksia roses when they have finished flowering.

Plant ‘living’ mulch between your roses this summer to conserve water, and to keep their roots cool. Choose small plants and groundcovers with shallow root systems like: Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum); Garden Verbena (Verbena); Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia); Alyssum (Lobularia); River Daisy (Brachyscome); Carpet Geranium (Geranium incanum); Snow in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum);  Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia); False Heather (Cuphea); Seaside Daisy (Erigeron) and Candytuft (Iberis).

Companion planting will help to keep your roses healthy and reduce the need to spray. Lavender and Thyme deter aphids, snails and ants; and any plant in the onion family like Chives protect against black spot, mildew and aphids. Sage promotes healthy plant growth and will attract bees.

Members can click on the highlighted links for more information.

Sparkler Blush Cleome. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyFlowering annuals

Your winter and spring flowering annuals will start dying down as the weather warms up and it is time to start planting your summer beds. Try alyssum, aster, cleome, cosmos, dianthus, gaillardia, sunflower, lavatera, lobelia, marigold, zinnia, bedding begonia, celosia, New Guinea impatiens, petunia and vinca. Pinch out the young growth on newly planted seedlings to encourage bushy growth.

Save money this summer by sowing flower seeds directly into your garden beds. There are many easy to grow mixtures available for both sun and shade. Dig over the bed, adding lots of compost and a handful of bone meal per square meter before raking the bed nice and smooth. Mix the seeds with a generous helping of fine compost or cake flour (mix thoroughly). These will help you to spread the seeds evenly over the bed. Rake the bed very lightly after sowing and sprinkle extra compost over any exposed seeds. Never plant your seeds too deep and water the beds daily until they germinate; never allowing the soil to dry out totally.

Position summer flowering annuals where they will be most appreciated and if you are planting several varieties together, always ensure that you group them according to their watering needs as well as their sun requirements. Water is becoming a very expensive commodity and it would be wise to reduce the beds you normally plant with annuals by planting more drought tolerant groundcovers and perennial plants.  (Read my water-wise articles)

Lawns

Beautiful lawns need regular care throughout the year but especially in spring and summer; so if you want a gorgeous lawn this summer; or want to sow evergreen tuft lawns, read my August article.

Early summer is also a good time to sow both warm and cool season grasses and to lay instant lawn before it gets too hot, but do not take short cuts you will regret later. Firstly, the entire area must be dug over and all old roots, weeds and stones removed. Next, spread a good layer of compost and a generous dressing of bone meal or superphosphate over the area and rake it smooth. Then, using a fine sprinkler, irrigate the entire area thoroughly. Fill in any hollows where the water collects and rake once again. Allow the soil to dry out before starting to lay the sods. Lay the sods closely together, filling any cracks between them well with compost or lawn dressing. Water thoroughly and continue watering regularly, never allowing the soil to dry out completely until it is reasonably established; also restrict foot traffic until completely established. Allow the blades to grow quite high at first and then cut often but set the blades on your lawnmower at their highest for the first couple of months. Kikuyu; Berea; Buffalo and Cynodon grasses are all available as Instant lawn.

KikuyuKikuyu

Kikuyu Grass comes from tropical eastern Africa and is named after the Kikuyu people of Kenya. It was brought to South Africa as a lawn and pasture grass and has bright green leaves with a medium to coarse leaf texture. It is quite hardy to frost and grows quickly in full sun, but is not very shade tolerant. Although it will tolerate drought, it is actually quite a thirsty lawn and only looks at its best if watered regularly.

 

BuffaloBuffalo

Buffalo grass is indigenous to subtropical areas of the world and is only semi-hardy to cold. It takes time to establish but is drought hardy and excellent for coastal gardens.  It has bright green leaves with a coarse leaf texture and grows quite well in light shade.

 

BereaBerea (LM grass)

LM grass is indigenous to South Africa and is found predominantly on the Natal coast, more towards the South coast and Transkei.  It grows well in the shade and has a coarse leaf texture which is dark green under ideal growing conditions. Berea grows moderately, is drought tolerant and semi-hardy to frost.

 

BayviewBayview

Bayview is an indigenous Cynodon species, originating in the Cape region. It has a very fine leaf texture and is favoured by many turf managers for sports fields, especially cricket pitches, but tends to dominate all other Cynodon species if the turf is poorly managed. Bayview spreads extremely quickly and has highly fertile seeds, which have an ability to remain dormant in the soil for long periods of time.

CynodonCynodon

Cynodon grass grows quickly and tolerates drought well; and fairly salty conditions, but is tender to frost. It has a fine leaf texture and must be grown in full sun where it will establish fairly quickly.

If you have areas in your lawn that do not grow well in summer because they are too shady, over-sow those areas with a shade lawn mix. If your lawns new growth has a yellowish tinge, then it is lacking in nutrients; feed it with a balanced organic fertiliser for lawns, watering it in well. A well-fed lawn will smother out most weeds and the rest you can weed out manually.

