Welcome to Gardening in South Africa!

Picture courtesy Michael Hickman www.mountmorelandconservancy.co.zaThere is always some confusion as to which lantanas are invasive aliens and which may be safely grown in South African gardens; and often customers in garden centres are shocked to find lantanas for sale.

Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa; and we even have our own indigenous lantanas - about six or seven of them; of which Lantana rugosa is probably the best known because of its wide distribution. This lantana tolerates arid and coastal conditions and is a rather sparse shrublet with roughly textured leaves and dainty pink flowers. After flowering, attractive clusters of purple, sweet, berries appear. The ripe berries are often eaten by local children and are a favourite among fruit eating birds. None of our indigenous lantanas are really suitable for garden cultivation because they tend to be woody and do not respond well to pruning. However, it is useful to have a bush or two in a quiet corner of the garden to attract birds. Lantana exists as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. Some species are extremely invasive, and are considered to be noxious weeds in places such as South Asia, Southern Africa and Australia. In the United States, lantanas are naturalized in the southeast, especially in the coastal regions of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf Coast. Because their fruit is a delicacy for many birds, lantana seed is distributed far and wide in their droppings; but on a more positive note, lantanas are useful as honey plants.

Lantana camera is an illegal lantana which has been declared a category 1 weed in South Africa and may not be grown anywhere. It is a scrambling plant, sometimes reaching 2m or more, with dark green, hairy leaves which smell strongly when crushed. Flowers can be pink, red, orange, yellow or white and the compact heads can even have several colours in one head. The glossy green fruits turn purplish-black when ripe. This lantana should be controlled or eradicated wherever possible. It has become so invasive in the Eastern Cape that it’s invaded whole hillsides and hedgerows. Many horticulturalists believe that even the seeds of some hybrids like the low growing yellow one; which is a cross between Lantana camera and Lantana montevidensis revert back to Lantana camera; are eaten by birds; and continue the scourge. Maybe, to be on the safe side, one should prune all garden plants regularly after flowering, before the plant produces seed.

Picture courtesy www.ludwigsroses.co.zaThis eco-chic hybrid tea rose is amazing in performance and flower power.

The firm-petalled blooms are a glowing blend of bright orange, apricot-peach and yellow.

The rugged bush grows to hip height and is nicely rounded in shape.

Picture courtesy Alabama Extension see their flickr pageWhat to do in your garden in August

All Regions

August may be a windy month, and can still get miserably cold, but it is also the month when you really start reaping the rewards of your carefully planned winter and spring flower garden; and as the month progresses the displays will just get better and better - banishing even the worst of the winter-blues.

Ensure that all your standard plants and young trees are securely staked

August is known as the “windy month” in South Africa, so ensure that all your standard plants and young trees are securely staked.

When planting large trees or shrubs it may be essential to stake them, and newly planted standard plants like roses should always be securely staked until they are well established. However, young trees will more often than not do better when not staked, unless you want to ensure perfect upright growth.

A newly planted young tree or standard plant will take a couple of years to anchor itself firmly in the soil, and staking is usually done to prevent wind rock and movement of the roots. This movement can tear new roots and slow down the establishment of the plant. However, some movement of the trunk stimulates root growth and also helps strengthen the trunk by thickening it and giving it taper from bottom to top. So, although staked trees might grow taller and faster than their un-staked counterparts, their trunks may be weaker and their root systems less developed.

To solve this dilemma only stake large plants which have just been transplanted, and large newly planted trees or shrubs, as well as standard plants. A young tree growing in its nursery bag may often have a dense crown of leaves combined with a disproportionately small root ball, and is almost certain to require a stake. By staking a tree like this, its root ball will be held motionless in the soil, allowing the roots to grow into the surrounding soil, thereby anchoring the tree and giving it stability. The stakes are removed as soon as the plant is firmly rooted.

To ensure success familiarise yourself with the various methods of staking before planting.

Special tree ties are available which are made of durable, long-lasting plastic, with buckles for fastening and adjustment. These ties are well worth the investment because they can be re-used and can easily be loosened as the girth of the stem expands. In an emergency, pantyhose, bicycle tyre tubes, soft rubber strips, or similar materials can be used to secure the plants to the stakes.

Spacers are also available and are used to prevent the stem and stake rubbing against each other. When using these spacers, make a figure of eight with your tree tie and insert a spacer in between the tree and the stake before securing the tie to the stake with a nail.

Ground anchors are essentially professional underground staking systems which are fitted at the time of planting. They offer discreet anchorage, and are useful for specimen trees, or those in highly visible areas where above-ground methods would be unsightly.

If a stake moves in the ground, it will not anchor the plant, so ensure that all stakes are firmly and deeply planted.

Picture courtesy F. D. Richards see his flickr pageSingle stake method

When planting young trees, they won’t always need staking unless you want to ensure perfect upright growth. In this case plant a long stake when you plant the sapling, and tie the tree as it grows. Small trees are easily secured to a single wooden stake with a soft material like pantyhose or raffia

For most ornamental garden trees a single, short but sturdy stake about one-third of the height of the tree, should suffice.  Support for any young tree should allow the top of the tree to move freely and also allow for some movement of the trunk, all without causing abrasion where the tie makes contact. A tie placed too high (more than two-thirds of the way up the trunk) will not allow sufficient movement of the top of the tree.  Single stakes should be inserted into the ground on the side of the prevailing wind in order to allow the tree to blown away from the stake.

Larger trees will require very sturdy wooden or steel stakes, and stronger ties. For tress with long straight stems, or flexible stems, a longer vertical stake will be required, and to avoid damaging the bark there should be a gap of 2.5 to 3cm between the stem and the stake.

Double stake

This method is very useful on windy sites, and the standard method of staking container-grown plants and trees growing in nursery bags. When planting, two or three stakes are inserted opposite each other, or equally spaced around the tree, outside the root ball. The stakes are then secured to the trunk using long tree ties or a timber crossbar and tie.

When securing your ties, ensure that they are not too tight, or they will damage the bark, and check them regularly to ensure that they have not become too tight, causing damage to the trees.

Picture courtesy Alabama Extension see their flickr pageAngled stake

Angled tree stakes are used for trees planted on slopes. Before or after planting, stakes are driven into the soil at a 45 degree angle, leaning into the prevailing wind. The plants are then secured with a flexible tree tie.

Guying

Guying is particularly useful for large trees or shrubs which have been transplanted. Short but sturdy stakes are inserted firmly into the ground at a 45 degree angle away from the tree, and strong wire is secured to the stakes and the stem.

To prevent rubbing and damage to the bark where the wire touches the trunk, it must be covered with rubber tubing, a piece of hose-pipe, or similar material. Various materials can be wrapped around the stem to protect it.

Check on all ties regularly to ensure that they have not become too tight, causing damage to the trees.

Even when staking is necessary, the sooner the stakes are removed, the sooner the plant can develop a really strong trunk and root system. Once the tree can stand unsupported without bending or shifting in the ground, remove the stakes. This usually takes twelve to eighteen months, but may be longer for semi-mature trees, or ones on weak rootstocks, such as dwarf apple trees.

The worst hazard of staking is forgetting about it and perhaps letting the ties girdle a trunk, or just leaving the stakes in place so long that development of a sturdy trunk is delayed.

Bokbaaivygie Picture courtesy Maria KlangWinter and spring flowering annuals

To encourage the formation of new flowers continue to feed your winter and spring flowering annuals, and remove the spent blooms regularly. The more you pick sweet peas and Iceland poppies the more they bloom, so pick them often to brighten up your home and office.

In warm regions you can start sowing summer seeds in trays now. Try alyssum, ageratum, asters, cosmos, candytuft, celosia, cleome, bedding dahlias, gaillardia, lobelia, lavatera, phlox, marigolds, nicotiana, godetia, salvia, portulaca, verbena, zinnia, torenia, nigella and California poppies.

Click here to find more articles and lists of summer flowering plants.

Mulching the ground after planting, and grouping your seedlings together in the garden according to their watering requirements, will save you a lot on water bills.

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

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 and you the artist!

Lily borer caterpillarsLily borer

Check all your bulbs, but especially your clivias, agapanthus and amaryllis, for early signs of lily borer.

Tell-tale signs are clusters of tiny eggs underneath the leaves. Later the voracious zebra-striped caterpillars appear and start eating the leaves, working their way right down to the heart of bulbs themselves.

Spray regularly with Margaret Robert’s biological caterpillar insecticide or another suitable eco-friendly insecticide.

Click here to read more about lily borer.

Store winter and spring flowering bulbs for next season

If you wish to lift and store winter and spring flowering bulbs for next season, it is essential that you feed them with a high potassium fertiliser every two weeks until the leaves die down naturally. This is a critical time in the life of a bulb because as the leaves die down they feed the new flower embryo which is developing inside the bulb for next season’s blooms, and nutrients are essential.

When all the leaves are dead you can lift the bulbs to store, selecting only healthy, plump ones. Dry thoroughly in a shady, well-ventilated place, before layering in cardboard boxes, between vermiculite or sawdust, and storing in a cool, dry place.

Click here to find our list of winter and spring flowering bulbs.

Pineapple flower hybridsSummer bulbs start arriving in stores in August

Summer bulbs like gladioli, amaryllis, arum lilies, tuberous begonias, canna cultivars, dahlia, pineapple flower (Eucomis), berg lily (Galtonia), spider lily (Hymenocallis), gayfeather (Liatrus), liliums, Tigridia and tuberose start arriving in the stores in August; buy them as soon as they are available to avoid disappointment, and store them in a cool place until planting time in September.

Be warned however, moles love bulbs, and especially amaryllis bulbs; so if you have a mole problem plant them into special pots available in garden centres, or make a basket in the soil with chicken mesh; leaving about 3cm of mesh above the ground to stop the moles from going over the top.

Dahlias

To encourage stored dahlia bulbs to shoot, take them out of their boxes and lay them out in shallow trays. To to help prevent fungal infections, dust the bulbs with flowers of sulphur (available at some chemists) or spray lightly with a suitable  fungicide. Loosely cover the bulbs with soil, add a light sprinkling of  general purpose insecticide granules and water it lightly into the soil. Leave the bulbs outside in a sheltered place and keep the soil slightly moist, but not wet, until planting time in spring, once all danger of frost is over.

Cannas

Split and divide established canna lily tubers this month and transplant into beds refreshed with compost and a dressing of bone meal or 2:3:2.

Find out more about growing your favourite summer bulbs in our bulb section.

Weeds

Somehow, as soon as the weather warms up the weeds magically appear en masse, so get stuck into the garden and weed them out before they set seed again.

Mulch

Mulching the soil not only conserves water but also helps to smother emerging weeds; so if you have not mulched your beds yet do so without delay.

Water

As the days begin to warm up you can gradually increase the amount you water your garden. 

Fertilise

Fertilise all your shrubs and trees at the end of the month with a good general purpose fertiliser like 2:3:2 and water it in well. In frosty regions only feed once all danger of frost is over.

Yellow leaves

Lime-rich soils can cause iron deficiencies, resulting in yellow leaves, which is especially common in plants which prefer a more acid soil, like yesterday-today and tomorrow, azalea and rhododendron, and gardenia. Plants with yellow leaves can be treated with iron chelate, followed by a dressing of Epsom Salts two weeks later.

Spraying regularly with a trace element mixture like Trelmix is also beneficial; as well as mulching all your acid loving plants with acid compost.

Lawn Care

A beautiful lawn needs regular care throughout the year but especially in spring and summer. It is also a great time to sow lawn seed. So if you want a gorgeous lawn this summer read the guidelines below and start preparing now.

In warm, frost-free 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.

Runner lawns

In early spring, once all danger of frost is over, established runner lawns like Kikuyu should be mowed extremely short and scarified with a hard rake or broom to remove the dead mat (use the rakings to mulch your garden beds or add them to the compost heap). Spike the entire area with a lawn-spike or do it manually using a garden fork, driving it into the soil about every 30cm.

