The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 12 Autumn 2015 High res | Page 26

What to do

What to do in the garden
By Lindsay Charters

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Your to do list for Autumn

Prune your overgrown summer flowering shrubs in March, so
that they have time to recover before winter sets in.
Dig out spent summer annuals; refresh the soil with good
quality compost and organic fertiliser.
Plant your first round of winter annuals at the beginning of
April and plant a second round at the end of May to prolong
their flowering season. Petunias, Cinerarias, Alyssum, Lobelia,
Antirrhinums, Primulas, Ranunculus, Pansies, Hollyhocks and
Violas will all give you months of colour and joy through the
cold months.

Reduce the planting shock of annual seedlings, place
the tray or sleeve you’ve bought in the spot you’re going
to plant them, and let them harden up for 3-6 days.
They will become accustomed to the sun and humidity
conditions in that area, and will recover much faster.

ALYSSUM

At the end of April, reduce watering and fertilising on the
lawn, roses and indigenous shrubs that are entering their
dormant period. Dormancy is a very important phase in some
plants’ lifecycle; keeping dormant plants more active with
too frequent watering and heavy feeding through winter can
reduce their growth and flowering the following summer. As
the weather cools, finish watering all plants by 3pm to reduce
frost burn at night, which can lead to fungal disease.

It is sweet pea time again!
March is the month for planting sweet peas; get them in as early as you can to make
sure their flowers are finished before the next rains arrive.
1. Dig a trench 30cm wide and 50cm deep and fill it with a mixture of 50% compost
and a 50% soil mix, and add a handful of organic fertiliser for each ½ meter
stretch of your trench.
2. Put your trellis or climbing support in place, and let the soil settle for a couple of
weeks before planting the seeds.
3. Soak your seeds in luke-warm water overnight before planting 1cm deep and
10cm apart in the prepared soil. If you prefer to buy seedlings, also place them
10cm apart.
4. Water them well after planting and water the seedlings daily until they are about
20cm high.
5. As the seedlings grow, side shoots will appear next to the main stem; pinch
these off until the main stem reaches the top of your trellis. This encourages the
growt