Page 29 - Fourways Gardens Issue 9 October 2023

Gardening

October in the garden

n October, Mother Nature goes into overdrive and turns the promise
of spring into colourful reality – this is when our gardens, parklands GARDENER OF
and veld burst into full bloom. It’s also a time when you enjoy the
Ibeauty around you while feeding, pruning, watering, keeping a THE MONTH
watchful eye on pests, and planting in earnest for summer. The gardener of the month is
Thokozani Tshuma.
FOR THE PLANT ENTHUSIAST – Store the seeds you’ve saved from
spring annuals. We’re talking calendulas, poppies, forget-me-nots, He is the brush cutter operator
Virginian stocks and indigenous flowers like Namaqualand daisies. on site, and he is responsible for
Store these seeds in a paper bag or an envelope. Label them, add the clearing the reeds in the Phase 2
date and keep them in a cool, dark area until sowing time. Continue dam. He is always willing to help
feeding and watering your spring-flowering bulbs until the foliage has with any duty given to him. He
died down; you can leave indigenous bulbs in the ground provided has worked extremely hard this
that the drainage is good. month. Well done, Thokozanie,
for always being willing to help
Stop pinching out the tips of fuchsias so they’ll flower in six to eight with anything in and around
weeks; feed them fortnightly with our fine or contour compost. Take Fourways Gardens Estate, and
cuttings of impatiens, trim them below the bottom node and put them thank you.
in water in a clear glass bottle.

FOR THE KITCHEN GARDENER – Continue planting seedlings of LAWNS
carrots, radishes, beans and spring onions in small quantities every Top-dress your lawn with a good-quality, weed-free compost. Feed
fortnight. Sow seeds of cabbages, tomatoes and basil in seed trays. your lawn every four to six weeks with an organic based fertiliser (5:1:5
Transplant the seedlings of tomatoes, brinjals, lettuce, Swiss chard and equivalent). Mow at least once a week – twice is better!
peppers.
FOR THE TIME-PRESSED GARDENER – Blitz weeds before they take Change the direction in which you mow often to prevent ridges and
hold. Mass-plant spreading groundcovers, which are hardy and uneven growth. Water in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid
drought-tolerant, in your beds and borders. They’ll require less feeding evaporation from the hot summer days.
and watering than high-maintenance annuals. Mulch the whole
garden to keep the soil cool and reduce evaporation so you need to SHRUBS
water less often. Softwood cuttings can still be taken. Water during dry weather. Always
water deeply. Make a dam around the plant and water close to the
Feed annuals with a liquid fertiliser every two to three weeks. Try base. Let the water trickle in slowly. Lay a 10cm mulch layer of compost
Nitro sol, Multifeed. Deadhead regularly. Red spiders could make an or bark chips around each bush.
appearance now, so be on the lookout for them. Look on the underside
of leaves. Snails and slugs will be on the warpath, too. Scatter snail bait Fuchsias will need watering every two or three days now. Pinch back
in the late afternoon after watering. to encourage more flowers. Feed once a month with a liquid fertiliser.
These quick-growing, summer-flowering annuals can be sown now: Hydrangeas need regular watering. In extremely hot weather, hose
Alyssum, Dahlia, Dwarf marigold, Californian poppy, Portulaca and down the foliage. Feed once a month with a liquid organic fertiliser.
Nasturtium
ROSES
PERENNIALS Deadhead regularly. Cut back to the first leaf with five leaflets and a
Deadhead regularly. Mulch with compost around each plant and do dormant bud pointing in the direction that you want the new shoot to
not be mean! A 10cm layer will do wonders for your plants, keeping the grow. Give each plant a large handful of organic fertilisers. Watch out
roots cool and moist. You will not have to water as often. Never allow for all sorts of pests. Remove beetles by hand rather than spraying if
the roots to dry out completely, though. you have the time and patience!

To purchase natural gardening products or for more information about how to be eco-friendly, contact Turfnet on
tel: 011 464 5088 or cell: 073 935 9754. Alternatively, email Jerida@mweb.co.za, or visit www.turfgreen.co.za.
Address: Plot 17, School Road, Diepsloot

Fourways Gardens • 27 • October 2023