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To help you develop your gardening skills, we provide you with gardening tips - our 'Seasonal Tips'. Tips for two consecutive months appear on this page.
Keep your garden in shape! Return here regularly to discover how to improve your gardening skills!
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Seasonal Tips : April 2010
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A good time to start cleaning flower beds, pruning and shaping shrubs. Do not however cut back any shrub that is winter or spring flowering, this will result in a poor show of blooms.
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Mark positions of perennials which will disappear in winter. This will prevent them from being damaged during any winter plantings.
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April is usually a good time to plant all winter and spring flowering bulbs. The ground temperature is now cooler, which is conclusive to great flower production. Plant in well-drained soil and with compost.
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A whole spectrum of winter annuals is now available for planting. Plant now for early flowering.
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Nip out the center growth of sweet peas to promote side shoots.
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Do not leave your vegetable patch fallow over winter. Plant in peas and as soon as they come into flower, dig them over into the soil. This will increase the nitrogen content of your soil for the summer vegetables.
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A good month to plant strawberries.
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This is usually a busy time in the herb garden, harvesting the crop for drying and collecting seeds.
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Keep an eye out for lily borer on Nerines.
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Water Camelias deeply once per week to avoid bud drop. Mulch and keep soil moist and cool.
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Seasonal Tips : March 2010
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Sow Namaqualand Daisy Seed and plant Sweet Pea Seeds in full sun, well-composted, fertilized and well-drained soil.
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Perennials such as Agapanthus, Dietes, Scabious and Penstemons – cut back all old flower stalks to neaten up the patch. If the plants have overgrown their allotted space – lift, divide and replant newest growth.
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Give Camellias regular (once a week) deep watering in anticipation of the upcoming flowering season. Feed with fertilizer high in potassium to promote buds.
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Start to collect fallen leaves for mulching the flowerbeds as well as for your compost heap.
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Plan your winter seedling and vegetable garden. You can start planting this more towards the end of this month. Add lots of compost and well matured kraal manure to ensure quick strong growth.
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Plan your winter seedling and vegetable garden. You can start planting this more towards the end of this month. Add lots of compost and well matured kraal manure to ensure quick strong growth.
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Water Wise Gardening Tips
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Containers
Coat the inside of porous terracotta pots with a sealant to stop moisture loss
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Zoning
Practice zoning - group plants according to their water needs, and then water the high, medium and low water use zones separately
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Water Wise Plant Choice
Water using sprinklers with a large droplet size and low spray, to prevent water loss from the wind blowing fine drops away.
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Avoid using hosepipes to clean patios. A broom will do the trick.
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Water deeply but less often to encourage plants to put down deep roots. Frequent watering encourages shallow roots, and these plants cannot reach the water deeper in the soil during dry periods.
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Soil
Add water retaining crystals to potting mixes to reduce watering by half
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Plant Choice
Indigenous plants need little watering, so grow these wherever possible. Indigenous plants also provide shelter and food for butterflies and birds.
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Lawns
Lawns are thirsty, so replace lawn in areas it is not needed with logs, sleepers, pebbles or gravel. Water can still seep into the soil through these.
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Tip:
To prevent the gravel and pebbles from sinking into the soil and getting muddy, first put down a layer of weed prevention fabric, which will allow water into the soil, prevent weeds from coming up, and will keep the gravel or pebbles clean. If you want to put plants in between the gravel or pebbles for a "dry river bed" look, simply cut an X into the fabric, fold the corners under, and put in the plant.
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Telephone:
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Landline: +27-11-957 2046 | Mobile: 083 997 6142
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Fax:
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+27-11-957 3214
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Email:
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Wedding Information, Kiddies Parties, Workshops, Educational Outings:
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nursery@gardenworld.co.za
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Gardening Information:
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club@gardenworld.co.za
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Tea Garden, Supper Theatre:
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banquet@gardenworld.co.za
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Address:
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PO Box 1336 Honeydew 2040 |Beyers Naudé Drive Ext., Muldersdrift ,Gauteng, South Africa
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GPS Co-ordinates:
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S 26o 2.553' E27o 53.110'
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All Contents © 2010 Garden World | Webmaster: Celestine Ventures cc | Date of entry: May 2001 Latest Upload: 06 April, 2010
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