Things to do this month
WITH the relentless heat we have been experiencing, it is best to put some water on the more sensitive plants such as the Plectranthus. If not, they will wilt to a point of no-return which means they need to be cut back and wait for the next season to flower. Pity as this is their flowering period.
Continue fertilising for the next three months. With lots of rain, heat and long days, there is still lots of growth. When it rains, put fertiliser on your garden, allowing it to be evenly distributed throughout the soil and to the root system of plants.
Remove any dead or diseased leaves and branches. Use a sharp pair of secateurs to prune.
Continue cutting your lawns at least once a week. Leave as much growth on your lawns and just remove to tops of the grass. Continue feeding at least once a month with a high nitrogen fertiliser such as 5.1.5. Apply a handful per square metre.
Mulch flower beds with fallen leaves or buy well-decomposed compost from your nurseries and apply a thin layer over the root base of the shrubs.
Lift groundcovers such as Agapanthus, Tulbaghia and Dietes. Prepare the soil with lots of compost. Split the groundcover and replant. Water well for the first few weeks.
Watch for fungal and insect infestation during the hot humid days. This is when plants are most vulnerable to such an attack. Treat according to problems you encounter.
Check for invasive aliens in your garden.
I will write next month on the most common alien weeds in your garden and how to eradicate them.