When your lawn starts to thicken, raise the blades for the first few cuts; this allows your grass to produce enough food to grow good strong roots and runners. Lower your blades once the lawn really looks healthy and vigorous, but never mow shorter than 5cm, especially in hot, dry weather; this also helps to conserve water.  To help prevent fungal diseases water your lawn in the morning so that it is totally dry by evening.

Echeveria elegansDivide perennials

Spring and early summer or autumn are the best times to split and divide overcrowded perennials, ornamental grasses and succulents,  so if you have not done so yet, do so this month.  Remember to feed them regularly in summer. Read my articles on perennials - click here.

Prune

Prune all your spring flowering plants as soon as they have finished blooming, mulch their roots and feed with a balanced feeder. Azaleas flower next spring on this summer’s growth and should only be pruned once a year, when they have finished flowering. Do not prune early summer flowering plants like Deutzia, Spiraea and Forsythia.

Fuchsias

If you pinched out the growing tips of your fuchsias last month to encourage them to bush, you can allow them to grow freely now but don’t forget to water regularly and feed with 3:1:5. If you did not finger pinch them last month you can still do so now. Watch out for red spider and whitefly; alternate spraying with Oleum (white oil) and a natural insecticide will keep these troublesome insects at bay. See my DIY recipe for white oil - click here.

Fertilise

If you have not done so yet, fertilise your Camellias and Azaleas with an organic feeder that is high in nitrogen and mulch with acid compost. Continue feeding your Hydrangeas with a general purpose fertiliser, or a special colour enhancing feeder and water regularly.

Eucomis Bulbs

Summer bulbs

Summer bulbs include amaryllis, arum lily, tuberous begonia hybrids, caladium, canna cultivars, Pineapple Lily (Eucomis), Berg Lily (Galtonia), spider lily, Gay Feather (Liatris), lilium, tigridia and tuberose.

Dahlia bulbs are also available now and will take about 10 weeks to flower if planted from a tuber; but if well-established plants are planted out this month they will be in full bloom by December.

October is also the time to plant Gladioli corms for a brilliant Christmas show.

Store amaryllis bulbs in the fridge and plant them into pots about 6 weeks before Christmas and they will be in full bloom then; wrap them up in a pretty sleeve and you have a gorgeous and affordable gift.

Irises are in bloom now, so visit a nursery to choose your favourites to plant out; divide established clumps at the end of the month when they have finished flowering.

Members can click on the highlighted plant links for more info

Winter and spring flowering bulbs

Continue watering and feeding your winter and spring bulbs until they die down naturally before lifting and storing them for next season. If you need to plant summer bulbs or annuals immediately and your bulbs are not totally dormant yet, you can dig up the whole clump, trying to leave as much soil around them as possible. Place them in a temporary hole in an unused part of the garden, not forgetting to water them.

Once the leaves have totally died down, gently split them, shake off the excess soil and lay them out in a cool, shady place to dry.  Once dry, dust them with flowers of sulphur (available from chemists) and pack them in cardboard boxes, layered between vermiculite or sawdust, label and store in a dry, cool place until next season.

Discard the bulbs of tulips, Dutch iris, anemones and ranunculas as they seldom flower well the following year. Find out more about growing bulbs in our bulb section.

Aphids. Picture courtesy Victoria BensleyInsects

Inspect all members of the lily family like clivias, agapanthus, crinum, nerine, amaryllis and scadoxis for lilly borer caterpillars. They are easy to identify with their bold yellow and black bands, and are most active at night. Pick them off by hand or use a contact insecticide like Margaret Roberts Biological Caterpillar Insecticide or another suitable eco-friendly insecticide. Read more about lily borers here.

As the weather warms myriads of insects will suddenly turn up in your garden, so watch out for  aphids, mealybugs and whitefly as they love soft young growth; if you spray the insects off the leaves with a fairly strong jet of water every time you water, it should be enough to control them naturally, alternatively use an organic insecticide.

Potted plants

October is a good month to re-pot plants which have outgrown their pots, and if they do not need re-potting you can add water retention granules and a good layer of fresh potting soil as well as a mulch like: bark chips, rooibos tea, peach pips or even pebbles to your hanging baskets and potted plants, and remember to water and feed regularly. Repot overcrowded potted ferns with fresh potting soil and start feeding with half strength liquid fertiliser every two weeks. October is also a good time to re-pot Cymbidium orchids when they have finished flowering.

Take softwood cuttings

It is time to take softwood cuttings of your favourite shrubs and perennials like: geranium (Pelargonium), fuchsia, lavender, chrysanthemum, rosemary and other herbs.

Chamomile and NasturtiumsJazz up your vegetable garden

Jazz up your vegetable garden this summer with some edible plants which will also add colour and interest. Chamomile is considered a tonic for anything you grow in the garden and is used as a 'companion plant' to help keep neighbouring plants healthy and free of diseases and pests. It improves the flavour of cabbages, cucumbers and onions, and is invaluable in vegetable gardens because it is loved by bees and other pollinators. Chamomile is also one of the safest and most versatile pet remedies around, with scientifically proven uses for both humans and pets. 

