Make the most of sunny winter days to prune, plant and potter in the garden.
We’re planting … Ranunculus Maché (pictured above) for its huge, beautiful blooms that rival peonies and roses for size and perfection. Plants are available as a six-pack of seedlings or in individual pots for planting in full sun or semi-shade in well composted soil that drains well. The plants are vigourous, growing up to 40cm, and the pickable flowers are carried on strong stems. The Mâché range includes single colours as well as a mixes of strong or pastel colours. They are good fillers behind a low-growing border of pansies or violas, as well as in window boxes and patio pots. www.ballstraathof.co.za
Primroses and ornamental kale thrive in cold weather. The vivid flower colours of primroses (Primula acaulis) brighten dull winter beds.. Combine them with ornamental kale that is dramatic and decorative. Kale ‘Songbird’ needs very little care, likes a sunny bed and the colours of its pink, red or white rosettes become more intense in the cold. www.ballstraathof.co.za.
Indoor colour
Flowering indoor plants make all the difference in winter. Cyclamen, primroses (Primula acaulis), kalanchoe and calandiva like bright light and can take some morning sun. Succulents also make good indoor or patio plants. Suitable varieties for pots are Echeveria, Crassula, Vygies, and Sedums. Don’t over water indoor plants. If the soil feels moist wait another day before watering. www.lvgplant.co.za
Garden tasks
Although growth slows down water annuals and winter veggies once a week and feed with a liquid fertiliser at least once a month.
Large shrubs and trees should be watered at least once a month. Don’t let spring flowering shrubs dry out because this affects their flowering.
Most shrubs benefit from being shaped and the old wood being removed. Vigorous growers like Plumbago, Pyracantha, Elderberry, Abelia, Pride of de Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii) Plectranthus, Poinsettia, and Buddleia can be cut back quite hard.
Fertilise spring flowering shrubs like camellias, magnolias, and rhododendrons, which include azalea species, and May bush and only prune until after flowering in spring.
This is an ideal time to re-lay pathways or renew the gravel, add in new features, re-organize beds, move containers around and generally give the garden shakeup.
Green tip
Regenerate the soil by spreading a layer of compost over the surface of the bed and lightly working it in with a fork or rake it in. This does not disturb the eco system within the topsoil. Tillable soil has a high humus content which can be achieved by mulching as much as possible on a continuous basis.
Article and images by Alice Coetzee.
