The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 16 Autumn 2016 Low res | Page 27

Monthly garden routine

Monthly tasks

May

April

March

Keep up-to-date with this list and your garden will flourish.
Annuals - Pull up spent summer annuals and add them to the compost heap. Start preparing beds for winter
annuals, such as petunias. Plant petunias in a sunny, open spot and avoid planting them in the same bed as the
previous season. Soak sweet pea seed overnight and then plant out into prepared beds.
Bulbs - Keep an eye out for winter and spring flowering bulbs in the nurseries. It is a good time to plant out
freesias, anemones, Dutch iris, muscari and ranunculus, as well as the indigenous bulbs babiana, sparaxis and
tritonia. If moles are a problem in the garden, plant bulbs in pots.
Roses - Keep deadheading your roses to extend their flowering time. A weekly watering of 15 to 20 litres per
square metre should be maintained.
Perennials - Now is the time to lift and divide perennials if they are overcrowded, as well as summer flowering
bulbs such as agapanthus, daylilies and arum lilies. Select young and vigorous pieces to replant.
Lawns - Continue feeding and watering your lawn. Mow your lawn regularly to keep it looking in tip-top condition.
Climbers - Remove any dead twigs or faded flowers on your climbers. Cut back climbers that are becoming
rampant and growing into windows and eaves.
FLOWER SEEDLINGS - Alyssum, antirrhinum, calendula, cineraria, candytuft, dianthus, gazania, lobelia,
nemesia, pansies, primula, sweet peas and viola.
Annuals - Plant out winter-flowering seedlings, mulch well and feed fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser. Snails love
tender, newly-planted seedlings, so sprinkle snail bait in the late afternoon. Stake sweet peas to the trellis and only
allow two stems to develop, pinch the rest back and remove tendrils.
Perennials - Divide hardy summer-flowering perennials that have become overcrowded, such as Shasta Z\