Violas like the tiny ‘Johnny jump-up’ and ‘Cuty’ love to grow in the shade between vegetables and are great in salads, ice creams and cake icings. The purple cone flower is a perfect companion for eggplants, sweet peppers and Chinese cabbage; and not forgetting Nasturtiums which are so cheerful in the vegetable patch and wonderful on cheese sandwiches, seeding themselves all over the vegetable garden.

Feed your young summer vegetables with a liquid organic fertiliser every two weeks and make sure the beds are mulched and weed free. Thin out seedlings to the correct spacing and use the thinning’s of carrots, spring onions and beetroot to add to salads.

Tomatoes can be planted right up to their lowest leaves and the soil should be mounded up against the stems as they develop. This helps them develop strong roots that will require less watering and will also make the plant more stable.

Once all danger of frost is over, start sowing or planting; asparagus, maize and sweet corn, bush beans and climbing beans, eggplant, cucumber, cabbages, carrots, celery, lettuce, leeks, peppers, pumpkins, potatoes and sweet potatoes, radish, turnips, tomatoes, squashes, baby marrows and melons.

Always harvest your vegetables when they are young and tender, because the more you pick the more they will produce. Spring is also a good time to divide large clumps of rhubarb.

Members can click on the highlighted links for more information.

Meditteranean Fruit Fly. Picture courtey Ronald BeerFruit

Watch out for snails and slugs amongst your strawberries and pick them often. Water and feed regularly with organic 2:3:2 or 3:1:5.

If you have not already done so, feed your citrus trees with an organic 3:1:5 or 2:3:2 fertiliser and water very deeply every 7 to 10 days.

Early apricots and peaches and nectarines should be ready to harvest at the end of October. Thin out the fruit on heavily laden deciduous fruit trees when it is the size of a pea; give a second application of 3:1:5 and continue to spray for fruit fly. 

Watch out for coddling moth on pears and apples and put out bait for them; attaching sticky bands round the lower trunks of the trees, or using Vaseline or axil grease to form a band around the trunks, also helps to reduce their numbers.

Continue to spray regularly with an organic spray for fruitfly. The adult flies initially pierce the skin of the fruit to deposit their eggs and gum secreting from these holes is an early sign of infestation. When the eggs hatch the maggots will work their way quickly towards the pip and discoloration and rotting of the fruit will ensue. Infestations can occur at any time of the year but fruitfly are especially active in January, February and March, so it is vital to spray late fruiting varieties regularly.

Click here to find a detailed spraying programme for deciduous stone fruits.

Any organic insecticide containing garlic or natural pyrethrins will act as a strong repellent for fruit fly and must be applied every seven to fourteen days. Preventative spraying is the most effective control measure. Start spraying when 80% of the flower petals have dropped and the tree has sufficient baby fruits developing.

Spraying does affect pollinating insects but unfortunately spraying while the trees are still flowering may be necessary as very young fruit is already susceptible. Try to avoid spraying early in the morning when pollinators are most active; or plant early varieties that are not so susceptible to infestation; and remove all fallen and infected fruit immediately.

Subtropical summer rainfall regions

Keep a watchful eye out for fungal diseases as consistently overcast days together with humidity are ideal conditions for their spread. Water early in the morning as this allows the leaves to dry out thoroughly before nightfall. Spray plants that are susceptible to fungal diseases regularly with an organic fungicide.

Inspect all members of the lily family for lilly borer caterpillars. The warmer weather also brings out the snails and slugs; treat with organic snail bait.

Continue feeding your entire garden, water regularly and mulch to conserve moisture. It is not yet too late to transplant shrubs that are growing in the wrong places but move them now before the weather becomes too hot.

Clean mulch and fertilise your calatheas and heliconias.  Remove the spent flowering stems of heliconias as they only flower once.

Take cuttings of shrubs and especially groundcovers now. Mulch your perennials and cut back dead Canna stems.

Feed your paw-paws and bananas.

Harvest some herbs for summer use, freezing or drying them.

Sow or plant; bedding dahlias, amaranthus, celosia, ageratum, dianthus, marigolds, portulaca, coleus, nasturtiums, zinnia, salvia and Busy Lizzie Impatiens, New Guinea and Sunpatiens

Grow a last crop of coriander, lettuce, beetroot, radish, parsley and carrots. During the heat of summer it is too hot for all but tropical vegetables; try some sweet corn, New Zealand spinach, cabbage and peppers.

Summer rainfall (Temperate or Highveld Regions)

Late frosts can still occur, so wait until all danger of frost is over before pruning evergreen shrubs that were damaged. Prune all your spring flowering plants as soon as they have finished blooming, mulch their roots and feed with a balanced feeder. 

