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CARING FOR YOUR

GARDEN IN SUMMER

Whether you are planting an edibles or ornamental garden, in the ground or in
raised beds, caring for your clients’ summer garden doesn’t have to be complicated.
Divide your time and effort between keeping the gardens in good shape and
enjoying them during the hot summery days.

Follow this guide to develop good summer garden care habits that
will benefit your clients plants all the way into autumn.
Prune dead leaves
With the heat, it’s inevitable that some of your plants’ leaves will wilt and
dry out. By removing these leaves, the surviving foliage receives more
nutrition and the plant’s beauty improves. Trimming them off will give
new life to your garden, making it look more vibrant and thriving.
Prevent and control weeds
If you’ve kept up with a regular weeding routine, your client will be
rewarded as the summer goes on. Frequent weeding stops weeds
from reseeding and multiplying, making for less of a chore over time.
Keep pulling those weeds to stop them from stealing nutrients and
moisture meant for your healthy plants!
Harvest your vegetable crops
Harvesting often will keep your plants flowering and producing
more fruit. Here are a few tips for harvesting fruiting crops at the
right time:
1. When possible, pick vegetables just before eating
2. Know which vegetables have flexible harvest dates
3. Know which vegetables need to be harvested regularly.

Fertilise
Plants, like people, need to not only drink water but also eat for
nourishment! By now, your plants’ soil may be getting depleted of
nutrients. Give them a feeding by side-dressing with Malanseuns
compost or aged manure, or give them a drink of liquid fertiliser
such as Protek Guanoflo.

Water
Watering is critical when the heat is on high. Put out a rain gauge
to determine just how much water you are getting from those
thunderstorms. In the hot, dryer months, it is better to water your plants
in the morning while it is still cooler and there’s less direct sunlight.

Fight off pests
Scouting for insect pests frequently will help you keep ahead of any
population explosions of garden destroyers. Be sure to check the
undersides of the leaves, where most pests like to hide and lay their
eggs. Many bugs like to sleep in, so you can often catch them in the
morning when they are still groggy.
Information and photos supplied by Plantland. www.plantland.co.za n

Landscape SA • Issue 122 2023 7