Page 19 - FWG Issue 5 June 2024

Gardening

June in the garden

To-do list to help you keep on top Three reasons to take up organic
of important gardening chores: gardening:

• Water shrubs and plants with shallow root 1. Organic gardening produces food
systems, such as azaleas and camellias, that is not only higher in nutrients,
during the dry spell in summer-rainfall areas. antioxidants, and minerals such as
• Collect seeds from late summer annuals calcium and magnesium but also tastes
like zinnias, cosmos, cleomes (spider better.
flowers), gaillardias and hollyhocks. 2. Organic gardening is good for your
• Lift gladioli corns, shake off the soil, and mental health. Working with soil
store in paper or net bags in a cool, dry and plants in the garden can be very
place. Discard damaged bulbs. If lifting peaceful.
dahlias, cover them with slightly moist encourage further flowers. 3. Organic gardening helps the environ-
sand or sawdust to prevent them from • Foliar feed all existing annuals and bulbs ment; it helps replace nutrients naturally.
drying out. fortnightly or use organic compost before
• Take cuttings of plants like fuchsias, the cold weather sets in. Ten of the best vegetables to
heliotrope and daisy bushes and • Cover sensitive plants in colder regions
soft, sappy plants like impatiens and with lightweight, frost cover, hessian, grow in June:
plectranthus, which are intolerant of cold, straw, or cardboard boxes. 1. SHALLOTS: The soil must drain well
wet weather. • Lay down thick mulch or contour compost and stay dry to keep shallots growing.
• Trim flower stalks from old liliums, leaving around the frost susceptible plants to 2. CAULIFLOWER: Do not let sunshine
a stump to mark their position. Buy lilium insulate the roots. reach the cauliflower curds; this will
bulbs, keep them moist or plant them • Clean up under hedges, clean out gutters cause them to discolour. Tie the leaves
temporarily in pots. and drains, rake up fallen leaf litter and closed over the curds with string.
• Pinch off faded flowers from Iceland other debris, and loosen the soil to expose 3. BROAD BEANS: Broad beans grow best
poppies, calendulas, violas, and pansies to insect pests which may be sheltering there. in a sunny spot sheltered from wind;
they enjoy moist, well-drained soil.
4. THYME: Thyme can be used as an
edible ground cover and grows well
GARDENER 5. GARLIC: Garlic does best in well-
between rocks and paving.
OF THE MONTH drained, rich soil with lots of compost.

6. SPRING ONIONS: Spring onions do
Our gardener of the month is well in loose soil that is well fertilised
Vincent Radebe.
and drains well.
7. WINTER GEM LETTUCE: Lettuce grows
He is our Phase 2 gardener who has well in rich, cool, and moist soil, as it is
worked extremely well this month 95% water.
and harvested Kikuyu lawn for 8. MICRO GREENS: Keep the soil damp
Bushwillow Drive. He is committed and remove weeds for best growth.
to his job and always very respectful 9. SPINACH: The trick to good spinach is
of his superior managers and a good start. Keep it moist and cool.
supervisor. Well done, Vincent!
10. SNAP PEAS: Severe frost might kill
your snap pea plants, so cover them if
the temperature dips below 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.
Visit www.turfgreen.co.za Address: Plot 17, School Road, Diepsloot. 2187

Fourways Gardens • 17 • June 2024