august 2017
Greenstone garden guide | 15
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august 2017
Greenstone garden guide | 15
This month in the garden
HWith spring around the corner, it’ s time to prepare your garden.
ere are a few chores to give you a head start:
• Early spring clean the garden shed. Sharpen tools and sand off any rust on spades etc,. I rub a light coat of oil on to preserve mine.
• Turn your compost heap – use ready compost in bed preparation and make space for post winter pruning. • Prepare your planting beds: Turn in compost, bone meal and kraal
manure. A handful of agricultural lime per metre does wonders for cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower.
• For a jump start sow your vegetable seeds now but keep them in a warm, sunny place.
• Don’ t remove frost guard yet, we will still get a few frosty mornings.
• The day time temperature is going up and it is still very dry, check plants for wilting. You may have to increase your watering.
Perennial profusion
Plant these indigenous plants now and get the most out of their spectacular spring show. Best of all these plants are water wise, take light frost and will give you a few years of colour.
Felicia amelloides: Full sun
Clivia miniata: Shade / semi shade
Lampranthus species: Full sun
Osteospermum species: Full sun gardening Q & a Q: I would like to grow my own granadillas but I don’ t know anything about it. Can they be grown in Joburg?
A: Purple granadilla also known as Passion fruit( Passiflora edulis) does well in Johannesburg. It is however, a tropical plant and needs protection from frost especially when young. You can plant your own from seed or buy one from a nursery. If planting from seed make sure the fruit is ripe, then wash off all the pulp. Plant the seeds in a fine composted soil and cover lightly with soil. Keep it moist in a warm sunny spot. August and September is a good time to plant.
The main things to consider when planting your granadillas out into the garden are:
• Granadilla vines get big and heavy. They need a large space to grow and a strong trellis, frame or wall to grow on.
• The soil should be deeply prepared with bone meal, compost and kraal manure to encourage deep, strong roots.
• Water and feed well during growth periods and keep the root area mulched with compost.
• Granadilla plants bear fruit on the current season’ s growth, so pruning is necessary in winter to get a good crop. Remove dead or diseased wood and branches that are overcrowded.
• You should get fruit after six months. It is definitely worth the effort to plant your own. Enjoy!
about wendy wright
As a horticulturalist, Wendy is qualified to offer garden consultations, regarding the health and wellbeing of your garden. She also designs gardens( domestic and industrial) and offers garden reconstruction, trading as Green Scene Landscaping. For more information, call 076-826-7288 or email greenscene @ vodamail. co. za
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