Page 19 - FWG Issue 4_May_2022

Gardening

May in the Garden

LAWN

Winter is many gardeners’ nightmare. It
either means a muddy mess or sad, bare
turf. Make sure you maintain your lawn this
winter to keep it looking good. Cut down on
mowing, use some contour lawn dressing
or fine compost for your lawn to encourage
root development, keep lush and healthy
growth, and make sure you water your grass
after lawn dressing it. Consistently rake your
lawn, remove the fallen leaves and other
debris. Remove any broad leaf weeds.

Ten of the best
Photo by Russ Ward on Unsplash
To do list to help • Make a note of the position of summer vegetables to

you keep on top of flowering arums and other plants like grow in May
important gardening hostas and eucomis which die back in 1. SHALLOTS: To keep shallots growing, you’ll
winter.
chores: • Foliar feed all existing annuals and bulbs need to make sure the soil drains well and
stays quite dry.
• Water shrubs and plants with shallow fortnightly or use organic compost 2. CAULIFLOWER: Don’t let sunshine reach the
before the cold weather sets in.
root systems like azaleas and camellias • Cover sensitive plants in colder regions cauliflower curds, this will cause them to
during the dry spell in summer rainfall with lightweight frost cover, hessian, discolour. Tie the leaves closed over the
areas
curds with string.
straw or cardboard boxes.
• Collect seeds from late summer annuals • Lay down thick mulch or contour 3. BROAD BEANS: Broad beans grow well and
like zinnias, cosmos, cleomes (spider compost around frost-susceptible best in a sunny spot sheltered from wind.
flowers), gaillardias and hollyhocks.
plants to insulate the roots.
They enjoy moist, well-drained soil.
• Lift gladioli corms, shake off the soil, and • Clean up under hedges, clean out 4. THYME: Thyme can be used as an edible
then store in a cool, dry place in paper gutters and drains, rake up fallen leaf ground cover. It also grows well between
or net bags. Discard damaged bulbs. litter and other debris, and loosen the rocks and paving.
If lifting dahlias, keep them covered soil to expose insect pests which may be 5. GARLIC: Garlic does best in well drained,
with slightly moist sand or sawdust to sheltering there. rich soil with lots of compost.
prevent them from drying out.
• Take cuttings of plants like fuchsias, 6. SPRING ONIONS: Spring onions do well in
heliotrope, daisy bushes and soft sappy REMEMBER loose soil that’s well fertilised and drains
well.
plants like impatiens and plectranthus, • Replenish your bird feeding station. 7. WINTER GEM LETTUCE: Lettuce grows well in
which are intolerant of cold, wet • Get fine compost for your citrus trees rich, cool and moist soil, as it's 95% water.
weather. and papaws.
• Trim flower stalks from old liliums, • Figure out your slug and snail control. 8. MICRO GREENS: Keep the soil damp and
remove weeds for best growth.
leaving a stump to mark their position. • Harvest early potatoes. 9. SPINACH: The trick to good spinach is a
If you buy new lilium bulbs, keep them • Look out for weeds. good start. Keep it moist and cool.
moist or plant them temporarily in pots. • Cover tender flowers to protect them
• Pinch off faded flowers from Iceland from frost. 10. SNAP PEAS: Severe frost might kill your
pea plants, so cover them up if the
poppies, calendulas, violas and pansies • Transplant roses now if necessary. temperature is going to dip below zero.
to encourage further flowers.

To purchase natural gardening products, or for more information about how to be eco-friendly, contact Turfnet on
Tel no: (011) 464-5088 or Mobile no: 073 935 9754. Alternatively, email: Jerida@mweb.co.za, or visit www.turfgreen.co.za
Address: Plot 17, School Road, Diepsloot. 2187.

Fourways Gardens • 17 • May 2022