Page 13 - Blue Valley_Issue 3_2022

GARDENING

A SEASON FOR PLANTING AND BLOOMING

GENERAL GARDENING TIPS
• Plant beds of winter flowering annuals
(pansies, viola, dianthus, calendulas,
petunias, primulas).
• Plant alliums and treated tulips. Pinch
off faded flowers from Iceland poppies,
calendulas, violas, and pansies to
encourage further flowers.

• As bulbs come up, keep them well
watered and feed with a general organic
fertiliser (2:3:2) once a fortnight.
• Cut back dahlias, lift the tubers and store
in a cool, dry place.
• Plant ranunculus bulbs.
• Foliar feed all existing annuals and bulbs
fortnightly or use organic compost before
the cold weather sets in.
• Tie sweet peas to their stakes and water
well.
• Stop feeding roses to prevent lush young
growth from appearing, as they should
harden off for winter.
• Water the lawn once a month and stop
fertilisation until spring.
• Water azaleas, camellias and shrubs once
a week. Photo by Annie Spratt
FROST PROTECTION
• Start preparing for winter protection
where heavy frost is experienced.
• Protect young and tender plants from
cold winds.
• Cover sensitive plants with lightweight
frost cover, hessian, straw, or cardboard
boxes.
• Lay down thick mulch or contour compost
around the frost-susceptible plants to
insulate the roots. Photo by Damien Creatz
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
• Now is a good time to order bare-rooted
fruit trees, vines and roses for planting in
July.
• Water fruit trees, vines and berries well
once every three weeks.
• Put out bait amongst fruit trees for fruit fly.
• Prepare trenches for planting asparagus.
• Sow vegetables like broad beans, lettuces,
peas, radishes and turnips.
FLOWERPOTS
Remove the soil from your old flowerpots,
replace it with new potting mix and replant
with new plants. This is necessary as the
nutrients in the soil get leached out and the
plants get root-bound in the pots.
CLEANING
Clean up under hedges, clean out gutters
and drains, rake up fallen leaf litter and other
debris, and loosen the soil to expose insect
pests which may be sheltering there.

Source: www.turfgreen.co.za Photo by Chandan Chaurasia

BLUE VALLEY NEWS • Issue 3 2022• 11