Before renewing the spring mulch around your clematis, apply some agricultural lime to the soil to enhance the performance of plants growing in acid soils. For young plants 1 cup is sufficient but for plants older than 5 years use two cups per plant. Feed your clematis regularly throughout summer with a foliar feed which is high in potassium.

Your garden should be shooting new growth, so it is essential to water deeply and regularly until the rains arrive. If you have not done so yet, feed your entire garden with an organic fertiliser and mulch to conserve moisture. It is most important to remove weeds as soon as they appear. The warmer weather also brings out the snails and slugs; treat them with organic snail bait or collect them by hand at night or after rain.

You can sow or plant the full range of summer flowering annuals like: alyssum, aster, ageratum, amaranthus, candytuft, cleome, cosmos, dianthus, foxglove, gazania, lavatera, lobelia, marigold, nasturtium, portulaca, sunflower, vinca, zinnia, bedding dahlias, celosia, coleus, and Busy Lizzie Impatiens, New Guinea and Sunpatiens. 

You can sow or plant the full range of summer vegetables; try planting potatoes and sweet potatoes if you have the space, or grow them in a barrel. Sow or plant parsley, cabbage, carrots, beetroot, beans, baby marrow, pumpkins, patty pans and gem squash, eggplant, corn, cucumbers,  peppers, radish, lettuce, spring onions, turnips, tomatoes, spanspek, melon, watermelon and Cape gooseberries.

Winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean)

It is vital that Cape gardeners mulch their soil before the hot, dry and windy summer days arrive. Planting groundcovers to cover the soil will provide ‘living mulch’; keeping the soil cool and protected.

Make sure all your standard plants and trees are securely staked and continue feeding your entire garden with an organic fertiliser, watering regularly and deeply.

October is the best time to sow summer seeds. You can plant and sow summer annuals like snapdragons, aster, alyssum, balsam, begonias, cineraria, bedding dahlias, delphiniums and larkspurs, nicotiana, dianthus, gaillardia, gazania, godetias, gypsophila, helichrysum, hollyhocks, lavatera, lobelia, penstemon, petunia, phlox,  verbena, and Busy Lizzie Impatiens, New Guinea and Sunpatiens.  

Sow or plant vegetables, fruit and herbs like Cape gooseberries, watermelon, spanspek, cabbage, carrot, celery, cucumber, beetroot, beans, eggplant, leek, lettuce, maize, onion, peppers, pumpkin and squash, radish, tomato, turnip, parsley, chives and basil.

Dry, semi-arid and continental regions

October really herald’s spring in these regions but late frosts can still occur, so wait until all danger of frost is over before pruning evergreen shrubs that were damaged. Do not prune any deciduous shrubs that will flower soon, like Weigelia, Spiraea, Deutzia and Forsythia. Prune flowering peaches, almonds and quinces as soon as they have finished flowering.

Cut off the dead flower stems of winter flowering aloes and check at the base of your plants for small ‘pups’ which can be lifted and replanted into pots or other areas of the garden.

Continue feeding your entire garden with a balanced fertiliser, water regularly and mulch to conserve moisture.

Divide perennials that could not be done in autumn, because of the frost.  Choose only healthy, young growth to re-plant.  In very hot areas plant out Dahlia bulbs at the end of October.

In brak water areas, store rainwater to use in your garden and especially on your roses.  Plants like Wild Rhubarb (Acanthus mollis); Daylilies (Hemerocallis; Agapanthus; Perennial Statice (Limonium perezii); and Flax (Phormium) are tolerant of brakish (salty) water.

From the second week in October it is usually safe to sow easy-to-grow seeds directly into the soil. Choose flowering annuals that will withstand the long, hot summer and are water-wise like: celosia, gazania, marigold, portulaca, petunia, salvia, cosmos, vinca, and zinnia.

Plant a final crop of true spinach seedlings, and if you have enough space, plant potatoes and sweet potatoes; or grow them in a barrel. Sow or plant basil, coriander, parsley, oregano, beans, baby marrow, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, beetroot, radish, pumpkins and squash, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplants, Swiss chard, sweet peppers and chilli peppers and sweet corn.

Jasmine polyanthumWhat to do in your garden in August

All Regions

September means springtime and gardens are filled with the heady fragrance of jasmine and yesterday, today and tomorrow; ornamental and edible fruit trees burst into bloom overnight and spring flowering bulbs are looking at their best.

September is a very invigorating month in the garden and there’s a lot to be done; but the weather can still be quite unpredictable, with late frosts in cold regions, so exercise caution before sowing and planting out summer plants.

Plant now for next spring

If your garden looks a bit dreary in springtime and early summer, plant some of the following beauties which should be blooming; plant them now and by next spring they will be well established, and put on an even more spectacular show. 