Please note that the above procedure only applies to runner-type lawns like Kikuyu, and will damage tuft forming grass varieties like shade lawn and evergreen mixes.

Kentucky Blue, and subtropical grasses like Berea, which is also called LM or Durban grass can be spiked and dressed but should not be cut too short.

After scarifying, water thoroughly a day before applying agricultural lime at +-200g per square meter, and watering it in well. About a week later, feed with a good organic fertiliser like Blade Runner, watering it in well. Because the agricultural lime improves the uptake of the nutrients applied, your grass will grow so vigorously that most aggressive emerging weeds will be smothered before they have a chance to establish themselves and set seed. Those that do push through must be weeded out immediately.

If your lawn is uneven or your soil depleted it may also be necessary to top-dress with a good quality, weed-free lawn dressing. A thin layer is normally more than enough, but if you have uneven spots the dressing can be applied a bit thicker, but never apply thicker than 3cm. As the grass shoots through you can add extra layers of topdressing until all the hollows are filled in. Use the back of a metal garden rake or a wooden plank to spread the lawn dressing evenly over the area.

For a perfect lawn all summer it is essential to feed every 4 to 6 weeks, and to mow and water regularly. Remove any weeds and as soon as they appear, and before they set seed.

Established areas of tuft forming grass varieties

Established areas of tuft forming grass varieties like shade lawn and evergreen mixes can be very lightly mowed and then lightly dressed and any hollows evened out with a good weed-free lawn dressing. Adding some bone meal to the lawn dressing will give your lawn an extra boost, and if there are any bare patches seed can be added to the dressing. Water thoroughly and regularly thereafter until your lawn is well established.

Early spring and summer are a great time to sow lawn seed

Early spring and summer are perfect times to sow lawn seed, and if you have a small garden you should consider sowing an evergreen lawn. Evergreen mixes are available for both sun and shade, and because they do not creep will not invade your garden beds. They are also hardy, and as long as they can be watered regularly, will grow well throughout the country; with the exception of very humid regions.

To prepare the beds dig them over to a depth of about 20cm and add lots of compost and a dressing of 2:3:2. Rake the beds smooth and water gently. Once the soil has partially dried out, you can sow the seeds as recommended. Rake the bed lightly once again after sowing and water well. Ensure that the soil remains moist but not soggy until all the seeds have germinated, and allow the grass to establish itself well before mowing it for the first time. Please note that these lawns cannot be cut as short as kikuyu, so read all the sowing and care instructions on the seed box before sowing.

Burgandy Iceberg RoseThere's still time to prune and to plant out new roses

In most temperate parts of the country July is traditionally the time to prune and to plant out new roses, but you can still safely prune now if you get it done quickly before new growth begins in earnest. Delaying for another week or two is not detrimental but will result in your roses flowering later than normal.

In very cold regions pruning is usually delayed until the middle of August. If your un-pruned roses start shooting as a result of unusually warm weather, do not panic, because these shoots are usually on the tips of the branches, and will be pruned off later anyway, it is not a problem, and the dormant shoots below will still shoot timeously in spring. If, however, you notice signs of red spider on the leaves and shoots, prune them off immediately to prevent serious infestations of the summer foliage.

In the winter rainfall regions pruning starts from the end of July to August; and in warm subtropical regions you can prune from June to early August.

Click here to read my article "Easy guidelines for pruning roses"

When your pruned roses start showing signs of shooting give them a deep soaking and then water deeply every week, and as the weather warms up towards the end of the month you can increase your watering to about twice weekly. Mulch the roots of your plants with mature kraal manure or compost; keeping it well away from the stems to avoid collar rot. Feed with an organic fertiliser that is high in nitrogen like 8:1:6 and water thoroughly. To prevent early insect infestations spray your plants with an organic insecticide when the new leaves emerge. It should not be necessary to spray against fungal diseases this early in the season; unless you live in subtropical regions.

If you wish to still take hardwood rose-cuttings of roses, do so now because the sap will soon begin to rise.

Plum treeDeciduous Fruits

Pruning

In most temperate parts of the country pruning of deciduous fruit trees and grape vines is generally completed in July; but in very cold regions pruning is often delayed until the middle of August.

In the winter rainfall regions pruning starts from the end of July to August; and in warm subtropical regions you can prune from June to early August.

If deciduous fruits are pruned in the traditional manner they will generally grow +-4m tall with an equal or even greater spread. However by using ancient techniques like espalier, or more modern pruning techniques, they can now be grown in small spaces.

Click here to read my articles: “So you say you don’t have space to plant fruit trees?” and "How to grow a little deciduous stone-fruit tree"

Deciduous fruits will need to be sprayed regularly

Remember that deciduous fruits like peaches and nectarines will need to be sprayed regularly, and it and it is far better to do preventative spraying on a regular basis, rather than trying to fight an existing pest or disease.

Early fruiting varieties are less susceptible, but if you wish to extend the season with later varieties, you will need to spray.

To be most effective sprays must be applied at specific stages of crop development, and the terms used to describe the stages of fruit development in peaches and plums are: Dormant: Late autumn to early spring; Bud break: Buds begin to swell; Bud swell: Buds are noticeably swollen, but no green tissue is present; Pink: Just before the flower buds open; Bloom: flowers open; Petal fall: Last petals are falling; Shuck-split: Most of the developing fruits have split away from the remains of the dried flower.

Click here to read my in depth spraying programme for deciduous fruit trees.

Deciduous stone-fruit trees lwill be coming into bloom this month, and as fruit flies emerge in early summer, you need to start spraying and putting out fruit fly bait stations every two weeks throughout spring - at bud break, pink, and at petal fall. This is especially important if the weather remains warm and sunny.

Gardeners can monitor fruit fly by using fruit fly traps, and commercial pheromone traps are available at cooperatives. Pheromones are chemical compounds that are produced and secreted and that influence the behaviour and development of other members of the same species. Chemical control pesticides registered specifically for baiting stations are available at garden centres.

An environmentally friendly product by Efekto: Eco Fruit Fly Bait GF-120 is excellent for baiting stations. It consists of a plant protein and sugar formulation with Spinosad as the active ingredient. Spinosad is derived from a soil organism, making GF-120 one of the safest pesticide products available.

Neem sprays are also available for fruit fly control. Its active ingredient is Azadirachtin from neem seeds and it is used to control a wide range of insects (up to 200 insect types) including white flies, leaf miners, mealybug, thrips, fruit flies, leaf hopper, red spider mite, weevils and many more. It is relatively harmless to insects that pollinate crops and trees, such as butterflies, spiders and bees; ladybugs that consume aphids; and wasps that act as a parasite on various crop pests. This is because neem products must be ingested to be effective. Thus, insects that feed on plant tissue succumb, while those that feed on nectar or other insects rarely contact significant concentrations of neem products.

Make your own fruit fly baiting station

You may even like to make your own fruit fly baiting station and there are many recipes online, but a very simple trap can be made by pouring apple cider vinegar in a bowl and covering it with cling film. Pierce several small holes through the cling film to allow the smell to escape and the fruit flies to enter. Fruit flies don’t seem to be able to resist the aroma of the cider vinegar and then they get trapped in the bowl and can’t find their way out. Change the vinegar regularly to keep its efficacy and watch the fruit flies flock to it.

Feed fruit trees this month

Fruit trees like peaches and nectarines, apricots, plums, pears and apples will be coming into bloom this month, so mulch them with compost and feed with a granular organic 3:1:5 fertiliser, watering it in thoroughly. For young trees use about 100g per tree and for mature trees about 200g.

In the summer rainfall regions water deeply every 10 days.

If your trees were infected with peach leaf curl last season, spray them with a suitable organic fungicide before they come into bloom.

Citrus trees should be fed with organic 3:1:5 or 2:3:2 and will benefit from a dose of iron chelate; followed by a dressing of Epsom salts two weeks later. Spraying regularly with a trace element mixture like Trelmix is also beneficial.

If citrus psylla was a problem last season, resulting in unsightly bumps on the leaves; spray as soon as the new, young growth emerges, paying particular attention to the new leaves as well as the undersides of the leaves.

Tropical fruits like figs, avocados, pineapples, paw-paws, granadilla and mangoes will also benefit from a feeding with 3:1:5.

Weed out the male paw-paw plants as soon as they come into flower, leaving only one male for every 5 females.

Feed your strawberries with 2:3:3 and water in well.

In the warmer summer rainfall regions it is time to sow Cape gooseberries.

Frost bitten evergreen shrubs can be pruned in August

Frost bitten evergreen shrubs can be pruned in August when there is no longer a danger of late frosts; and when you do prune, remove all green branches from variegated shrubs right at their base, or the stronger growing green shoots will quickly overtake the variegated ones.

As the weather warms cut back fuchsias by a third and mulch with compost; towards the end of the month, when they start shooting, start pinching out the growing tips to develop a bushier plant; and feed with a fertiliser high in nitrogen.

Do not accidently prune your spring and early summer flowering evergreen shrubs and climbers until they have finished blooming. If you are uncertain when a shrub flowers, it is always best to wait until it has finished blooming or fruiting before pruning.

Hydrangeas

If you desire very dark blue hydrangeas this summer you can sprinkle some aluminium sulphate around the roots of your plants now or spray it onto the leaves by diluting 25 grams of aluminium sulphate into 5 litres of water; repeating every two weeks until January. An application of agricultural lime will encourage darker pink blooms. Specialist feeders for both blue and pink hydrangeas are available from retail outlets, and may be more convenient for home owners and well worth the investment.

Hemaerocallis 'Hearts Glee' Picture courtesy www.hadeco.co.zaDivide and replant overcrowded groundcovers and perennial plants

Once all danger of late frosts are over, divide and replant overcrowded groundcovers and perennial plants like agapanthus, wild iris (Dietes), and daylily (Hemerocallis), transplanting them immediately into well-prepared beds. Gently pull apart the actively growing plants from the outside of the clump, choosing only healthy looking pieces and discarding the woody central part of the mother plant. Mulch the clumps with compost or manure and feed with organic 3:1:5 or 2:3:2 fertilisers; watering it in thoroughly afterwards. If your ornamental grasses are looking untidy but do not need dividing, just as they start shooting again, prune them back right down to the ground, mulch and feed.

Click here to find our handy list of perennial plants

Conifers

Continue to treat your conifers for aphids until the first rains arrive by regularly applying insecticide granules or a similar product around their roots.

Take hardwood cuttings

Take hardwood cuttings now of conifers, roses and deciduous shrubs.

Indoor pot plants

Re-pot any indoor pot plants that are looking tired into a slightly larger pot. Most potted plants like to be a little pot bound and do not like being planted into pots that are too large. Ensure that you use a good potting soil and add some bone meal to the soil.

Picture courtesy Dave MaczugaVegetables

Continue to harvest your winter vegetables regularly and freeze or pickle what you cannot eat.

Feed your broccoli with a high nitrogen feeder after you have harvested the main head as this will encourage the growth of secondary shoots.

Broad beans bear prolifically and can be cooked in their soft pods when they are still young, so eat your fill. More mature broad beans are still delicious but need to be shelled; they can also be blanched and frozen. Much older pods can be harvested as dry beans if they are left on the plants until fully mature.

In frost-free regions you can continue to sow green beans, pumpkin and squash, cucumbers, melons, and a first sowing of maize and sweetcorn.

In those parts of the country which still experience low night temperatures and frost in August, it is better to wait until next month before sowing or planting out vegetable seedlings, and unless you have heated germination trays, tropical vegetables, like eggplants, tomatoes and peppers will not germinate unless the soil temperature is sufficiently high. In these regions plan your summer vegetable patch, and prepare the beds now for planting or sowing in September.

