THINGS TO DO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR
CUT your lawns as high as possible. This reduces the stress on the grass and also allows it to produce deep roots and prevent weeds from growing.
Water your plants either in the early morning or late afternoon. Don't water at midday because the heat in February will burn your leaves. Recent rains have brought some relief to our gardens and you will see lots of vegetative growth, in particular shrubs that become overgrown. Once they have finished flowering, prune them back to a third of their size.
Fertilise every three weeks during the growing season. The recent rains would have removed and washed away nutrients in the soil. Fertilise flower beds with 3.2.1 and lawns with a high nitrogen fertiliser of 5.1.5
Many of the Plectranthus will be flowering or coming into flower such as Plectranthus zuluensis and Plectranthus ecklonii. Plants are great indicators and if they are under stress they will show signs of wilt. Once a plant gets beyond a certain wilting stage there is no recovery. You can mulch to prevent water loss and this mulch must be around the root base of the plants.
Watch for fungal problems on your plants, especially during these warm humid months. Best to prune those parts of the plant worst affected or spray with a fungicide such as Dithane m45. Roses in particular are prone to black spot during the hot humid months. Remove those worst affected by hand.
Remove weeds from around your plants because they compete for sunlight and nutrients and, once they produce seeds, you have a problem on your hands.
Lift and split groundcovers while the growing season is still in progress. We probably have another two months of hot and wet conditions with long days that will allow many of the plants you lift and replant time to settle in and grow. These include Dietes grandiflora, Agapanthus praecox, Chlorophytum bowkeri, Tulbaghia violacea and Crassula multicarva. Don’t use insecticides that will harm beneficial insects. Rather use a natural insecticide and only spray infected plants.
Take a walk once a week through one of the many nature reserves in the greater ETHEKWINI region. Krantzkloof Nature Reserve is only 20 minutes from Durban. It is good for the soul.
This article is sponsored by Chris Dalzell Landscapes, specialising in landscaping, consultation and Botanical expeditions. If you have any questions please contact me on email at: cgmdalzell@gmail.com