Try the Golden Daisy, Wolharpuisbos (Euryops pectinatus);  Renoster Arctotis, Renostergousblom (Arctotis acaulis); Trailing Daisy, Bergbietou (Dimorphotheca); Kingfisher Daisy, Bloumagriet (Felicia);  Ice Plant (Delosperma); Geranium (Pelargonium); Cape Honeysuckle, Malangula, umsilingi (Tecoma capensis); Pincushion Flower, Bitterbos (Scabiosa columbaria);  Twinspurs, Horinkies (Diascia integerrima); Lavender (Lavendula); Clivia, Bush Llily, Boslelie, umayime (Clivia miniata); Confetti Bush, Cape May, Aasbossie (Coleonema); and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Verbleikblom (Brunfelsia)

(Highlighted plants are included in our Plant Index - Click on the links for more information on the plants mentioned)

Rose Elite LudwigRoses

In extremely cold regions roses are pruned from the middle of August or even early September. In all other regions, when your roses start growing, they must be watered about twice a week; this is especially important in the summer rainfall regions. Water deeply to encourage healthy root systems; shallow watering only encourages surface roots.

In the really warm regions roses should already be well advanced and need to be fed this month; but in regions where roses flower at the end of October, fertilising may be delayed until late September. Feed with a balanced organic fertiliser that is high in nitrogen and potassium like 8:1:6. Nitrogen and sufficient water are very important at this time of the year because you want to encourage lots of healthy green leaves to support the roots of your plants, as well as to protect the delicate stems from sunburn during our hot summer days.

To prolong that first glorious flush of blooms; “finger pruning” has become the new catch word in the gardening industry, but this only applies to hybrid tea roses. Simply put, it is the practice of pinching out about a third of the flowering tips from your plants. This will ensure that the bushes produce a steady supply of roses over a longer period, with better quality blooms. You can prune off just the tip from some stems and on other stems you can remove up to three or four leaves. Basal shoots grow from the bottom of the bush and are very vigorous. They need to be cut back to about knee height. Spray your roses regularly with an organic fungicide, to prevent powdery mildew and black spot.

Click here to read the full article on rose care for spring.

Weed

Unfortunately as the weather warms up the weeds also start growing vigorously again, so be sure to weed them out before they set seed.

Insects

Insect pests also increase, so keep a vigilant eye out for them and spray immediately with an organic spray.

Aphids

If aphids become a problem, spray them with an organic insecticide; or you can simply wait for the ladybirds to arrive; it's amazing how many aphids one ladybird can devour. You can also hose the aphids off your plants with a strong jet of water.

Snails & Slugs

If snails and slugs become a problem scatter an organic snail and slug killer like Ferramol; which is safe to use around pets and children.

LavenderLavender spray for insects and fungal diseases:

Because of its strong scent and antiseptic qualities lavender makes a great insect repelling spray. It is excellent to control ants, aphids, whitefly and rust on plants and vegetables.

Any lavender can be used but Dutch lavender works best. Rue, khakibos or marigolds can also be added.

Fill a third of a bucket with roughly chopped herbs and then fill with boiling water and let it steep overnight. Strain and add a 6 tablespoons of grated green soap, stirring it in well.

Spray over your plants and pour the mixture down ant holes. The brew can also be used to wash out bird cages, rabbit hutches and dog kennels.

Lawn

A beautiful lawn needs regular care throughout the year but especially in spring and summer; so if you want a gorgeous green lawn this summer you need to start preparing now. In warm regions you can prepare your lawn in August, but in colder regions it is better to wait until September when all danger of frost is over.

In the winter rainfall regions lawns are traditionally scarified and top-dressed in autumn but once the soil dries out a bit you can top dress lightly and fertilise with an organic lawn fertiliser that is high in nitrogen.

Spring is also the best time to sow lawn seed or to lay instant lawn. (Read last month’s article)

Divide overcrowded perennials

Spring is a great time to divide overcrowded perennials like dietes, agapanthus, bulbinella, canna, and ornamental grasses like sedges (carex) and lily turf (mondo grass). (Read last month’s article)

Start sowing or planting out seedlings

Once all danger of frost is over you can start sowing or planting out seedlings of all those wonderful summer flowers like; alyssum, ageratum, aster, amaranthus, aquilegia, gaillardia, gazania, candytuft, celosia, cleome, cosmos, coleus, California poppy, lavatera, lobelia, nasturtium, nicotiana, nigella, marigold, petunia, phlox, dianthus, snapdragons, sunflower, salvia, torenia, verbena, vinca, zinnia, bedding dahlia, portulaca, New Guinea impatiens, begonia, etc. Grouping your seedlings together in the garden according to their watering requirements and mulching will save you a lot on water bills.

(Highlighted plants are included in our Plant Index  - click on the links for more information on the plants mentioned)

Click here to find other handy articles on adding colour to the garden 

Feed your garden

Start feeding your garden in early spring and continue to do so every 4 to 8 weeks throughout summer.

Prune

Prune your late winter, spring and early summer flowering trees, shrubs and climbers when they have finished blooming and all danger of frost is over.