Seed potatoes are planted out in August and September; for harvesting in December. New potatoes are harvested much earlier. If space is limited, grow them in potato sacks or dustbins. Jerusalem artichokes can still be lifted and divided and globe artichokes can be propagated from suckers (Read last month’s article).

Peas, including sugar snap peas thrive in cooler weather, but although the plants are frost hardy the flowers aren’t, so in very cold regions they are generally planted in July or August to ensure that they flower once all danger of frost is past. Seeds can be planted directly into the garden, or into containers - low-growing varieties that don't require staking are ideal for containers and small vegetable gardens. Seedlings germinate within a week or two and grow quickly, so in 2 to 3 months you will be able to start harvesting.

With the large variety of vegetables available for summer, a common mistake gardeners make is too sow too much; rather sow smaller batches at regular intervals to ensure crops throughout summer. Another common mistake is to sow vegetables that your family does not use in large quantities, so select your varieties carefully.

Look out for summer salad ingredients like celery, cucumber, peppers, lettuce, spring onions, radish and tomatoes, and of course, herbs like parsley, chives, basil, mint and coriander.

Not forgetting those delicious home grown carrots, green beans, beetroot, eggplant, leeks, peas, parsnip, pumpkin and squash, turnips; and if you have space for something sweet, try Cape gooseberries, rhubarb, strawberries, melon and watermelon.

Prepare vegetable beds well

Vegetables must grow quickly for optimal flavour and quality, so prepare the beds well. Thoroughly dig over the entire bed, adding lots of compost and 100 grams of organic 2:3:2 fertilisers per square metre. Rake the bed level, water well and allow the bed to lie for at least a week before sowing seed; some large seeds like beans can be damaged by direct contact with fertiliser. The perfect soil for growing vegetables is a loose crumbly well-drained soil that still retains moisture and nutrients. 

Vegetables need more attention, regarding the soil pH, than flowers or shrubs. Most vegetables prefer soil with a neutral pH of 7.0 to slightly acid soil pH 5.5 to 6.5.  Agricultural lime is used to make the soil less acid but should be applied one month before adding compost, manure or fertiliser and before sowing or planting. Lime should only be required every three or four years if you practice crop rotation and maintain a healthy soil. Lime is traditionally spread on the surface of the soil for rain to wash it in, but on medium to heavy soils, it is better to dig it into the topsoil.

Herbs 

Prepare a small herb garden for summer, and if possible chose a site for your herb garden as close to the kitchen as possible, or alternatively, plant herbs between the rows in the vegetable garden to help keep your crops healthy and pest-free. Start with herbs you are familiar with and those which you use regularly in the kitchen, you can always expand your collection later. Visit your local garden centre to see what is available seasonally.

Overcrowded clumps of established herbs can be lifted and divided this month; prune them back before replanting into composted soil.

Find all your favourite herbs in our herb section.

Winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean)

The northwest winds may still howling, but take heart because spring is on the way, heralding the most spectacular display in the floral kingdom of the Cape. Daisies thrive in these regions; and now is the time to plant them out, try Margeurite Daisy (Argyranthemum), arctotis and trailing daisy.

Click here to read my article on gardening in the Western Cape.

If heavy rainfall has compacted the soil in your garden beds, once the soil has dried out somewhat, you can lightly loosen the surface before mulching generously with compost and fertilising with 2:3:2. Check you irrigation system and make any repairs before summer.

Finish your pruning by the middle of August, but don’t prune your spring flowering shrubs and roses. Hydrangeas can be pruned if they were not pruned last summer, fuchsias can also be pruned now; a general rule is to cut back by up to two thirds and remove dead, weak stems. Do not prune your bougainvillea until the end of November but feed with 2:3:4 or 2:3:2 this month.

Lawns in this region are 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 fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. If there were drainage problems in your lawn this winter fix them as soon as the soil dries out. Level out any hollows where water collects by cutting out squares of turf and filling up the hollows with compost mixed with river sand before laying the lawn again. In areas with serious drainage problems it may be necessary to install a proper drainage system. To get rid of moss in lawns, mix two tablespoons of sulphate of iron into 5 litres of water and water it in; repeating 7 days later.

As soon as the soil dries out enough, prepare your beds for sowing and planting out summer flowering annuals; adding generous quantities of compost and a sprinkling of organic 2:3:2 and bone meal. If you have a germinator tray or a dry protected spot outdoors you can start sowing summer flowers like ageratum, alyssum, bedding begonias, candytuft, dianthus, delphiniums, California poppy, foxglove, godetia, gaillardia, lobelia, nicotiana, penstemon, snapdragons, viscaria and lychnis.

Early summer vegetables like eggplants, cucumber, peppers and tomatoes can be started indoors in a germinator tray and planted out as soon as the soil is workable. Sow spring onions, radish, green beans, beetroot, carrots, lettuce, rhubarb, maize and sweetcorn, parsnip, peas, turnips, Swiss chard, pumpkin and squash, not forgetting those fresh summer herbs like thyme, parsley, chives, basil, mint, coriander. and rocket. And if you have space, try some Cape gooseberries,

Dry, semi-arid and continental regions

August is an unpredictable month with warm sunny days and then sudden late frosts. Water the garden deeply and regularly during this dry period, especially your spring flowering plants. Check you irrigation system and make any repairs before summer.

Spring is the best time to sow lawn seed or to plant instant lawn in these regions so prepare the soil this month as outlined in the text for all regions. Do not scarify and fertilise your established lawn until all danger of late frost is over, as the new blades are easily burnt. Remove weeds as soon as they appear and before they get a chance to set seeds.

Delay pruning your roses until the middle or even the end of August if you live in extremely cold regions. Do not prune your evergreen shrubs until all danger of frost is over and remember not to prune your spring and early summer flowering plants.

Hydrangeas can be pruned if they were not pruned last summer, fuchsias can also be pruned once all danger of frost is over; a general rule is to cut back by up to two thirds and remove dead, weak stems. 

If you have a seed germinator tray or a warm, protected place, you can start sowing early summer vegetables like eggplants, peppers and tomatoes; as well as summer flowers into trays; if you don’t have a protected place wait until September because summer seeds can only be sown directly into garden beds when all danger of frost is over and the soil temperatures are warm.  

Soils in arid climates tend to be alkaline, with a pH factor of 7.0 or higher. This is caused by the high percentage of lime (calcium carbonate) in the soils of these regions. The main problem associated with alkaline soils is that certain essential nutrients, particularly iron and zinc, become unavailable to the plants. If the soil is mildly alkaline (pH 7.5) you have nothing to worry about, but the higher the pH, the harder it will be for you to find appropriate plants that will survive in your garden.

If your soil is alkaline, try sowing seeds of Californian poppies, candytuft, campanula, yarrow, sweet william and dianthus this summer. Other plants that grow well in alkaline soils are euphorbia, westringia, lavender, bearded iris, kangaroo paw, garden pinks, clematis and potentilla. Also herbs like oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme should thrive.

Subtropical summer rainfall regions

August can still be a very unpredictable month, so mulch all your flowerbeds to help conserve moisture and water and feed your shrubs regularly.

If you have not scarified your kikuyu lawn yet do so now; Berea or Durban grass should not be scarified, just cut as usual.

Check your irrigation system and make any repairs before summer.

Prune your winter flowering plants and bougainvillea when they have finished blooming and lightly prune other evergreens that may need it. Do not prune spring and early summer flowering plants. Hydrangeas can be pruned if they were not pruned last summer, fuchsias can also be pruned now; a general rule is to cut back by up to two thirds and remove dead, weak stems. Do not prune your bougainvillea until the end of November but feed with 2:3:4 or 2:3:2 this month.

Tropical fruits like figs, avocados, pineapples, paw-paws, granadilla and mangoes will also benefit from a feeding with 3:1:5.

Weed out the male paw-paw plants as soon as they come into flower, leaving only one male for every 5 females.

Feed your strawberries with 2:3:3 and water it in well. In these regions it is also time to sow Cape gooseberries.

Sow or plant alyssum, asters, cleome, New Guinea impatiens, salvia, cosmos, verbena, marigold, dianthus and bedding begonias. Cuttings of bedding begonias, coleus, salvia and New Guinea Impatiens will take root quickly as the weather warms up.

You can still make sowings of quick maturing winter veggies like oriental vegetables and lettuce; and you should get one last sowing of carrots. Plant out  sweet potatoes, green beans, pumpkin and squash like patty pans, beetroot, baby marrow, eggplant, cucumber, maize and sweetcorn, melons, peppers and tomatoes, radish, rhubarb, and Swiss chard.

Summer rainfall (Temperate or Highveld Regions)

August is an unpredictable month with warm sunny days and then sudden, late frosts. Water the garden regularly during this dry period, especially your spring flowering plants. Check you irrigation system and make any repairs before summer.

Do not prune your evergreen shrubs until all danger of frost is over and when you do, remember not to prune your spring and early summer flowering plants.

Hydrangeas can be pruned if they were not pruned last summer, fuchsias can also be pruned now; a general rule is to cut back by up to two thirds and remove dead, weak stems.

Spring is the best time to sow lawn seed or to plant instant lawn in these regions so prepare the soil this month as outlined in the text for all regions. Do not scarify and fertilise your established lawn until all danger of late frost is over, as the new blades are easily burnt.

Summer vegetables and flowers can only be sown directly into garden beds when all danger of frost is over; so if you don’t have a protected place wait until September.

Peas and sugar snap peas are intermediary crops which thrive in the cooler weather of spring and early summer. In frosty regions they are sown directly into garden beds from July to August to ensure that they will bloom when the frosts are over, and can be harvested before it becomes too hot in summer.

If you are lucky enough to have a seed germinator tray; or if you live in less frosty regions like Pretoria, with a warm protected spot in the garden; you can plant seed potatoes, and start sowing early summer vegetables like maize and sweetcorn; cucumber; eggplant, peppers and tomatoes, pumpkin and squash; as well as summer varieties of cabbage and lettuce. Green beans, beetroot, parsnip, turnips, rhubarb, radish, Swiss chard, carrots, melons and Cape gooseberries can also be sown.

Camellia japonica 'Jurys Yellow'What to do in your garden in July

 All Regions

In July it may be cold outside but our gardens and the veldt are aglow with brilliant displays of flowering aloes, various species of our indigenous wild pear, or as they say in Afrikaans "drolpeer", and an array of indigenous berries. 

July is also camellia season, and they remain the most beautiful and rewarding shrubs, beloved by gardeners worldwide. Sasanqua Camellias bloom in early autumn; and Camellia Japonica blooms in winter and early spring. The Saucer Magnolia also blooms in late winter and spring; so if you don’t have any of the above in your garden, now is a good time to choose some from your local garden centre. 

Its time to prune, plant and transplant

In most regions of South Africa July is traditionally known as the month when we prune, plant or transplant deciduous fruit trees, grape vines, roses and other deciduous plants. Many evergreens can also be moved at this time. Because the flow of plant sap is low in winter, pruning and transplanting at this time reduces the risk of infection, and the shock of transplanting.

Cycas revolutaTransplanting

No matter where you live plant sap will be low in winter, making July to August also a good time to transplant evergreen shrubs and trees which are growing in the wrong place, and also for transplanting potted plants. In very cold regions it is best to wait until after your last frosts before transplanting evergreens to avoid damage. The sap will still be low enough to avoid too much shock to the plant.

Winter is a good time to transplant Cycads and Cycas. Remove any cones from your plant before transplanting and ensure that the new site has good, well-drained soil, adding some river sand to the new planting hole if the drainage is not good. Do not overwater until the rainy season starts. In the winter rainfall regions, if your soil does not drain well, it may be better to wait until spring or early summer to transplant cycads.

Conifers growing in the wrong place can be moved in June and July. Prune your plants lightly before transplanting, this should be done every year anyway to keep them looking neat and to retain their shape. Shake out most of the dead material from the centre of the plant, and after planting, mulch the soil around the root zone with a good layer of organic material.

