With Spring here and the frost melting away, it’s time to sow seeds and grow those beautiful garden displays
This month’s indoor plant is the glowing deep red, almost black leaves of Peperomia Caperata Luna that make this the ideal Halloween plant, but that doesn’t mean having to wait until November to enjoy this striking plant. Although they are not fussy plants, Peperomia have very specific requirements. They should not be over-watered and do not like consistently moist soil. Neither do they like drying out completely either. The best is to water when the top 5cm of soil feels dry, while maintaining humidity around the plant by regularly misting its leaves. To maintain its leaf colour, make sure it receives bright indirect light, but not direct sunlight. Remove the flowering spikes once flowering is over as this saps the plant’s energy. Details: lvgplant.co.za
If you are on the lookout for something different in tomatoes, look out for RAW’s Bumble Bee Mix. These cherry tomatoes are mix of striped, pink, purple and sunrise colours. The fruits are juicy, full of flavour and pickable, or for snacking off the vine, within 80 to 110 days from transplanting. Grow in full sun and sow 2 to 3 plants in a container or in a well composted garden bed, spacing plants 60cm by 60cm. Plants grow 1 to 1.5m high and some support is advisable. Water regularly during the growing season and feed pot grown tomatoes with a liquid fertiliser like Margaret Roberts Organic Supercharger once a month. Details: rawliving.co.za
We’re planting … a sensational salvia that’s appropriately named Salvia Nemorosa Sensation for its show-stopping display of true blue or deep rose-pink flowers on neat, compact plants. Plant it as a border in small gardens or massed for larger landscapes, as well as in patio pots. The dense flowering spikes stand upright above the aromatic grey-green leaves, attracting bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Salvia Sensation grows best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. It needs well composted soil that drains well and regular watering. It is heat and drought tolerant once established. Details: ballstraathof.co.za
Garden tasks for September
• Water and fertilise the lawn to encourage new growth. • Increase watering of pansies and other spring annuals as the days get warmer. • Plant out summer annuals like begonias, impatiens, dianthus, bedding dahlias, gazanias and verbena. • Water roses deeply once or twice a week to boost their growth and flowers for October. • Get rid of weeds without using poison by spraying them with undiluted white vinegar (be careful not to spray too much onto the grass) or dig them out roots and all. • Sow annual herbs like basil, rocket, coriander, chives, and dill.
Text: Alice Coetzee