If you are uncertain when a shrub flowers, it is always best to wait until it has finished blooming or fruiting before pruning.

Bulbs

Lift spring flowering bulbs

Wait for your spring flowering bulbs to die down properly before digging them up to store. (Read last month’s article)

Dahlia 'Border Park Princess'Plant summer bulbs

Plant out summer bulbs that were purchased in August.

Dahlias

Dahlias will arrive at the stores by mid-September and are a valuable addition to the summer garden. The dwarf strains are compact and easy to grow, year after year.

Divide overcrowded dahlia tubers that were left in garden beds and take cuttings from the new shoots of your favourite varieties.

Don’t forget to plant some of the gorgeous new arums (Zantedeschias), feed your irises and stake tall growing liliums.

Lily borer

Watch out for lily borer and spray regularly with Margaret Roberts Biological Caterpillar spray if necessary. (Read last month’s article)

Water features

Clean your water features and divide your water plants, replanting only healthy pieces. Ensure that you use a fairly heavy soil mix, that won’t float to the top when you immerse your pots again. Pop in a Lilly Pill, or flowering plant stick to feed your plant, and press washed pieces of charcoal into the topsoil of your pot; charcoal will help to keep your water pure.   

Hydrangea LeuctfeuerHydrangeas

Your hydrangeas should be shooting so continue feeding your with a general purpose fertiliser and water regularly. To enhance colour of pink blooms, dust the soil around the plants with lime, and to enhance blue blooms sprinkle some aluminium sulphate around the roots of your plants or spray it onto the leaves by diluting 25 grams of aluminium sulphate into 5 litres of water; repeating every two weeks until January. Special colour enhancing feeders are also available from your local nursery.

Clivias

Once your clivias start to bloom you can rest assured that spring has finally arrived. In the winter you need to keep them a bit on the dry side but now you can start watering more regularly. To keep them looking at their best, apply a layer of compost and a dressing of bone meal to the soil in late winter, or once they have finished blooming.

Fuchsias

Pinch back the young growing tips of fuchsias regularly to encourage them to bush out.

Azaleas, Camellias & Gardenias

Mulch your Azaleas, Camellias and Gardenias with acid compost, water regularly and feed with a food for acid loving plants. Camellias also make their annual flush of new growth in spring when they have finished blooming, so feed them with a slow release nitrogen fertiliser and water it in well.

Outdoor container plants

Dig out a layer of old potting soil from the top of your outdoor container plants and replace with fresh potting soil. Feed with an organic fertiliser and water it in well.

Mulch

If you did not do so last month, mulch all your beds to help conserve moisture during hot weather, and to protect the topsoil from washing away during heavy summer rains.

Read all about the ins and outs of mulching - click here

GrapesFruit

If you did not feed your fruit trees last month, feed them now and water it in well. (Read last month’s article).

Spray your deciduous fruit trees regularly with an eco friendly spray for fruit fly once 80% of the blossoms have fallen.

Click here to find a detailed spraying programme for deciduous stone fruits

Click here to find diseases affecting peaches and nectarines

Start thinning out the fruit on peaches and nectarines, plums and apricot trees when it is 5mm in size.

Feed your grape vines with organic 2:3:2 fertiliser and Magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts).

Keep your Granadillas well watered and feed with 3:1:5.

Feed your strawberries with organic 3:1:5. Feed boysenberries and loganberries with organic 2:3:2.

Water your citrus trees deeply once a week as they come into flower.

For tropical fruits keep the roots mulched and the soil moist. Figs, bananas, paw-paws and litchis will benefit from a dose of superphosphate. Avocados need a light dressing of manure, watered in well.

Fruit fly bait recipe:

Mix 3 tablespoons of molasses and 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 1 litre of hot water. Allow the mixture to cool before spooning it into containers, leaving the top open. Hang the containers into your fruit trees or place them around squashes and other susceptible crops.  Fruit flies attracted to this solution will drown.   

Click here to read more about Fruit Flies

Vegetables and herbs

PeasTry your hand at growing your own organic vegetables and herbs this summer, its so rewarding.

If you do not have a vegetable patch try edging your flower beds with parsley and frilly lettuce for a really pretty effect. Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’ with its colourful stems will provide colour and texture to the flower garden, as will bronze fennel and dill.

Vegetables and annual herbs like basil, salad burnett, rocket, and parsley grow easily together in containers, and if planted with companion plants like marigolds, nasturtiums and petunias, will look good enough to place on sunny patios or balconies. 

Peas fix nitrogen in the nodules of their roots and if the entire plant is dug into the soil when it has finished bearing and is allowed to decompose, this nitrogen can be utilised by the next crops.

Mound the soil over potatoes that have grown through the soil and feed with a fertiliser that is high in potash. Protect the shoots from late frosts.

(Highlighted plants are included in our Plant Index - click on the links for more information on the plants mentioned)

Dry, semi-arid and continental regions

In extremely cold parts of this region roses are pruned from the middle of August or even in early September.