How to Transplant

When transplanting dig the new holes first adding  generous amounts of compost, or whatever soil your plant requires, plus a good dressing of bone meal to the planting holes. Before transplanting many gardeners give their plants a thorough watering and then apply a good dose of Epsom Salts dissolved in water around the root zone, as this helps reduce the shock of transplanting.

When transplanting you will also lose some roots so it is best to prune back the plant as much as you can. After pruning you can spray the plant with ‘Wilt-Pruf’ as this helps to prevent shock and the loss of moisture through the leaves after transplanting. Leave the plant for a day or two to absorb the Epsom Salts before transplanting smaller shrubs. However, if your plant is large it is best to dig a trench around the plant first and allow it to stand for another day or two before finally digging up the entire plant.

When you move your plant to its new hole, make sure that you plant at the same depth that it was growing before transplanting. Planting too deep can cause plant death. Ensure that the transplants are very firmly planted in their new positions and staked if necessary. Water the plants thoroughly after planting, and moderately thereafter.

Plant Deciduous Fruit Trees and Roses

In June and July garden centres around South Africa sell Deciduous Fruit Trees and Roses, either bare rooted or planted in nursery bags. Planting in winter when the plants are dormant gives them a chance to settle in and to start developing roots before they put their energy into spring growth.

If you are planting deciduous stone fruits read my articles: "Easy guide for pruning deciduous fruit trees" & "How to grow a little deciduous stone-fruit tree"  

prunerRPruning

Ensure that all your pruners are sharp and always make clean cuts as ragged cuts are subject to infection. You will need secateurs to prune small branches, loppers for bigger branches, and a garden saw will come in handy for large branches, which must be sealed immediately with a tree seal.  A good pair of gloves will save your hands, and because you will also be doing a winter spray, ensure that you have purchased the recommended winter sprays and that your sprayer has good pressure.

If you have a shredder, shred everything except diseased plant material and add it to your compost heap or use it as mulch. If you have not investing in a shredder yet, try to do so – it will save you a mint in the long run on purchasing mulch and compost.

In cold regions pruning generally gets under way from the middle of July, but in extremely cold regions pruning is delayed until the middle or end of August. However, in the warmer subtropical regions of the country pruning can start as early as June and continue into early August; and in the winter rainfall regions pruning starts from the end of July and continues into August.

For deciduous fruit trees and roses, spray with a winter strength lime sulphur solution when you have finished pruning and spray the surface of the soil around your trees lightly as well.

Click here to read some easy guidelines for pruning all types of roses

Click here to read some easy guidelines for pruning deciduous fruits and nuts

Winter is a good time to prune all deciduous shrubs, trees and climbers because dead and diseased branches can easily be spotted and removed. Correct pruning will rejuvenate old plants to produce better flowers, fruit laden trees, and well-shaped rose bushes.

Do not prune deciduous trees and shrubs like Rosa banksiae, weigelia and spiraea which flower in early spring and summer, on last season’s growth. Rather prune these when they have finished blooming.

Do not prune frost bitten evergreen shrubs now, rather wait until the weather warms and there is no danger of late frosts. When you do prune, remove all green branches from variegated shrubs right at their base, or the stronger growing green shoots will quickly overtake the variegated ones.

If you did not prune your hydrangeas in April you can do so from mid to late July. They need to be pruned down to a good, fat bud and all the old, dead wood needs to be cut right down to the ground.

Lawn

Continue to care for your lawn as detailed in last month’s article.

Iceland Poppy. Picture courtesy www.lifeisagarden.co.zaFlowering seedlings and bulbs

Water your winter and spring flowering seedlings and bulbs regularly, feed with organic 3:1:5, and nip out the dead flowers often to prolong blooming. 

Sweet peas should be growing vigorously and need to be fed with a liquid fertiliser that is high in potassium every 2 weeks until they have finished blooming. 

Instant Colour

If parts of your garden look a bit dreary, why not visit your local garden centre to select your favourite instant colour seedlings to transform those drab areas, not forgetting your baskets and pots.

Try some Iceland poppies, pansies and violas, alyssum, calendulas,German primroses and fairy primulas, to name but a few; but remember that when the weather gets hot in early summer most of these plants will need to be replaced with fresh summer varieties.

In the warmer parts of the country which experience cold nights but little or no frost, plant out instant colour bags of petunias and verbenas. They flourish during the dry season, and will continue into summer. During the rainy season they become prone to fungal diseases, so put them on your winter flower list to plant next season. 

Read my articles "Winter & spring flowering annuals" & "10 stars of the winter flower garden" as these winter/spring bloomers will be available as instant colour a this time of the year.

If you desire a flowering garden throughout the year without breaking the bank you are sure to appreciate my e-book “Growing Bedding Plants in South Africa” - it will have you growing your own beautiful blooms all year round with a minimum of fuss and expense. Click here to read more or to order this e-book.

Clivias & Liliums

Keep your clivias on the dry side to initiate flower spikes; and if you have not planted out liliums, you can still do so this month (Read my June article)

Plan a water-wise garden

Plan a water-wise garden for summer by grouping your plants according to their watering needs, and consider getting rid of some of your lawn - lawns are real water guzzlers and should be kept to a minimum if you wish to conserve water. There are so many water-wise plants, both exotic and indigenous, that there is no reason why you cannot achieve a beautiful and colourful summer garden using these plants. (Click here to read more in our Handy Articles Section)

Compost

In dry regions moisten your compost heap occasionally, and in the winter rainfall regions you may need to cover the heap with a plastic sail to prevent it from getting too wet.

Indoor Pot Plants

To increase humidity in heated rooms, place a humidifier or bowls filled with water near to your indoor pot plants - floating a few flowers on the water looks so pretty. Always water your potted plants with warm, not freezing cold water in winter and protect them from cold draughts. Popular flowering indoor plants for winter include the ever popular Alpine Violet (Cyclamen) and the Common Primrose (Primula acaulis).

Birds

Attract birds to your garden in winter by feeding them and providing water, and hopefully they will remain through spring and summer and consume vast quantities of insects, and thus reducing the need to spray. Also, don’t forget to include some plants in the garden which will provide them with food in winter. Read more in our Handy Articles Section.

Globe Artichoke. Picture courtesy Celia FinnimoreVegetables 

Start preparing beds for spring plantings of vegetables and herbs. Stake winter vegetables that may need some support; like broad beans, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Nip out the growing tips of broad beans to promote pod set and to prevent aphid infestations. Pick your peas while they are still young and tender. Divide and replant large clumps of rhubarb at the end of July.

In frost-free regions continue sowing green beans, pumpkins and squashes, baby marrows, melons and cucumbers. In cold regions summer veggies can be started if you have a greenhouse.

Seed potatoes become available this month for planting out in August and September; and harvesting in December, or earlier for new potatoes. If space is limited, grow them in potato sacks or dustbins.

Asparagus crowns can also be divided in winter when they are dormant; dig a trench with a built-up ridge of soil in the middle on which to place the divided crowns, about 30cm apart; fill the trench with good compost and firm down well before watering. If you can’t find crowns seed can be sown now, keep the trays in a protected warm place until they germinate.

Globe Artichokes can be propagated from suckers cut from the base of the plant with a sharp knife, leaving part of the root attached. In cold regions suckers are planted out in late winter; plant only strong healthy suckers about 25cm long, spacing them about 60cm apart.

Jerusalem artichoke tubers can be lifted and divided in late winter or early spring. Select only good quality tubers at least 4cm in diameter with at least 2 eyes or buds. Large tubers can be cut into pieces as long as they have two eyes. Plant the tubers about 50cm apart. Seeds can also be sown into trays in late winter for planting out in summer.

Fruit

Citrus trees and avocados are bearing and do need some attention at this time of the year. Water them regularly and deeply, and when you have finished harvesting, mulch the trees with compost and feed with 3:1:5, but keep both well away from the trunk of the tree.

Ripe lemons last long on the tree and can be harvested as required, but limes start to deteriorate on the tree and are better if they are harvested right away.

Spray thoroughly with Oleum if red scale insects are noticed on the stems.

Almonds that are starting to bloom should be fed with 6:1:5 or similar organic fertilisers. Use about 100 grams for young trees and about 200 grams for mature trees, watering it in well afterwards. Mangoes must also be fed once the flower trusses emerge. The long side branches of granadillas can be cut back now if they were not pruned in February; this will promote new side shoots. In the winter rainfall regions strawberries are planted out now.

Winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean)

Check that beds under the eaves of the house and in the shadow of hedges or trees, as well as plants growing on the south side of walls are receiving sufficient water. Dust gypsum onto heavy clay soils and allow the rain to wash it into the soil. Move your potted succulents and cacti out of the rain and ensure that the drainage holes in your outdoor pots are not blocked. Buffalo lawns are dormant but Kikuyu lawns still need to be mowed about every two weeks.

Snails dislike parsley and the hairy leaves of comfrey will help to deter them. Place wet paper or cabbage leaves, face down around endangered plants in the morning and collect the snails that are sheltering there in the evening. Collect eggshells to place around vulnerable plants as snails and slugs hate rough surfaces.

Run a coarse gravel pathway around the vegetable patch, inter-planted with herbs. In these regions strawberries are planted out now. If you do have a sheltered spot, make a final planting of peas, but leave most of your seed sowing until next month unless you are sowing into trays and have a warm, well-drained and protected spot to keep them. If you do have a sheltered spot, you can sow seeds of beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, endive, leek, lettuce, onion, parsley, parsnip, radish, spinach, and turnips.

Subtropical summer rainfall regions

Do a thorough check of your entire garden regularly for white ants, especially your tree ferns, and treat immediately. Re-pot any indoor pot plants that have outgrown their pots, ensuring that you use a good potting soil.

Take cuttings of Bougainvillea and Hibiscus, and propagate Frangipani by planting out truncheons into pots filled with very well-drained soil; do not overwater.

Prune Bougainvillea that are growing in pots when they have finished flowering, then feed with superphosphate or bone meal and a high nitrogen feeder. When your plant is growing vigorously again, reduce watering and feed with a fertiliser like 3:1:5 to promote flowering.

If your Hibiscus is not performing well, try cutting it back ruthlessly (about 60cm from the ground). Prune out all the dead wood, mulch generously with compost and feed with organic 3:1:5, watering it in well. Feeding hibiscus in summer with high nitrogen feeders may cause the buds to drop.

July is a good time to prune late summer flowering shrubs and climbers and to cut away dead wood from ornamental trees and shrubs.

If your clumps of Bromeliads are overcrowded, dig them up and carefully split them, re-planting only young healthy plants into fertile well-drained soil. 

Water your Gardenias, Azaleas and Camellias deeply and regularly, never allowing the soil to dry out completely; or the flower buds will fall off.

The Purple Wreath (Petrea) will be blooming soon, so if you don’t have this beautiful plant in your garden, why not plant one now.

July is also an excellent time to make structural changes to your garden like levelling or laying new pathways, repairing walls and varnishing woodwork. Consider installing rainwater tanks, these will pay for themselves within a few years.

At the end of July, prepare your lawn for summer, by firstly mowing it very short, then raking out the dead mat with a steel rake. Apply agricultural lime at about 200g per square meter and water it in well. Weeds thrive on acid soils and lime sweetens the soil and therefore discourages weed growth.

It is time to prepare trenches for sweet peas; they require very rich, well-drained soil. Soak the seeds overnight before sowing. You can also sow and plant salvia, scadoxus, pineapple flower (Eucomis), asters, phlox, dianthus, calendula, lobelia, snapdragon, alyssum, delphinium and pansies.

Make your first plantings of mealies and sweetcorn and continue to plant out green beans, peppers and chillies, eggplants, tomatoes, parsnip, squashes and pumpkin, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, Swiss chard and melons. Make a final sowing of beetroot.

