Tasty summer squash, beautiful and bizarre leaf snaps and nectar-rich flowers
We’re planting … Cuphea Sweet talk because it’s the perfect pollinator plant. It produces nectar-rich flowers in shades of bright red, deep pink, or lavender splash. Plants are low growing and compact, suitable for a sunny bed, border or containers. They are heat tolerant and flower from spring to autumn. For a neat and colourful border, space plants 20 to 30cm apart. Plants are heat tolerant but will do best with regular deep watering in summer. Fertilise once a month.
Indoor plant of the month
Venus flytrap is a carnivorous little plant that sounds creepy enough for Halloween hi-jinks but is actually quite practical and beautiful in a bizarre kind of way. The leaves act as fly traps, with the inner part of the leaf looking like a pink mouth surrounded by spiny, sharp teeth. Along comes a fly and the leaf snaps shut.
When grown indoors, the Venus flytrap needs at least six hours of sun, so it will thrive in a sunny room, on a windowsill or on the patio. Place the plant in a 2 to 4cm deep saucer filled with water. To prevent it from rotting, let the tray dry out for a short period every week but never let the plant dry out completely as this will kill it. There is no need to fertilise because the flies provide all the nutrients the plant needs.
In winter the plant goes dormant and dies down. Move it to a cool area so that it stays dormant. Water less, keeping the soil lightly moist. Come summer, move it back into the sun. Details: lvgplant.co.za
Veggie of the month
Squash Bennings Green is a quick and easy
to grow heirloom patty pan squash, that is regarded as one of the tastiest of the summer squash varieties – with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour. The saucer shaped fruit has scalloped edges and is pale green
when young, maturing to a creamy white. The medium sized bushy plant is a prolific producer throughout summer, with the first fruit ready to harvest within 50 days of germination. Sow seed directly into the soil in a sunny position, in fertile, well composted soil. Water around the base of the plant and don’t allow it to completely dry out. The fruit is at its tastiest when eaten young and green. Older fruit can be added to slow cooked stews, casseroles and potjies. Details: kirchhoffs.co.za
Garden tasks for November
• It is still a good time to plant summer flowers like impatiens and begonias for shade, and dahlias, gazanias, gaillardia, gaura, marigolds, portulaca and salvia for sun.
• Feed roses and hydrangeas once a month and water more often if it gets very hot. Renew mulch to keep the soil moist for longer.
• Succession sowing of most vegetables can be continued up until the end of this month.
• In the absence of rain, water deeply at least once a week.
• To prevent fungus diseases in the lawn, do not water during the hottest time of the day. Rather water early in the morning or late afternoon.
Text: ALICE COETZEE