Only remove protection covers from your plants when you are certain all danger of frost has past. Do not prune frost bitten evergreen shrubs until all danger of frost has past, and only prune spring and early summer flowering shrubs when they have finished flowering.

In warm regions you can prepare your lawn in August, but in colder regions it is better to wait until September when all danger of frost is over. Spring is also a good time to sow lawn seed or plant out runners and instant lawn.

Do not sow vegetables directly into the soil until all danger of late frost is over; but if you have a warm place to keep them, you can start sowing summer vegetables like sweet corn, squash, pumpkins, cucumber, cabbage, eggplants, peppers and tomatoes into seed trays, for planting out in late September or October.

Click here to find the vegetables mentioned in my Plant Index

In the very hot areas of this region, don’t plant Dahlias until the end of October; this will ensure that they flower in February, when temperatures are cooler.

Click here to find popular flowers for hot summer gardens

Winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean)

Ensure that all your roses are pruned; and although lawns in this region are generally scarified and top-dressed in autumn, once the soil dries out a bit you can top dress lightly and fertilise with an organic lawn fertilizer that is high in both nitrogen and potassium like 5:1:5 or 3:1:5.

Check for algae and moss on your paving and scrub it with a solution of copper sulphate or a moss killer.

Although autumn is the very best time to sow and plant in these areas, summer planting can be successful if your soil is rich and water retentive and if you choose hardy, water-wise plants; and group your summer flowering annuals according to their watering needs.

Click here to find popular flowers for hot summer gardens

It is also time to start planting your summer flowering bulbs.

Once all danger of cold weather is over you can start sowing or planting out vegetables like beans, sweet corn, Swiss chard, baby marrow, beans, pumpkin, gem squash, carrots, turnips, radish, onions, spring onions, and beetroot directly into garden beds. Sow into trays or plant out seedlings of cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. It is also time to sow or plant out potato tubers.

Click here to find the vegetables mentioned in my Plant Index

Summer rainfall (Temperate or Highveld Regions)

In cold parts of this region roses are pruned in late August or even early September.

Do not prune frost bitten evergreen shrubs until all danger of frost has past, and only prune spring and early summer flowering shrubs when they have finished flowering.

Only remove protection covers from your plants when you are certain all danger of frost has past.

In warm regions you can prepare your lawn in August, but in colder regions it is better to wait until September when all danger of frost is over. Spring is also a good time to sow lawn seed or plant out runners and instant lawn.

Once all danger of frost is over you can start sowing or planting out summer flowering seedlings.

Click here to find handy articles on adding colour to the garden

Potatoes are planted this month and you can start sowing beans, sweet corn, Swiss chard, baby marrow, beans, pumpkin, gem squash, carrots, turnips, radish, onions, spring onions and beetroot directly where they are to grow. Sow into trays or plant out seedlings of cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.

Click here to find the vegetables mentioned in my Plant Index

Subtropical summer rainfall regions

Sow lawn seed or plant out runners and instant lawn now. Fertilise your lawn with a balanced organic fertiliser and top dress if necessary; water well.

Prune your winter flowering shrubs, but  do not prune spring and early summer flowering roses and shrubs until they have finished flowering.

Remove and plant suckers from your bromeliads to propagate new plants.

Phalaenopsis orchids will be in full bloom and should last for about three months under ideal conditions; feed them regularly.

You can sow and plant flowers like ageratum, alyssum, aster, balsam, marigold, cleome, California poppy, Canterbury bells, celosia, cornflower, cosmos, bedding dahlia, dianthus, feverfew, gaillardia, gypsophila, helianthus, larkspur, lavatera, lobelia, marigold, nasturtium, portulaca, impatiens, salvia, verbena, zinnia, begonia, petunia and vinca.

 Click here to find the bedding plants mentioned in my Plant Index

Make a last sowing of beans and plant out sweet potato tubers. Sow beetroot, carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, radish, marrow, melons and sweet corn.

Click here to find the vegetables mentioned in my Plant Index

See under Medium Plants

See under Medium Plants

PonytailCondensed Version:

Native to the semi-desert areas of south-eastern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, the pony tail palm is noted for its unusual beauty, having a large, swollen, often flask-shaped, water-retaining base (caudex) from which rises a trunk-like stem, bearing narrow, palm-like, spreading to recurved leaves that droop in fountain-like clusters from the branch ends. In young plants the trunks are usually single, but several smaller trunks as well as some sparse branching near the top may develop with age; and old plants may produce flower stalks consisting of clusters of small beige blossoms. This plant grows very slowly and old specimens can reach 10m tall with a base almost 4m in diameter; and there are no two specimens which look alike. Very young plants have a small swollen base with no trunk at all. The pony tail palm is an excellent specimen plant for dry frost-free regions and a somewhat curious landscaping plant which can be used in gardens, on patios and even indoors.  Plant it as a single specimen or plant several in one pot for a more bushy effect. It also makes an interesting addition to rock gardens; goes well with an oriental or tropical theme and looks good around the swimming pool. It is an excellent houseplant, growing well on a sunny windowsill, or in very bright indirect light; if grown in pots it prefers to be slightly pot-bound.

