This Month In Your Garden...

 

 

MARCH IN YOUR GARDEN

By Irene Turner

With the days pleasant, and the night cooler, the Autumn toned trees and shrubs should start to change to their autumn colours. With the recent rain it should give the ground some moisture  for planting.

VEGETABLES

Plant your seedlings of  cauliflower, cabbages, brussel  sprouts or broccoli now and get them  growing  by giving them  liquid fertilizer , at the rate stated on the packet.

Other vegetables that can be planted now- lettuce, turnip, radish and white onions.

FLOWERS

Seedlings that can be planted now –alyssum, pansy, viola, stocks, poppies, calendula, carnation, dianthus, polyanthus, larkspur, snapdragon, statice, verbena and for an attractive border in spring sow Virginian stock directly into the garden.

Seedling of wallflower, sweet Williams  and dwarf sweet Williams.

Perennial plants, providing the weather hasn`t been too hot, will be in the nurseries. These include hollyhock, Canterbury bells, aquilegia (columbines), delphiniums and pentstemons. This is also the month to lift and divide the perennial in your garden, make sure you add plenty of compost and water them in well.

This month watch for aphids and caterpillars on roses, spray with rose  spray.

Black aphids on chrysanthemums can be controlled by spraying them with Malathion.

If you have any lawn left, March is a good time to fertilize with a complete lawn fertilizer to strengthen your lawn for the winter.

You can propogate cutting of geraniums, fuschia and hydrangeas.

Spray Apple and pears February for codling moth – Fruit fly with Lebaycid.

Black spot with Benlate, also for  Mildew.

March Codling moth – Fruit fly  with Lebaycid every 2-3 weeks before harvesting.

Peaches and Nectarines Spray in February with Lebaycide for Fruit Fly

Grapes

Spray with Benlate for mildew or bunch rot.

                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

FEBRUARY IN YOUR GARDEN

By Irene

This month is one of the hottest in our district, keep up the watering in the cool of the morning or cool of the night. Mulching  helps to keep the moisture in the garden. When planting out new plants cover them with shade cloth, until they settle in.

With autumn approaching , start planning your vegetables for winter.

VEGETABLES

Start planting cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts ( these need to go in early or they don’t grow enough.) Early planting  get them established before the cold weather set in.

Make sure you add plenty of compost and well rotted animal manure, also a side dressing lime and of nitrogen fertilizer and at regular intervals a liquid fertilizer applied in the cool of the day, will assist the plants in growing, as they all do better if grown quickly.

Carrots, parsnips, celery, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsley, radish and turnips, can also be planted now.

FLOWERS

If you have a sunny spot, now is the time to plant for winter flowers. Plant seedling of pansies, viola, stocks, poppies, and alyssums.

Also plant calendula, carnations, polyanthus, larkspur, linaria, snapdragons, static and verbena.

This month Bulbs appear in nurseries and mail order shops.

Time to pick want you would like to grow for the following season. Prepare the garden same as for the vegetables. Some of the bulbs suitable for our area are;- Bluebells- suitable for rockeries. Daffodils – suitable for mass planting in rockeries or pots.

Freesias- rockeries or in groups or bank.

Grape Hyacinths- make an  attractive border. Hyacinths- beautiful fragrant bulb, grown in garden or pots. Iris (Flag) grow in clumps in the garden.

Ixia, Jonquil, Lachenalia, Lily of the Valley, Ranunculus, Snowdrops, Sparaxis are all suitable for our area.

Watch for fruit fly in pear, quinces,  apples, use a fruit fly trap or spray with Lebaycide.

You can give roses a light prune reducing the height of the new wood. Give them a light dressing of complete rose fertilizer and water in well.

WHITE OIL SPRAY

1.      Pour 1 cup of vegetable oil and ¼ cup of dishing liquid into a clean jar.

2.      Secure the lid and shake well until the detergent and oil are combined and the mixture turns white.

3.      In a spray unit, measure 1 tablespoon of the mixture per litre of water. Jot down the ratio on the jar for next time.