Summer rainfall (Temperate or Highveld Regions)

Bend the brown leaves on your tree ferns upwards and tie a few together with string, this will protect the tender crown of new leaves in the centre of your plant.

Ensure that your standard roses, trees etc. are securely staked, before the August winds arrive.

Get out your stepladder and clear out the gutters and prune away any rampant creepers from your roof. In these regions it is an excellent time to make structural changes to your garden like levelling or laying new pathways, repairing walls and varnishing woodwork.

Rainwater tanks will pay for themselves within a few years and are essential in regions prone to drought. Weeds will in show up well on frosted lawns, so remove them by hand immediately.

Continue to water in the morning, to allow the soil to drain and the plants to dry off before nightfall. Never allow your Gardenias, Azaleas and Camellias to dry out totally or the flower buds will fall off. Visit your local garden centre to select winter flowering shrubs and groundcovers while they are in bloom, not forgetting the beautiful Lenten Rose (Helleborus). Lavender excels during the dry winter season and winter is a great time to select flowering cultivars for your garden.

Virginian stocks can still be sown directly into garden beds; and because phlox, candytuft, alyssum, columbine and larkspur have cold germination tolerance, they can also be sown now. It is too cold to sow summer annuals unless you have heated germination trays, but the nurseries are usually brimming with ‘instant colour’ seedlings just starting to bloom, which can be planted out now. Most of them will be winter flowering annuals that will go off when the weather gets too hot in summer.

In the warmer parts of this region which experience cold nights but little or no frost, plant out petunias and verbenas because they flourish during the dry season, and as soon as the rainy season starts they become prone to fungal diseases, so put them on your list to plant next season, or plant out established plants now.

In very cold regions peas are sown this month, this ensures that they bloom when the weather has warmed up considerably, but is not yet too hot; sowing can be extended to early September. You can still sow onions, and early sowings of broccoli and cabbage can be harvested this month. Thin out your carrots if necessary, this will allow the remaining ones to reach a good size. 

Dry, semi-arid and continental regions

Weeds show up well against frost bitten lawns, so spend time digging them out now.

Ensure that your standard roses, trees etc. are securely staked, before the August winds arrive.

Bend the brown leaves on your tree ferns upwards and tie a few together with string, this will protect the tender crown of new leaves in the centre of your plant.

Get out your stepladder and clear out your gutters. In these regions it is an excellent time to make structural changes to your garden like levelling or laying new pathways, repairing walls and varnishing woodwork.

Rainwater tanks will pay for themselves within a few years and are essential in regions with brak water and those prone to drought.

Visit your local garden centre to select winter flowering shrubs, trees and groundcovers while they are still in bloom, not forgetting the beautiful Lenten Rose (Helleborus). Lavender excels during the drier parts of the year and winter is a great time to select flowering cultivars for your garden.

Continue to water in the morning, to allow the soil to drain and the plants to dry off before nightfall. Never allow your Gardenias, Azaleas and Camellias to dry out totally or the flower buds will fall off. Take hardwood cuttings now of your favourite hardy plants like Spiraea, flowering quinces and pomegranates.

It is still too cold to sow summer annuals unless you have heated germination trays but because phlox, candytuft, alyssum, columbine and larkspur have cold germination tolerance, they can also be sown now. The nurseries are usually brimming with ‘instant colour’ seedlings just starting to bloom, which can still be planted out now. Most of them will be winter flowering annuals that will go off when the weather gets too hot in summer.

In very cold regions peas are sown in July and August as this ensures that they bloom when the weather has warmed up considerably, but is not yet too hot for them. You can also still sow onion and Swiss chard. Broccoli and cabbage can be harvested this month. Thin out your carrots if necessary, this will allow the remaining ones to reach a good size.

See under Small Plants

Certain plants are just so tough that they are seldom killed off by frost; but as they say “never say never!”  Others will take light to moderate frost. Find those for sun and shade below to brighten up your garden and containers. Your local garden centre should have trays of seedlings or seeds of these varieties.

Alyssum mixedAlyssum can be grown year round and is available in lovely shades of pink, rose, purple, mauve, white and yellow. Alyssum mixes beautifully with other flowering plants in hanging baskets, window boxes and all manner of containers.

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Picture courtesy Maria KlangBokbaaivygies are unrivalled for their multitude of dazzling, brightly coloured flowers; and if planted en masse make a striking groundcover. They are perfect to use in hanging baskets and containers of all kinds, in massed displays with other annuals; and thrive in hot areas.

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Calendula Calendulas are fun and grow quickly throughout the country in full sun or light shade and are hardy to all but extremely severe frost. Plant them in window boxes and pots for weeks of warm colour; or sow them in massed beds or as an edging plant alongside walkways.

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Picture courtesy Ann SonghurstCanterbury Bell’s will remind you of a storybook English cottage garden with its tall flower spikes and elegant, bell-shaped flowers. The blooms come in a lovely range of colours from purple, violet, blue, lavender, pink, and white and last long in a vase. They are essential in cottage gardens and make an excellent backdrop for shorter annual and perennial plants.
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Picture courtesy Stig MadsenCornflowers are old-fashioned favourites which still hold their own in the flower garden and are a must-have for cottage or wild meadow gardens. Their flowers come in rich shades of blue and are complimented by soft grey-green leaves; making them sought after by gardeners and florists alike. Garden varieties normally also include shades of pink, red, lilac and white.

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DianthusDianthus are grown for the classical beauty of their flowers in clear colours as well as bi-colours; and in many shades of pink, red, violet and white. They grow well throughout South Africa for most of the year, provided they can be watered regularly, and are perfect for containers and edgings.

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Iceland Poppy. Picture courtesy www.lifeisagarden.co.zaIceland Poppies will brighten up even the coldest winter day and are available in bright and pastel shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, cream and white, as well as bicoloured varieties. They combine beautifully with most winter flowering annuals and make a fantastic backdrop for spring flowering bulbs.

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Ornamental Kale 'Purple'Ornamental Kale is very showy, and comes in colours, ranging from white to pinks, purples or reds. They look much the same as their edible cousins, but the ruffled foliage is much fancier and more colourful. The pigmentations for which these plants are known do not appear until after prolonged cool weather and several frosts. Combine them with other seedlings in pots and window boxes; or plant them in massed beds for a striking display.

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Pansy 'Lavender & Face'Pansies & Violas are timeless winter and spring favourites which come in a staggering range of bright or pastel shades; including pink, blue, yellow, gold, orange, purple, violet, red, russet, white and even black. They are available in clear single shades as well as bi-colours. They are perfect planted in hanging baskets and containers of all kinds and combine beautifully with spring flowering bulbs for a brilliant display.

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Picture courtesy Malcolm MannersPhlox are garden annuals of exceptional quality and character; and the fragrant flowers are splendid for cutting. The large clusters of delicate blooms come in many pastel and bright shades of red, pink, coral, blue, lilac, purple white and even yellow. Some varieties have beautiful fringed, star-shaped petals with a white edge. Use them in the flower border or in containers; or mass them in annual flowerbeds and along walkways.

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Picture courtesy Jonathan CohenPoor Man's Orchids produce a profusion flowers in winter and spring, with an infinite range of patterns and colours; from pink, blue, violet, lavender, magenta, white, yellow, orange, gold, red and salmon. These excellent border plants also grow exceptionally well in containers, because they bloom best when their roots are restricted. They grow throughout the country and are hardy to all but severe frost.

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Antirrhinum Floral Showers 'Scarlet'Snapdragons can be grown throughout the year and are available in dwarf, tall and even trailing varieties. They are available in nearly every available flower colour, or bicolour, including red, bronze, yellow, orange, pink, purple, cream and white. Use the taller varieties in the mixed flower and bulb border and the smaller ones as edging plants and in containers.

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StocksStocks are among our oldest and most dearly-loved garden flowers and are grown for their sweet perfume at night and handsome cut-flowers in shades of pink, mauve, crimson, purple, cream, yellow, peach and white; with both dwarf and tall varieties available. Stocks are invaluable in the flower border and the dwarf varieties are easy to grow in containers.

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Sweetpeas Picture courtesy Sebastian CrumpSweet Peas with their highly scented cut flowers bring warmth and cheer to any winter's day. They have been cultivated since the 17th century, resulting in a vast number of cultivars; in a selection of single and mixed colours ranging from almost black to the softest pink, blue, lilac, purple, red, white and all the shades in-between. Pick large bunches and fill your home with them. The more you pick them; the more they flower.

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Lobelia 'Dark Blue'Lobelia produces a profusion of tiny flowers in shades of blue, lilac, purple, pink, carmine and white. Some varieties have bronzy foliage and others bright green leaves. The cascading varieties produce billowing masses of flowers up to 30cm long and are favourites in hanging baskets and containers. Lobelias are invaluable as edging plants and because of their dainty, compact growth, are perfect combined with bulbs.

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Lupins. Picture courtesy Sylvia OreifigLupins produce showy upright spikes of small pea-shaped flowers in winter and spring and are available in shades of yellow, white, rose, lilac and blue. They are excellent cut flowers and both the flowers and berries are used by florists. They are wonderful cottage garden plants that are most eye-catching when planted in large masses.

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Cape Jewels Sundrops mix Nemesia. Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyNemesias are grown for their masses of small snapdragon like flowers with intense colours, like gold, yellow, orange, rose, pink, peach, red and white. They grow beautifully in containers and make a colourful border plant. Planted in massed displays they make a spectacular show.

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Petunia grandiflora 'Cherry Frost'Petunia can be planted almost all year round in South Africa and thousands of hybrids have been bred, with flower sizes and shapes varying greatly; and in an outstanding array of colours. Petunias bloom continuously all season with little maintenance and make perfect centrepieces to mixed plantings in pots, hanging baskets and window boxes.

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Bellis perennisEnglish Daisies are loved for their bright-green leaves and double daisy flowers in all shades of pink to rose, scarlet and white. English daisies grow easily in pots, are lovely in woodland or pebble gardens and make excellent border and bedding plants. They are hardy to frost and will grow in full sun or light-shade.

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Foxglove Foxgloves remain firm favourites for woodland and shady gardens; and are planted for their striking flower spikes in spring and summer. Their velvety flowers last long in a vase and have marbled markings in all shades of white, yellow, cream, lavender, rose and red. They are hardy to frost and grow grow in semi-shade to sun.

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Common PrimroseCommon Primroses are hardy to frost and grown for their intensely coloured flowers in every colour except green and flower profusely in winter and spring. Plant them in pots, window boxes and hanging baskets or use them as a border to the shady flower garden. They combine beautifully with spring flowering bulbs.

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Fairy PrimroseFairy Primroses remain firm favourites with their masses of delicate flowers in delightful shades of lilac, purple, pink, carmine-red and white. They are hardy to moderate frost and flower all winter and spring. They are beautiful in window boxes, hanging baskets and pots; they also make great edging plants and combine well with spring flowering bulbs.

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German PrimroseGerman Primroses are like miniature floral bouquets with their clusters of cheerful flowers in a rainbow of colours; from yellow, orange and red, to pink, lilac, blue, purple and white. They are semi-hardy to frost and flower profusely in winter, spring and early summer. Plant them in pots, window boxes and hanging baskets or use them as a border to the shady flower garden. They also combine beautifully with spring flowering bulbs.

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CliviaGardening in dry shade poses two challenges for gardeners because dry shade lacks two elements that most plants need in abundance, namely water and sunlight. The most commonly occurring dry shade is found underneath trees and large shrubs, but often gardeners forget about shade created  by structures; like under the eaves of houses or next to walls.

