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The Citizen

Get ready for spring

August is the month to lay the foundation for the spring and summer garden. Getting busy this month will reap rewards throughout the summer to come. Feed the soil Plants need fertile soil that contains plenty of carbon that feeds microbes in the soil and they in turn make nutrients available to the plants. Well-rotted compost, dried leaves or dried grass cuttings mixed with compost are natural sources of carbon. Dig compost into the top 30cm of topsoil around perennials and shrubs as well as into beds that are intended for summer flowering annuals, new plants or vegetables. Loosen compacted soil and pull out the roots of invasive creepers or shrubs that are affecting the performance other plants. Trim and tidy up groundcovers, cutting them back a bit to get rid of any stalky growth. Finish by fertilising with a granular fertiliser like Vigorosa 5:1:5 and water in well. Feed the flowers Keep winter annuals flowering by feeding them every with a liquid fertiliser like Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger and increase watering as temperatures rise and the days lengthen. Pansies and violas that were planted in late autumn may be looking tired but there is still time to replace them with a new batch. Plant them in a shadier position for summer and they will keep going until end October or later. If you didn't do it last month, fertilise perennials, roses, shrubs and bulbs with Vigorosa for better flowering. Fill the gaps Brighten up the wintery garden with cool season spring flowers like Osteospermum 'Flower Power' or 'Serenity'(Cape daisies) honey scented Lobularia 'Easy Breezy (alyssum) double or single flowered Argyranthemum 'Madeira'. For more info visit Ball Straathof. Try this Euphorbia hypericifolia 'Flurry' has tiny snowflake white flowers but is a garden toughie that doesn't melt in the heat. It is ideal for waterwise gardens and it can be planted almost anywhere because it grows in full sun and is also shade tolerant. Plant in free draining soil or in pots if the garden soil is on the clay side.. It flowers non-stop, even in winter in warm, frost free gardens as well as in sheltered containers. Water lightly and fertilise once a month. For more info visit Ball Straathof. Spruce up the lawn Scarify lawns that have a dense thatch of undergrowth. To do this rake the lawn to remove the thatch, then cut it down low with a lawn mower. Water well. Don't fertilise until it starts to grow. If the ground feels compacted take an ordinary garden fork and push it into the ground and wiggle it to loosen the ground. Do this over the whole lawn. Watering first will help. If the lawn does not need scarifying just apply 5:1:5 fertiliser and water well. Top dress the lawn if it needs to be levelled or hollows have formed. This only applies to Kikuyu. Top dressing LM grass or the cool season grasses like Shade over or All Seasons evergreen will kill them. Start veggie seed indoors The soil is still too cold for sowing or planting out seedlings but you can start seed in seed trays indoors or in a warm area outside. Start with fruiting crops like tomatoes, eggfruit, peppers and squash as well as cool season salad greens and garden peas. Try this: Honeynut squash looks like a mini butternut but is twice as flavourful and has a soft edible skin. Each squash is about 12cm long (the size of a small hand) and is a single serve or just enough for two. Plants are most productive grown in full sun in a large container or in fertile soil that drains well. For adequate pollination by wind or insects, grow at least three squash plants, the more the better. Fertilise once the flowers start of form. The fruit changes colour from dark green to green and gold and finally a honey orange. For information visit Raw Living. Sharpen up Take the lawnmower for its annual service which includes sharpening the blades. Blunt blades can damage the grass. Clean and sharpen your garden tools like secateurs, hedge clippers, loppers and hand saws. Sand down and revarnish or treat wooden garden furniture, clean out ponds and birdbaths. Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee. For more on gardening visit Get It Magazine.