Spring brings new growth, glossy leaves and vivid flowers
Veggie of the month
Spaghetti squash (RAW seed) is the closest you’ll get to gluten-free pasta and with minimal calories. This heirloom squash from China starts off green and turns golden yellow when ripe, about 100 days from planting. Boil the entire squash for 20 minutes, then cut it open, remove the seeds and fluff out the flesh with a fork. The long, translucent strings have a mild squash flavour and a slight crunch. Like pasta it blends with meat, cream or tomato sauces and can be tossed with pesto.
Spaghetti squash needs sun, fertile soil and regular watering. Sow seed directly into the soil, spacing plants 60cm apart. Plants spread up to 1.5m and can be grown up a trellis or along a fence as it has self-clinging tendrils. Sow a couple of plants for good pollination.
Good to know: A helping of spaghetti squash has about 40 calories compared to 220 calories of an equivalent portion of pasta. Details: rawliving.co.za
Indoor plant of the month
Calathea Makoyana is also known as the Peacock Plant, and it’s not hard to see why. The large oval leaves with deep green markings resemble that of a peacock feather, especially as the pinkish red underleaf has the same bold pattern. This striking houseplant is originally from the tropical forests of South America, but adapts well to average household conditions. It just needs plenty of bright indirect light (not sun) and extra humidity in summer. This can be done by regularly misting the leaves or standing the pot on a pebble-filled saucer, so that when the water drains through, the bottom of the pot stands above the water. Water when the soil in the pot feels slightly dry. Feed with a liquid fertiliser once a month in spring and summer. Details: lvgplant.co.za
We’re planting …
SunPatiens ‘Red Candy’ for the knockout colour of its vivid pink flowers with bright red highlights, that are accentuated by the glossy dark-bronze leaves. This brand-new compact SunPatiens flowers non-stop from spring through to autumn and is a strong growing plant that thrives everywhere from full sun to semi shade. Just ensure that plants in full sun have enough moisture. These worry-free, low maintenance plants are ideal for filling garden beds or containers. They grow 30 to 80cm high and up to 60cm wide.
Details: ballstraathof.co.za
Garden tasks for September
• Encourage new growth by watering regularly and fertilise the lawn, shrubs and trees.
• Pansies, petunias, violas and primulas will continue to flower well if fed every two weeks with a liquid fertiliser.
• Summer flowering annuals that can be planted out this month including begonias, dianthus, bedding dahlias, gazanias, verbena and zinnias. Wait until after the last frost to plant out impatiens.
• Water lawns once a week and don’t cut too low at this stage to allow it to develop deeper roots that will make it more drought resistant.
• Trim perennial herbs to encourage new growth for spring. Sow annual herbs like basil, rocket, coriander, chives, and dill once the danger of frost has passed.
Text: ALICE COETZEE