The roots of dense evergreen trees suck up much of the available water and nutrients in the soil; and often even heavy rainfall won’t penetrate the canopy below. The eaves of houses and walls will also block large amounts of rain from falling on the ground immediately underneath them.  Areas like these can be planted up but will need regular irrigation and feeding to keep the plants growing well. All dry shady gardens, no matter what soil type they are, will benefit greatly if you mix large amounts of organic material like compost into the soil, thereby increasing the soil's water-retention capacity. When planting up a shady garden, spacing plants further apart than you would in a sunny spot is recommended to improve air circulation and discourage mildew.

There are varying degrees of shade and it is most important for you to determine exactly how much sunlight your garden receives; and at what time of the day. Dense shade is where no direct sunlight gets through the canopy to the ground; dappled or filtered shade is created when sunlight filters through a canopy of trees or shrubs; and semi-shade is when plants receive a few hours of sunlight a day, either in the morning or the afternoon. A few hours of hot midday or afternoon sun in a shady area is far harsher for shade plants to deal with, because the soil dries out very quickly, and shade plants generally won’t tolerate such strong sunshine. In such areas it would be wiser to select plants which grow in full sun but which also tolerate semi-shade.  In very shady gardens it is difficult to find plants which will flower profusely, so it is better to select foliage plants with a variety of textures and shapes to add interest to the garden. Plants adapted to dry shade often feature large, leathery or succulent leaves, while smaller ground-covering plants have fleshy roots or bulb scales. This enables them to compete successfully with tree roots for available water, and even survive periods with no water.

Start by amending the soil with organic matter, such as compost. Organic matter will help the ground hold moisture longer and provide a hospitable environment for plant roots. You'll also find that your dry shade plants will perform best if you continue to add organic matter every year. Get your plants off to the best start possible by keeping them well-watered the first year or two, until they are established. Regular feeding will also greatly increase your chances of success and foliar feeding (spraying food directly onto the leaves of the plants) works extremely well underneath large trees. Don’t forget hard landscaping materials like pots and pavers; pebbles and mulch – these do not require much maintenance and can ‘make’ a shady design.

Those dry, shaded spots in your yard don't have to be barren because many plants will cope in shady dry conditions if given a little help; just remember that although the plants documented below will tolerate dry conditions, they are not cacti, and as such will appreciate being watered every now and again!

Liriope muscari 'Royal-Purple' Picture courtesy www.acemondo.co.nz Lilyturf (Liriope) is low-maintenance and virtually pest free, making it a great choice for busy gardeners. It is excellent to plant as a groundcover underneath trees and shrubs; or as an edging for walkways and to define beds.  Most cultivars will grow in full sun, semi-shade and even deep shade if irrigated.

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Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana' Picture courtesy www.acemondo.co.nz Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon) forms a soft dense carpet of dark green leaves; and in spring tiny inconspicuous white to lilac flowers are produced amongst the leaves; followed by small bright blue berries. 'Kyoto Dwarf' is a great groundcover and although it thrives in moist soils, will grow in dry shade if irrigated.

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Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' Picture courtesy www.steyns-nursery.co.zaDead Nettle (Lamium maculatum cultivars of all the shade-loving groundcovers dead nettle is probably one of the quickest and easiest to grow. Cultivars can have mottled green, silver white or gold foliage; and in late spring and summer they bear showy spikes of shell pink, pink, dark lavender, or white flowers. Although they enjoy moist soils, once established they will even flourish in difficult areas of dry shade.

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Bergenia cordifoliaHeartleaf Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia) is a reliable little plant which looks good all year round; producing clusters of waxy bell-shaped flowers on long red stalks in late winter and spring. Flower colours range from deep purplish pink to pale pink and occasionally white. It tolerates a wide range of moisture conditions, growing slowly in dry areas and rapidly in constantly moist spots.

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HelleborusLenten Roses (Helleborus) burst into bloom in mid-winter and spring and their colour range extends from slate grey to near-black, deep purple and plum, through rich reds and pinks to yellow, cream, pure white and green. Because most are tolerant of dry shade, with Helleborus foetidus being the most tolerant of very dry soils; they are excellent planted as a groundcover in deciduous woodland conditions.

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Echeveria elegansRock Rose (Echeveria elegans) is a clump-forming succulent with beautiful rosettes of silver-blue leaves, often with pink to rose-red margins. At certain times of the year, but especially in winter when it is colder, and if the soil is on the dry side; the entire plant will take on a darker pink and grey hue. It thrives in full sun or semi-shade; but in too much shade the plants will become leggy and the leaf colouring dull.

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Diascia Twinspurs, Horinkies (Diascia integerrima) are renowned for their abundance of flowers throughout summer, in many exciting new pastel and vivid shades of pink, white, red, lavender, mauve, deep plum, bright orange and even apricot and tangerine. This twinspur is one of the toughest of the all the species. It is tolerant of dry conditions and resents 'wet feet'; but responds well if watered moderately during dry spells.

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Plectranthus ecklonii Spurflowers (Plectranthus) have become popular garden plants around the world and are often grown for their attractive foliage, which provides interesting textures and colours. The leaves have a characteristic pungent smell when crushed and the flowers come in a variety of shapes and colours, ranging from white and pink, to dark mauves and lavenders. They grow beautifully in dappled or filtered shade if watered occasionally; and can be mass planted in large garden beds or underneath trees.

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Hosta 'Yellow Spot'Plantain Lily (Hosta) makes wonderful groundcovers under trees with their striking leaves that grow in overlapping mounds. Plain green varieties as well those with striking variegations of grey-green, yellow and cream are available. In summer, lily-like flowers are held on slender stalks that stand above the foliage and their colours range from blue to lilac and violet; or green to white. They do well in dry shade if they can be irrigated.

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Alchemilla mollis 'Monteaude Notre Dame'Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) thrives in dense shade and is popular for its ornamental value and ease of growth. Its soft, velvety grey-green leaves capture droplets of water that sparkle in the sun, and its huge spreading heads of tiny, star-like yellow flowers make the Lady's Mantle a fascinating garden plant. It is often used as a groundcover underneath trees; and the bold leaf texture is a very pleasing contrast with finer textured plants.

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Agapanthus 'Blue Star'Agapanthus, Bloulelie (Agapanthus) will grow in dry shade, but without enough light they unfortunately do not flower well. There are deciduous and evergreen species but virtually all the Agapanthus that we grow in our gardens are cultivars or hybrids of the evergreen Agapanthus praecox. These perennials are ideal to plant in those parts of shady gardens which receive some hot midday or afternoon sun.

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Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro' Picture courtesy Ball Horticultural CompanyDaylily (Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro') will bloom most profusely if grown in full sun; however, it will also tolerate light shade; making it ideal to plant in those tricky shady areas which receive full sun for some time during the day.  It is also drought tolerant once established and does well in dry shade. The fragrant flowers are golden and the attractive foliage forms a dense clump that can function as a groundcover.

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Clivia 'Deep Orange'Bush lily, Boslelie, umayime (Clivia miniata) bring splendorous colour into our gardens every spring and early summer. Clivia miniata has the showiest flowers which are usually a bright orange with a pale yellow throat. They are also found in cream, and shades of orange, pink or red. Clivia prefer bright shade or semi-shade; and although they  thrive in cool moist conditions, they are remarkably drought hardy once established because their large roots store water and nutrients, making them excellent to plant underneath trees.

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DietesWild Iris, Wilde-Iris, Isiqungasehlati (Dietes) form large clumps; producing  1m long rigid, sword-shaped, dark green leaves and large Iris-like white or yellow flowers in profusion,  anytime in spring and summer. These versatile plants will grow in full sun or semi-shade and can be grown in moist boggy soils as well as dry well-drained ones. Although the wild iris does not flower well in very shady conditions, it is nevertheless one of the few plants that can satisfactorily grow under trees in spite of root competition.

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Hypericum hidcoteSt. John’s Wort (Hypericum 'Hidcote') is a delightful water-wise shrub that is easy-to-grow and will grow quickly in semi-shade or sun.  It is very low maintenance and will just flourish and delight with its profusion of large, bright yellow flowers from spring, throughout summer, and into autumn. It is most effective if massed as a ground cover in large areas, and under trees.

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Mahonia aquifoliumOregon Grape, Holly Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium) is an easy to grow water-wise plant with beautiful dark green holly-like leaves that turn bronze in autumn. Drooping sprays of small yellow, bell-like flowers appear in spring and are followed by blue-black berries. It will grow in sun, semi-shade and even deep shade; in deep shade it will grow taller.

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Strelitzia reginaeCrane Flower, Bird-of-Paradise, Kraanvoelblom, Geel Piesang (Strelitzia) has a striking form and unusual flowers that stand out above the foliage, showing off their striking orange blooms with purple edges and bright blue tongues. The crane flower is virtually maintenance free and can survive with very little water once established. It loves the sun but is also shade-tolerant; and will survive root competition from trees and other large shrubs.

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Read under Vegetables

What to do your garden in June

All Regions

June is an interesting gardening month and after the winter solstice on June 21 the days gradually start getting longer, but very slowly at first so that you hardly realise it.  And in the warmer regions, after about three weeks you will notice that many plants would have begun to grow again - spring in Durban starts in late July!

If you live in the warmer subtropical regions of the country the temperatures are perfect for gardening now; so while the rest of us freeze why not get stuck into your garden and implement all those changes you planned on doing this summer but just never got around too. In the cold interior the chilly nights and frosts will slow down plant growth dramatically making June a much quieter time for gardeners in these regions. The sap of plants will also slowly start to rise after June 21st, and many gardeners advocate delaying pruning until after this date, believing that their plants respond better afterwards. In the winter rainfall regions the rains have arrived, but on the occasional sunny day there is no reason not to do some gardening.

If the weather is extremely cold or the soil very sodden, making gardening unpleasant; why not cuddle up with us this winter to plan your dream summer garden. Put on those winter woollies, grab a hot cuppa and escape from the rat race for a while into the peaceful and fascinating world of plants. Gardening in South Africa was designed with just this in mind – no flashing banners and irritating pop-ups to distract you all the time – just peaceful gardening bliss. No matter if you are a beginner gardener or an experienced one, you are sure to find our plant info and articles very helpful. Good planning is vital for your gardening success and selecting the correct plants for each situation will also save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Our plant section documents over 800 plants, enabling you to make informed decisions on which plants are the most suitable for your region and particular situation. 

Camellias

The next beautiful winters day why not take the whole family out to your favourite garden centre, you will be surprised at the beautiful plants available at this time of the year. For example, June is when the flamboyant early-flowering camellias come into bloom, and a great time to make your selection. For an extended flowering period, select some varieties that will flower later in August and September. Continue to water your existing camellias deeply and regularly and mulch the soil with acid compost and bark chips. If you wish to trim camellias, do so after they have finished flowering.

Lilium Pixie 'Yellow' Picture courtesy HadecoLilliums

Lilium bulbs are also available this month and must be planted immediately as they don’t have a long shelf life. Select only plump, healthy looking bulbs, and plant into well-composted garden beds, or pots; ensuring that the soil has perfect drainage. After planting out, mulch their roots to protect them from cold, and once growth emerges protect the delicate new growth from severe frost with a plant cover. In very cold regions, put off planting liliums until spring, or plant them into containers and place them in a warm and protected place. Protect young plants from snails and slugs; and if mole rats are a problem plant in containers. Water your bulbs deeply about every four days. Established clumps in the garden or in pots can be can be lifted and divided now, but remember that they resent disturbance and can be left undivided for up to 5 years.

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Perennials

Plant hardy perennials now, as their roots keep on growing in winter and they will be well established by summer. Keep your clivias a bit on the dry side, as this will initiate flower spikes; and in cold regions protect them with a frost cover and thick mulch around their roots.

Lawn

In the warm subtropical regions, water and mow your lawn when necessary but do not cut the blades too short. In the winter rainfall regions mow kikuyu lawn once a week and buffalo grass about once every 14 days. In cold regions Kikuyu lawn will be dormant and only needs to be watered every three weeks. Remember to water your shade or evergreen lawns weekly as they continue to grow during winter. Remove winter grass (Poa annua) from your lawn and beds before it sets seed. June is also a good month to service your lawnmower.