4.      Shake well, then spray on the plants to control scale, mites, aphids, soft-skinned grubs and citrus leafminer.

 

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AUGUST IN YOUR GARDEN

By Irene

 

Prepare your garden beds for Spring flowers and vegetables- dig in old compost or animal manure, plus blood and bone and a handful of lime per metre.

 

VEGETABLES TO SOW

 

Seeds;  Carrots, parsnips, lettuce, silver beet, onions, peas.

             Asparagus and rhubarb crowns.

Plants:  Cabbages, lettuce, silver beet, onions.

 

FLOWERS

 

Seeds:    of petunias and phlox.

 

Seedlings;-  Pansy, viola, stocks, snapdragons, aquilea, carnations, dianthus, primula, dwarf William, alyssum, poppies, larkspur.

Prune your roses now and spray with Lime Sulphur or Bordeaux .

Prune your Fruit trees and spray no later than the pinking of the buds for nectarine and peaches, spray with Lime Sulphur or Bordeaux .

Spray Apples, pears, plum, quinces and your roses with Winter oil, this control mite and scale.

 

Good ground covers, that are hardy and give good show of flowers in spring are;-

 

Ajuga;- Also known as carpetweed or bugleweed, ajuga forms dense foliage that`s great for keeping weeds at bay. The cool-coloured leaves give rise to deep-blue flowers spikes in spring and summer. It grows to 15cm and spreads to 40cm. Plant in slightly damp, shady areas and close together, so they intertwine as they grow.

 

Gazania;- These colourful flowers burst onto the scene during the warmer months, held above a carpet of silver-green foliage. They`ll grow up to 10cm high and spread to about 50cm.Plant so they tumble over banks, or mass plant in sun-drenched beds. They grow well in sandy soil.

 

Catmint;- This attractive herbaceous perennial bursts with dainty sprays of lavender-blue flowers in spring and summer, and will spread generously. Catmint dies down in autumn, so it can be grown in frost-prone areas. Plant at the front of a boarder, or position to edge paths or rock gardens. Grow in full sun and well drained soil.

 

Serbian bellflower;- Covered in a profusion of pretty lavender-blue blooms from mid-spring, the Serbian bellflower(Campanula poscharskyana) fits into any garden setting where a carpet is needed. It`s a rampant spreader, mounding to around 20cm high, with a indefinite spread. Trail over banks in area of filtered shade or grow at the front of mixed borders, in well-drained soil.

 

Lambs` ear;- Popular for its soft foliage, lambs` ear makes an attractive groundcover, particularly when paired with Mediterranean-style planting like lavender and rosemary .Growing to a height of 30c-45cm with a spread of 60cm, thick spikes of pink-purple flowers appear from late spring. It loves hot, dry heat, so plant in well-drained soil, exposed areas such as dry sunny borders, or in a gravel garden. Once established, the plants are reasonably drought-tolerant.

 

 

 

 

JULY IN YOUR GARDEN

By Irene

 

This month tidy up the garden, remove all the deceased plants, (don`t place any deceased plants in your compost), put them in a garbage bag and bin them.

Rose and fruit trees  can be planted now, always prune the top of the fruit trees when planting to help the roots establish, and water in with seasol.

Deciduous flowering trees and shrubs can be moved and planted now. Some varieties that grow well in our areas are;- prunus, flowering cherry, crab apple, flowering peach, lilac, laburnum, vossi (golden chain tree) and pink and red hawthorn. Larger trees are liquidambar, box elder, golden elm, claret and golden ash and silver birch.

Weeping varieties include;- cherry, crab apple, elm, mulberry, Japanese maples.

 

You can prune your roses at this time- I prefer to prune early August.

 

VEGETABLES:

 

Sow broad beans seeds, peas, and all varieties of onions.

Plant rhubarb and asparagus crowns.

Plant strawberries, also prune off deceased leaves and dig in some compost and old manure (not chicken manure it contains too much lime). You can plant the strawberry runners.