This plant thrives in dry frost-free areas, but is hardy to −5 °C and even lower once established, as long as it is kept virtually dry in winter. In cold regions plant it in a pot which can be moved in winter; or plant it in a very sheltered position in the garden, away from freezing cold winds. Ponytail palms require full sun, but will grow in bright semi shade in the garden. It is vital that the soil drains very well; so if your soil is less than perfectly drained add some river sand to the potting soil or planting hole, to avoid overwatering and root rot. These plants store water in their swollen bases and should be watered moderately at all times. Potted specimens must never be allowed sit in water which collects in drip trays. Fading leaves may be peeled off, and brown leaf tips clipped off. To prevent nutritional deficiency in garden plants, apply a balanced fertiliser twice a year during the growing season. Feed potted plants fortnightly during summer with a liquid fertiliser.

Full Version:

Description, History & Interesting Facts:

The ponytail palm is an evergreen, thick-stemmed (caudiciform) tree that is known by several names like ‘elephant’s foot’ or ‘bottle palm’ because of its bulbous base and bottle-shaped trunk. It is native to the semi-desert areas of south-eastern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, with about 10 different species. There are 350 year old Beaucarneas registered in Mexico; and the Jardín Botánico Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanical Gardens showcases over 400 Beaucarneas in its gardens. Despite its common names, the pony tail is not really a palm and is currently included in the family Ruscaceae, but has also been included in Agavaceae, Nolinaceae, Dracaenaceae and Liliaceae families in the recent past. Its scientific name, Beaucarnea recurvata, honours Belgian horticulturist Jean-Baptiste Beaucarne, who was the first to collect flowers of this plant in the 19th century; and it quickly became popular in Europe and around the world as an ornamental plant.  The leaves are made of tough, stringy fibres and were once used to make baskets and mats.

The pony tail palm is noted for its unusual beauty, having a large, swollen, often flask-shaped, water-retaining base (caudex) from which rises a trunk-like stem, bearing narrow, palm-like, spreading to recurved leaves that droop in fountain-like clusters from the branch ends. In young plants the trunks are usually single, but several smaller trunks as well as some sparse branching near the top may develop with age; and old plants may produce flower stalks consisting of clusters of small beige blossoms. This plant grows very slowly and old specimens can reach 10m tall with a base almost 4m in diameter; and there are no two specimens which look alike. Very young plants have a small swollen base with no trunk at all.

In the Garden:

The pony tail palm is an excellent specimen plant for dry frost-free regions and a somewhat curious landscaping plant which can be used in gardens, on patios and even indoors.  Plant it as a single specimen or plant several in one pot for a more bushy effect. It also makes an interesting addition to rock gardens; goes well with an oriental or tropical theme and looks good around the swimming pool.
Indoors:

The pony tail palm makes an excellent houseplant, growing well on a sunny windowsill, or in very bright indirect light. It does well in air conditioned rooms, and in areas which experience severe frost it can be moved indoors in autumn to protect it from the cold.  If grown in pots it prefers to be slightly pot-bound and grows well in smaller containers. Plant it in very well-drained soil and feed fortnightly during summer with a liquid fertiliser. Keep quite dry in winter.

Cultivation:

This plant thrives in dry frost-free areas, but is hardy to −5 °C and even lower once established, as long as it is kept fairly dry in winter. In cold regions plant it in a pot which can be moved indoors or to a sheltered patio in winter; or plant it in a very sheltered position in the garden, away from freezing cold winds. Ponytail palms require full sun, but will grow in bright semi shade in the garden. It is vital that the soil drains very well; so if your soil is less than perfectly drained add some river sand to the potting soil or planting hole, to avoid overwatering and root rot. These plants store water in their swollen bases and should be watered moderately at all times, especially in winter in cold  regions; allow the soil to dry out between watering’s. Potted specimens must never be allowed to sit in water which collects in drip trays. If you are overwatering the new growth will be very light in colour; and on the other hand, dry brown foliage or a shrivelled stem are usually signs of under watering. Fading leaves may be peeled off, and brown leaf tips clipped off. To prevent nutritional deficiency in garden plants, apply a balanced fertiliser twice a year during the growing season.

Propagation:

Propagation of these plants is by seed sown in spring, with a minimum soil temperature of 20°C. The process is long and likely to prove tedious for the average gardener. In spring, you can remove the offsets that grow from the base of the plant and treat them with hormone powder before planting into small pots.

Pests & Diseases:

Generally, the ponytail is insect free, but on occasion may  attract mealybugs, spider mites and scale. Potential disease problems include leaf spots, stem rots and bacterial leaf streak, but if grown correctly these should not become problems.

Toxicity:

This plant in non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.