Roses

In the subtropical regions roses can produce flowers till September but it is best to encourage a period of rest in June and July by reducing watering and not feeding. In the summer rainfall regions water your established rose bushes deeply about every 10 days. Turn over the soil lightly around your roses to expose fungal spores and insects - the birds will relish any exposed insects and the frost will kill off the rest.

Every 2 to 3 years, lightly dig1 cup of agricultural lime into the soil around your roses and water it in well. This helps to strengthen the cell walls of the plant, making it more resistant to diseases like powdery mildew and black spot. The best time to do this is in June before the bushes are pruned.

Get ready for pruning, planting and transplanting next month

Get all your pruning equipment ready to prune your roses next month. July is also traditionally the time to transplant roses which are growing in the wrong place as well as to plant new roses and to re-pot container grown plants. Prepare the planting holes this month, adding lots of compost and some bone-meal. Water lightly and allow the soil to settle before planting next month.

Prepare holes now to plant new fruit trees in June and July. In the warmer temperate, sub-tropical and winter rainfall regions you can start pruning your deciduous fruit trees and grapes this month. In other regions you can start pruning towards the end of June and into July.

Spray with a winter strength lime sulphur solution when you have finished pruning and spray the surface of the soil around your trees lightly as well. Turn over the soil lightly around your fruit trees to expose fungal spores and insects - the birds will relish any exposed insects, and in cold regions the frost will kill off the rest.

Transplant conifers

June is the best month to transplant conifers and to prune and tidy them up. If you are transplanting, spray them with ‘Wilt-Pruf’ before moving as this helps to prevent shock during transplanting. Dig the new holes first and make sure that you plant them at the same depth that they were growing before transplanting. Add generous amounts of compost and a good dressing of bone meal to the planting holes to encourage new root growth. Ensure that the transplants are firmly planted in their new positions and staked if necessary. Water the plants thoroughly after planting, and moderately thereafter.

Continue to treat your conifers for aphids by regularly applying insecticide granules or a similar product around their roots. Prune your plants lightly; this should be done every year to keep them looking neat and to retain their shape. Shake out most of the dead material from the centre of the plant and mulch the soil around the root zone with a good layer of organic material. In the summer rainfall regions give your plants a very good soaking every 10 to 14 days through winter.

Transplant and prune deciduous trees and shrubs

July is the best month to transplant deciduous trees and shrubs that are growing in the wrong place, so have a good look at your garden now, and prepare the new planting holes this month so that the soil can settle before planting. Add lots of compost and a generous dressing of bone meal, when planting.

July is also the best month to prune deciduous trees because dead and diseased branches can easily be spotted and removed; so check your trees now to decide which ones need pruning next month; and ensure that your pruning gear is in good order.

Do not prune deciduous trees and shrubs like Rosa banksiae, weigelia and spiraea which flower in early spring and summer, on last season’s growth.

Odd's and Ends:

Ensure that your gutters are clean and check that all your standard plants and young trees are securely staked and tied, and that old ties are not cutting into the bark of your plants. Water your winter and spring flowering shrubs and trees regularly, not forgetting your winter bedding plants and bulbs. Apply thick mulch around their roots to protect them from excessive rainfall and frost. Pick your sweet peas regularly and feed every 2 weeks with organic 3:1:5 fertilisers.

Vegetables

Parsnip Picture courtesy Ulrica AlmquistGardeners in the Lowveld and coastal KwaZulu-Natal appreciate the cooler weather and lower humidity; and the winter months remain the best months to grow vegetables so continue to plant out vegetables about every 2 to 3 weeks to ensure that you have a continuous supply.

In all but the coldest regions you can still sow hardy root vegetables like parsnip, carrot, radish and turnip. In cold inland regions June and July are not good months to sow seeds of vegetables because the soil is too cold for good germination and growth. If you do want to plant some veggies, visit your garden centre to purchase established seedlings of those varieties you require.

In the winter rainfall regions, if you have raised beds with good drainage, you can still sow seeds of peas, turnip, broad beans, celery and parsley.

Pick your peas continually to encourage new bud formation and try to keep them off of the ground by placing twiggy branches along the rows. Developing broad beans will need to be tied to supports. Mound the soil up around developing onions if they are lifting from the ground. Jerusalem artichokes should be ready to harvest and can be lifted gently with a fork.

Prepare deep holes with lots of organic matter to plant asparagus, rhubarb, globe artichokes, and Jerusalem artichokes,  but remember that perennial plants like these need separate beds where they can grow undisturbed for several years. In cold regions the seeds of these plants can be sown in spring but in warm regions it is best to sow in late summer or autumn.

Indoor pot plants

Move indoor pot plants away from cold glass windows and doors and keep them away from cold draughts, as well as heaters. Mist spraying their leaves often with tepid water and placing them in drip trays filled with damp pebbles will help to increase humidity around the leaves; this is especially important in dry inland areas and in heated rooms. Water with lukewarm water and feed your winter flowering pot plants regularly with water soluble 3:1:5 fertiliser.

Feed the birds

Feed the birds this winter by setting up a bird feeder in the garden and catering for the needs of fruit and seed eaters. Ask your butcher to give you a bag of bone meal for the birds; divide it into smaller quantities and freeze the excess – many birds, including robins and thrushes will appreciate this treat when food is scarce in winter. Also, in the summer rainfall regions, keep your bird bath full, and in frosty gardens remember to crack the ice in the mornings.

Subtropical summer rainfall regions

The weather in these regions is brilliant in June so make the most of the lower temperatures and humidity by getting stuck into your garden.

You can start pruning your deciduous fruit trees and grapes this month. Also, prune your Jungle Geranium (Ixora) now, because if you prune too late the plants will produce fewer flowers next season. Prune your container plants lightly and feed with organic 3:1:5. Lift and divide your agapanthus now, bearing in mind that they will produce few flowers if you split them into very small pieces. Re-pot your water lilies and clean your water features.

June is normally quite a dry month, so your garden will still need watering although growth is slower. It is very important to allow your roses and other summer and autumn flowering plants time to rest in mid-winter, by not feeding them and watering less.  Roses do not need a lot of attention this month; and they will need to be pruned in July, so do not do anything to stimulate growth until then. Your lawn will also benefit from occasional watering. The weeds will not be growing too strongly now, so allow your lawn to grow longer so that it can make the most of the reduced growing conditions - the more leaves the better!

Your bougainvilleas should be thriving, as they love the dryer months. Make sure that they receive full sun and don’t get overwatered by sprinklers in the garden, once established they do not need to be watered at all and will flourish on natural rainfall. Bougainvilleas growing in pots will have to be watered, but allow them to dry out totally between watering; feed occasionally with an organic 3:1:5 to encourage deeper colouring of the bracts.

Short days are important to plants for a number of reasons and some plants need short days to flower well. Examples of these include poinsettias, kalanchoe, zygocactus and chrysanthemums. Short days coupled with colder weather is what “triggers” their flowering ability.

In subtropical regions planting winter or short day flowering bulbs like daffodils and tulips which need quite a lot of winter chilling to get them to flower can be tricky, because most of the winter bulbs come from growers in colder parts of the country and these bulbs come already primed with embryo buds ready to burst forth as soon as the soil temperature and moisture levels are right. The trick is not to plant your bulbs too soon, when the soil is not cold enough. If the soil is too hot the bulbs will sprout and you will get leaves but no flowers. This is also the reason why bulbs will often perform well in their first year, but fail in subsequent years. For this reason, in the warmer KwaZulu-Natal areas, it is best to purchase fresh bulbs every season. The Natal Midlands are normally cold enough for bulbs to grow well from season to season.

Deciduous fruit trees such as peaches and nectarines, plums and apples also need more winter chilling than subtropical conditions provide, which is why they are not recommended for the warmer areas, but do well in Pietermaritzburg and inland.

Many winter and summer flowering plants that normally find the subtropics too warm at other times of the year do really well in winter. Try some winter seedlings like Iceland poppies, pansies and violas, primula, calendula and stocks for a welcome change from the normal summer seedlings. You can also still sow and plant flowers like snapdragons, chrysanthemums, salvia, petunia, marigold, aster, impatiens, cineraria, begonias,  delphinium, ageratum and alyssum. Snapdragons, stocks, pansies and violas will flower for much longer if they are well-mulched. Most of the winter seedlings are ideal for hanging baskets and window boxes, and will provide colour well into spring.

For gardeners in the Lowveld and coastal KwaZulu-Natal the winter months remain the best months to grow vegetables; so continue to plant out vegetables like peas, green beans, broad beans, beetroot, baby marrow, cucumber, carrot, tomato, lettuce, peppers, eggplant, turnip, radish, potato, spring onions, squash and pumpkin, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, Swiss chard, leeks, parsley and melons. Succession sowing about every 2 to 3 weeks will ensure you have a continuous supply.

Click here to read my article "Growing vegetables in the subtropics"

Dry, semi-arid and continental regions

If you completed your tasks for April and May; June should be a fairly quiet month in the garden.

If you haven’t covered your tender plants yet it is probably too late; but if they aren’t badly damaged, cover them with frost cover without delay. Store your hosepipe where it is protected from frost and bind water pipes with strips of hessian to protect them from freezing. Also, switch off your water feature pump or it may burn out if the water in your pond freezes. Check that all your pruning gear is in good working order so you can prune your deciduous fruit trees and grapes towards the end of June and into July.

Watering correctly during very cold weather is vital, and although it is necessary to keep your plants alive overwatering or watering at the wrong time can be fatal. Established evergreen shrubs only need a thorough soaking about every 14 days in winter and deciduous plants much less. Water your bulbs deeply about every four days. Watch the weather report in winter to see if a cold front is on the way, and never water the day before a cold front hits. Wait until it passes and then water thoroughly and deeply. Also, always water early in the morning during winter as this allows the plants to dry before nightfall. To minimise frost burn on tender plants hose the plants down with cold water before the sun hits them, or for automated irrigation systems you could set your timer to go off very early, for a short time. Brak (salty) soils must not be kept too wet during winter, as salts will build up, making the soil useless for cultivation after a few seasons.

In extremely cold regions do not prune your roses until the end of July or early August. June and July are however, good months to plant out new or bare root roses and fruit trees. Roses hate brak (salty) conditions, so in these regions install a rainwater tank to store up water in late summer for winter watering.

If you are in a severe frost area, plant your Lilium bulbs into containers and place them on a warm, sunny and protected patio. In the drier parts lavender looks glorious at this time of the year; so consider planting hardy varieties for fragrance and flowers.

Veggies like broccoli, beetroot, and cauliflower that were planted out in early autumn should be ready to be harvested about now. Other hardy crops include spinach, parsley, leeks and onions. If garlic is planted now it will form large cloves by mid-spring. Prepare your beds for sowing peas in July and August; the leaves are frost hardy but the flowers are tender, so planting them later will ensure that they flower at the right time.

Summer rainfall (Temperate or Highveld Regions)

If you completed your tasks for April and May; June should be a fairly quiet month in the garden.

If you haven’t covered your tender plants yet it may be too late; but if they don’t look too damaged cover them with frost cover without delay. In the warmer regions you can start pruning your deciduous fruit trees and grapes this month. In the colder regions check that all your pruning gear is in good working order for pruning towards the end of June and July.

Watering correctly during winter is very important and in all regions you should be watering less. The secret is to water deeply when you do, but less often. Watering is necessary to keep your plants alive, but overwatering or watering at the wrong time can be fatal. Established evergreen shrubs only need a thorough soaking about every 14 days in winter and deciduous plants much less. Water your bulbs deeply about every four days. Watch the weather report in winter to see if a cold front is on the way and never water the day before a cold front hits. Wait until it passes and then water thoroughly and deeply. Also, always water early in the morning during winter to allow the plants to dry before nightfall. To minimise frost burn on tender plants hose the plants down with cold water before the sun hits, or for automated irrigation systems you could set your timer to go off very early, for a short time. 

