Page 21 - FWG Issue 4 May 2023

Gardening

May in the garden

ay is a wonderful month in the LAWN
garden and as the cold winter Winter is many gardeners’ nightmare. It
days approach, gardens reveal either means a muddy mess or sad, bare
Ma brilliant display of berries turf. Make sure you maintain your lawn
and the autumn foliage of deciduous trees this winter to keep it looking good. Lift the
and shrubs. Strelitzia, bougainvillea, red-hot mowing height and cut down on mowing,
pokers and roses will be bursting into bloom. use some contour lawn dressing or fine
If your garden tends to look a bit dull at this compost for your lawn to encourage root
time of the year, visit your local garden centre development, keep lush and healthy
to select some late summer and autumn growth, and make sure you water your
beauties to plant in your garden; these will be grass after lawn dressing it. Consistently
well established by next autumn and reward rake your lawn, remove the fallen leaves
you with their bountiful displays. and other debris. Remove any broad leaf
weeds.
To do list to help you keep on top of
important gardening chores: Ten of the best vegetables to grow in May
• Water shrubs and plants with shallow root 1. SHALLOTS: To keep shallots growing,
systems like azaleas and camellias during you’ll need to make sure the soil drains
the dry spell in summer rainfall areas. well and stays quite dry.
• Collect seeds from late summer annuals 2. CAULIFLOWER: Don’t let sunshine
like zinnias, cosmos, cleomes (spider reach the cauliflower curds, this will
flowers), gaillardias and hollyhocks. Photo by Peter Burdon cause them to discolour. Tie the leaves
• Lift gladioli corms, shake off the soil, and closed over the curds with string.
then store in a cool, dry place in paper gutters and drains, rake up fallen leaf 3. BROAD BEANS: Broad beans grow well
or net bags. Discard damaged bulbs. If litter and other debris, and loosen the and best in a sunny spot sheltered from
lifting dahlias, keep them covered with soil to expose insect pests which may be wind. They enjoy moist, well-drained soil.
slightly moist sand or sawdust to prevent sheltering there. 4. THYME: Thyme can be used as an
them from drying out. edible ground cover. It also grows well
• Take cuttings of plants like fuchsias, Aloes and winter flowering red-hot pokers between rocks and paving.
heliotrope, daisy bushes and soft sappy Feed and mulch your aloes and winter 5. GARLIC: Garlic does best in well-
plants like impatiens and plectranthus, flowering red-hot pokers (Kniphofia) for drained, rich soil with lots of compost.
which are intolerant of cold, wet weather. a beautiful show in May. Kniphofia ‘Royal 6. SPRING ONIONS: Spring onions do well
• Pinch off faded flowers from Iceland Strain’ flower in winter and produce in loose soil that’s well fertilised and
poppies, calendulas, violas and pansies to wonderful dark red to bright orange flowers drains well.
encourage further flowers. with yellow bases. Kniphofia ‘Yellow Cheer’ 7. WINTER GEM LETTUCE: Lettuce grows
• Foliar feed all existing annuals and bulbs can also be planted now; they produce well in rich, cool and moist soil, as its
fortnightly or use organic compost before yellow flowers in summer and autumn. 95% water.
the cold weather sets in. 8. MICRO GREENS: Keep the soil damp
• Cover sensitive plants in colder regions Aloes planted in flower borders amongst and remove weeds for best growth.
with lightweight, frost cover, hessian, other plants often receive too much shade 9. SPINACH: The trick to good spinach is a
straw or cardboard boxes. and water, making them susceptible to rust, good start. Keep it moist and cool.
• Lay down thick mulch or contour and if the days are still sunny and warm, 10. SNAP PEAS: Severe frost might kill
compost around frost-susceptible plants powdery mildew can develop. Always your pea plants, so cover them up if
to insulate the roots. position them in an open sunny position the temperature is going to dip below
• Clean up under hedges, clean out and avoid overwatering. zero.

To purchase natural gardening products, or for more information about how to be eco-friendly, contact Turfnet on
Tel no: 011 469 5051/4 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 • 19 • May 2023