 

FLOWERS:

 

Seedling of ;- stocks, viola, primula, wallflower, russel lupins, delphiniums, foxglove, poppies, sweet William , calendula, alyssum, snapdragons, verbena, dianthus.

Sow seed of Virginian stock directly in the soil, makes a lovely boarder.

 

GARLIC

 

Plant cloves now in good soil, garlic is a good companion plant for roses, help to keep bugs away.

Health benefits; Containing more than 25 antioxidants, garlic helps to strengthen the immune systems, calm inflammation and can also mildly lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Use it sliced, dice or grated cloves into dishes or bake whole. It`s also great in

sauces, risottos, casseroles and roasts.

Medicinal; use as an antibiotic, to cleanse blood, clear catarrh, take as protection  against common colds worms, dysentery and typhoid.

Garlic spray for aphids

Use two crushed cloves of garlic for each 570 ml of water.

Soak the garlic cloves in half a cup of vegetable oil for a few days, add 1 teaspoon of detergent, strain then add to the water. Place in a spray bottle. Make as needed.

  

 

JUNE IN YOUR GARDEN

By Irene

June is the time to commence planting your new roses. If buying bare rooted roses follow the planting instructions on the bag. If moving old roses wait until they the leaves have died off more, and have the hole as deep as the roots with plenty of old compost, dig any old soil out if any roses have had die back, and replace with new soil. Water in well with seasol.

 

Plant fruit trees this month. Some fruit trees require a pollinators-ask when you buy your tree.

Some apples, pears, cherries, most plums, some peaches and almonds require a pollinator.

Apricot, nectarine, peachrine, black English mulberry, chestnut, walnuts, figs and grapes are self pollinating. You can purchase fruit trees with two to three varieties grafted on the one tree, they can be more expensive- but take up less room.

 

This is a good month to start a compost- use lawn clipping, animal manure, shrub and tree pruning. Don`t use newspaper, fresh sawdust or woodshaving, eucalyptus leaves or pine tree foliage.

 

Start the heap by spreading the material to a depth of 20cm then give a heavy dressing of agricultural lime and complete fertilizer, then cover with a thin layer of topsoil, let the heap build up to a depth of 1m. Regularly turn the heap, this hastens the decomposition and make sure the compost heap is kept moist, not wet. During the warm weather compost should be ready for use within 10 to 12 weeks.

I do not turn my compost and it takes longer to break down.

 

VEGETABLES

• Only broad beans, peas and onion seedling can go in now.
• Plant Rhubarb crowns add plenty of compost and rotted animal manure, and water in well. When the weather warms up give plenty of water, and feed with liquid fertilizer.
• Strawberries can be divided and planted now. It is best to move strawberry to a new patch every 3 years-help to keep virus at bay. If growing in a pot replace your soil or potting mix- feed with liquid fertilizer and seasol.

FLOWERS

 

Seedlings which are planted now will start flowering in spring: Stock, pansy, viola, primula, wallflower, Russell lupins, delphiniums, foxgloves, Icelandpoppies, sweet William (tall and dwarf) calendula.

Turn the soil in the garden which is not been used over regularly roughly to open it up. The frost will sweeten the soil, ready for spring planting.

 

TURMERIC

 

Turmeric is a tender perennial. Grows to 60cm high. Large, fragrant, ovoid roots, with deep orange flesh, send up large lance-shaped leaves in tufts. Cluster of pale yellow flowers in dense spikes appear from late spring to midsummer.

Grow in rich loamy soil in humid conditions. Take root cutting in autumn.

Uses-Dried root has bitter, gingery flavour when soaked in water or alcohol. It also provides a culinary and medicinal colouringagent and will dye cloth a rich yellow. Soak unglazed white paper in a tincture and then dry for a yellow paper. Root may relieve catarrh and some blood problems and, used externally, heal bruising.

Turmeric is renowed anti-inflammatory that also protects the liver, wards off cancer and lowers cholesterol.

How to use-Add a sprinkle to curry dishes on its own or use in combination with other Indian spices in vegie and meat dishes. Just a little spice goes a long way, so use it sparingly.