It is still not too late to plant well-established "instant colour" seedlings of Iceland poppies, primula, pansies and violas, phlox, snapdragons, sweet peas, sweet William, schizanthus, alyssum, cornflower, cineraria, delphinium and larkspur, dianthus, nemesia, penstemon, foxglove, gazania, and lobelia. You can still sow seeds of Virginian stocks and Namaqualand daisies. Remove any spent blooms on your annuals to keep them flowering for longer.  

Vegetables and herbs should be watered and fed regularly, and in warmer regions do a final sowing of broad beans and peas. In very cold regions winter vegetable growing season is basically over, and you need to wait until later in June or July to start sowing peas, because the leaves of peas are frost hardy but the flowers are tender; planting them later will ensure that they flower at the right time.

In warmer regions you can also still plant out established seedling trays of broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage; and sow some spinach, kale, radish and turnips. Try planting some oriental vegetables - they flourish during the winter months.  Watch out for black aphids on your broad beans.

Winter rainfall regions (Mediterranean)

When the winter rains arrive it’s not much fun in the garden because the soil is wet, soggy and difficult to work with. However, there are still chores to be done like checking that your irrigation system is adjusted to water less often, or switched off; and ensuring that all your gutters and drainpipes are unblocked. It is also a good time to look at possible drainage problems and solutions to implement in summer.

Remove any dangerous overhanging branches that may fall on walls, roofs etc and remove broken branches. Remove excess fruit from citrus trees to prevent the branches from becoming too heavy and breaking during heavy rains. Make sure all your young trees and standard plants are securely staked.

Treat any slippery pathways with a moss killer, and cover your compost heap with a plastic sail to prevent it becoming water-logged.

Feed your Kikuyu lawn with an organic 2:3:2 fertiliser. If snails are a problem, try Ferramol Natural Snail and Slug Bait; this product is safe to use around pets and children. If aphids are still a problem, spray with Bioneem. Ensure that potted plants outside are raised with bricks or pot feet to improve drainage, and put a layer of washed river sand around your succulents and cacti to help prevent collar rot.

You can start pruning your deciduous fruit trees and grapes this month.

Lachenalia bulbs should be blooming, so feed them regularly. Nemesia are indigenous to the Cape, and if you plant them out now they will provide a stunning spring display. They are available in all shades of blue, orange, pink, red, yellow and white. Plant Bokbaai vygies now, they are also indigenous and will give you brilliant colour from August to October. You can still plant flowers like alyssum, aquilegia, bellis perennis, begonia, snapdragon, calendula, pansies and violas, lobelia, primula, ornamental cabbage, Shirley poppy, delphinium, dianthus, foxglove, godetia, gazania, nicotiana and viscaria.

If you have raised beds with good drainage, you can still sow or plant final crops of broad beans, lettuce, leeks, peas, turnip, celery, onions, parsnip, radish,  beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage and parsley

Condensed Version:

This tropical evergreen tree can grow 10 to 20m tall and has an attractive triangular shape and long glossy leaves. The attractive red and white bell shaped flowers bloom year round in clusters at the ends of the branches. The buds are pink, but the calyx changes from yellow to deep red-pink after the stamens fall. The spice we know as Cloves are the unopened, sundried flower buds, which start of pale and gradually turn green then transition to a bright red when ready for harvest.

Clove oil has two major components, eugenol and beta-caryophyllene, which constitute 78% and 13% of the oil, respectively. Clove oil and these components are generally recognized as 'safe. Eugenol is a pain killer, and is used as an analgesic (painkiller). In western herbalism and dentistry the essential oil is used as an anodyne (painkiller) for dental emergencies, and to disinfect root canals; mixed with zinc oxide it is used to form a temporary tooth cavity filling. Clove is also used as an antibiotic; antiseptic; anthelmintic (drugs that expel parasitic worms); anti-rheumatic; and carminative agent. Cloves are also an excellent source of manganese, vitamins C and K and dietary fibre. The herb is also rich in calcium and magnesium. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming are needed, especially for digestive problems. Topical application over the stomach or abdomen are said to warm the digestive tract.

Cloves remain the ‘King of spices’ and have been long used in traditional liqueurs, mulled wines and sauces. They remain a favourite to add to Chinese 5 spice powder, pickles, preserves, cakes, buns biscuits, and stewed fruits; and pair well with cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, red wine, and basil, as well as onion, citrus peel, star anise, or peppercorns. Cloves are used extensively in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern cuisines, lending flavour to meats, curries, and marinades, as well as a complement to fruit such as apples, pears, or rhubarb.  In Mexican cuisine, cloves are best known as 'clavos de olor', and often accompany cumin and cinnamon.  In Europe cloves are used for special types of sweets or sweet breads, and for stewed fruits. Plain rice is also often flavoured by one or two cloves. In France, cloves often go into meat stews or broths; and in England, they are most popular in pickles.

Full Version:

Description, History & Interesting Facts:

This tropical evergreen tree can grow 10 to 20m tall and has an attractive triangular shape and long glossy leaves. The attractive red and white bell shaped flowers bloom year round in clusters at the ends of the branches and have four tiny petals surrounded by a long, four-parted calyx (the “stem” of the clove) and numerous stamens. The buds are pink, but the calyx changes from yellow to deep red-pink after the stamens fall. The spice we know as Cloves are the unopened, sundried flower buds, which start of pale and gradually turn green then transition to a bright red when ready for harvest.

In their natural habitat the trees grow well near the sea in full sun an on open sandy loam and laterite soil (laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas,) and at altitudes from sea level to 600m.

Click here to see Google Images of the beautiful Clove Tree

Until modern times clove trees were endemic in the North Moluccas (Indonesia); historically called the Spice Islands; including Ternate, Tidore, Bacan and the West coast of Halma­hera. In fact, the clove tree that experts believe is the oldest in the world, named Afo, is on Ternate; and is between 350 and 400 years old. Clove trees were already introduced to China before 200 BC and eventually became the country's greatest export; and in the third century BC, a Chinese leader in the Han Dynasty required those who addressed him to chew cloves to freshen their breath. Cloves were traded by Muslim sailors and merchants during the Middle Ages in the profitable Indian Ocean trade; and Archaeologists have also found cloves in a ceramic vessel in Syria, with evidence that dates the find to within a few years of 1721 BC.  Arab traders brought cloves to Europe in the time of the Romans, and at that time cloves were still very expensive and a highly coveted luxury. The French took the plants to Reunion Island, the Seychelles and Mauritius; but The Dutch East India Company had the monopoly of the spice trade by the 17th century, and sought to gain the monopoly in cloves like they had in nutmeg. However, unlike nutmeg and mace, which were limited to the minute Bandas, clove trees grew all over the Moluccas, and the trade in them could not be effectively policed.

Although the demand for this spice was great and the small trees were fetching a very high price; they were planted all over the tropics. The most important production area today is the island of Pemba, which together with Zanzibar forms one part of the state of Tanzania. The whole island of Pemba is covered with clove gardens, and it is reported that the island can be smelled on any ship approaching it. Cloves are also grown on other East African islands, most notably, Madagascar. In Indonesia clove production has recovered after World War II, when the country was forced to import cloves to satisfy the huge domestic market. Cloves are also grown commercially in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Uses:

Indonesians are the main consumers of cloves and use up nearly 50 percent of the world's production, not for cooking but rather for smoking. Cigarettes flavoured with cloves (kretek) are extremely popular and nearly every Indonesian enjoys them; and their sweet, incense-like aroma pervades Indonesian restaurants, buses, markets and offices. Clove is much used in perfumes, liqueurs, and love potions; as well as to make a fragrant pomander when combined with an orange.  Clove oil is also used as a mosquito repellent. The volatile oil from the buds is used in perfumery and in the manufacture of vanillin (artificial vanilla flavouring).

Health Benefits:

Because of its antiseptic properties, clove was used in the past as a prevention of contagious diseases, such as the Plaque; and traditional Chinese physicians have long used the plant to treat almost everything; including  indigestion, stomach infection and fungal infections. India's traditional Ayurvedic healers have used clove since ancient times to treat respiratory and digestive ailments; and medieval German herbalists used cloves as part of anti-gout mixture.

Clove oil has two major components, eugenol and beta-caryophyllene, which constitute 78% and 13% of the oil, respectively. Clove oil and these components are generally recognized as 'safe. Eugenol is a pain killer, and is used as an analgesic (painkiller). In western herbalism and dentistry the essential oil is used as an anodyne (painkiller) for dental emergencies, and to disinfect root canals; mixed with zinc oxide it is used to form a temporary tooth cavity filling. Clove is also used as an antibiotic; antiseptic; anthelmintic (drugs that expel parasitic worms); anti-rheumatic; and carminative agent. Cloves are also an excellent source of manganese, vitamins C and K and dietary fibre. The herb is also rich in calcium and magnesium.

The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming are needed, especially for digestive problems. Topical application over the stomach or abdomen are said to warm the digestive tract.

Anti-Fungal Powder:

To make a powder that reduces sweating and retards fungal growth, use one cup of dried sage leaves and one teaspoon of whole cloves. Make sure the sage leaves are thoroughly dried. Place the ingredients in a coffee grinder or blender and process until finely ground. Sprinkle this powder in socks or on feet daily.

In the Kitchen:

Cloves remain the ‘King of spices’ and have been long used in traditional liqueurs, mulled wines and sauces. They remain a favourite to add to Chinese 5 spice powder, pickles, preserves, cakes, buns biscuits, and stewed fruits; and pair well with cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, red wine, and basil, as well as onion, citrus peel, star anise, or peppercorns. Cloves are used extensively in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern cuisines, lending flavour to meats, curries, and marinades, as well as a complement to fruit such as apples, pears, or rhubarb.  In Mexican cuisine, cloves are best known as 'clavos de olor', and often accompany cumin and cinnamon.  In Europe cloves are used for special types of sweets or sweet breads, and for stewed fruits. Plain rice is also often flavoured by one or two cloves. In France, cloves often go into meat stews or broths; and in England, they are most popular in pickles.

In the Garden:

This beautiful multi-stemmed tree offers cool shade and is suitable for gardens.

Cultivation & Harvesting:

Clove trees are grown from fresh seeds and will take about 6 to 8 years to flower, and remain productive for up to 60 years. 

In gardens they thrive in rich, loamy soil with high humus content. Cloves are tender to cold and will not grow where the temperatures drop below 10°C. They require a humid, warm tropical climate with lots of water year-round, but can be grown in greenhouse outside of the tropics.

Cloves are either handpicked or collected by beating the tree with bamboo sticks when the buds are 1.5 to 2cm long, and consist of a long calyx that terminates in four spreading sepals, and four unopened petals that form a small central ball. When collected, the cloves are green, or slightly pink in colour and after drying in the sun, they turn brownish black.

Propagation:

The plants are propagated by seeds, and will not germinate when dried. Fresh seed is not widely available outside of areas where cloves are grown. Fresh seeds should be planted soon after removal from the fruit. Germination generally begins within days, though root sprouts can take a few weeks to show. Plant the seed close to the soil surface; in moist, well-drained soil. Provide a high humidity environment. Soil and air temperature should be at 23 to 25°C.

Caution:

The information contained within this website is for educational purposes only, recording the traditional uses of specific plants as recorded through history.

Always seek advice from a medical practitioner before starting a home treatment programme.

Clove oil is very potent and should be used with care. If it is added to an oil, lotion or cream and applied to the skin, the concentration should be well below 1%. It may cause irritation to the skin of some individuals and can easily irritate the mucus membranes.

It should be avoided during pregnancy.