There is still plenty of summer ahead, with time to sow quick summer crops, plant flowers and give your garden a tweak.
We’re planting …Coleus ‘Coral Candy’ which is eye candy for the garden with its richly coloured and patterned leaves. It is the newest in the Coleus Sun Premium range which means that it can grow in full sun in tropical areas with high humidity, or morning sun or shade in other areas. These compact bushy plants provide bold, long lasting garden colour and are attractive feature plants for containers. They need very little care, just regular watering and fertilising once a month in summer. For more info: www.ballstraathof.co.za
Indoor plant of the month: In January it’s all about the money, or how little is left after the festive season. According to Feng Shui belief, if you feel in need of some positive energy and good luck, invest in a Money Tree (Pachira aquatica). If nothing else it is believed to reduce stress, anxiety and may also help you to sleep better, thanks to the air purifying ability of its large star-shaped leaves. Plants like bright, indirect light, a humid room and moderate watering. Feed with a liquid fertiliser in summer. For more info: www.lvgplant.co.
Veggie of the month: As we go into our hottest months, one leafy veggie that can handle the heat is our indigenous spinach, better known as Marog (Amaranthus tricolour) or Imbuya. Its arrow-shaped leaves that are thicker than spinach leaves and can be picked over a long period. Harvest the young leaves which have a mild flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach. They are an excellent source of plant protein as well as vitamins C and A.
Marog grows best in full sun in well composted soil. The seeds are very small, and it is easier to sow them evenly by mixing them with sand or dry soil. The seeds are usually planted in rows. Seed germinates within 7 to 14 days and the final spacing should be 25cm apart. Plants need regular watering and grow easily. For the best flavour, harvest the tender tops when they are about 25cm tall, by cutting them off with scissors and then leaving the plant to re-grow. Marog can be intercropped with other veggies. For more info: www.kirchhoffs.co.za
Garden tasks for January
- There is still time to sow alyssum, marigolds, and portulaca.
- Keep on deadheading; this encourages new flowers.
- Feed annuals and indoor plants with a liquid fertiliser and perennials, shrubs and trees with a granular fertiliser.
- A quick fix for tired looking annuals is to replace them with colour bags. These are flowering annuals grown in plastic bags that can just be popped into the ground for instant colour.
- Water regularly in this heat, especially containers that need daily watering.
- Don’t mow your lawn too low in the heat, keep the blades longer and this will keep the lawn cool and promote deeper root development.
- Plant new crops of beans, rocket, beetroot, lettuce and spinach if conditions are cool enough.
TEXT & IMAGES: Alice Coetzee.
