The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 19 Summer 2016/17 | Page 12

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Get ready for the rains
use this rainy season wisely to get the most out of your garden but
keep an eye out for the problems it might bring, too.
The rains provide opportunity to watch
your garden grow and plan for the drier
months. Unfortunately, the rains also
bring rust, cause leaching of nutrients and
promote disease. Halsted offers you some
handy hints to help you prepare for the
rains this season. Get water wise
Gutters Nutrients will start to leach out of the
vegetable and garden beds with the
rains. Compost and fertilise regularly to
make sure your plants are getting enough
nutrients; pre-packed and organic options
are available at our Garden Centre.
Clean your gutters to remove the debris
so the water reaches the drainpipes with
ease. Have you considered harvesting the
rain this year from the gutters? Halsted
sells a variety of plastic and galvanised
gutters, tanks and all the materials to set
up a rain harvesting system at your home.
Capture the runoff
Manage your rainwater wisely and don’t
lose your water to the streets. Dig berms
and swales in your garden to redirect
your water back into your garden in order
to replenish the water table.
Remove dead branches
Look for any dead or weak branches
that might need to be cut off, especially
those that are near houses, electrical
wires, garages and walls to avoid possible
wind or rain damage. Consider taking
down any trees that are looking old or
sick. Halsted has a variety of electric
chainsaws and secateurs.
Protect your wooden furniture
Protect your wooden furniture and
windows from the rain and harsh sun
by giving it a coat of Dulux Woodgard
Interior/Exterior Timbavarnish. You should
ideally repaint your outside wooden
furniture every year.
No rust
Paint and protect your metal outdoor
furniture and gates from rust with a
no-prime-needed Hammerite ‘Direct to
rust metal paint’ to prevent it from
rusting farther.
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The beginning of the rainy season allows
us to get creative and design new flower
beds. Plan ahead with water wise plants.
A wide variety is available at Halsted
Builders Express Garden Centre.
Add the nutrients
Keep the pests at bay
The hot weather and the rains also bring
the aphids and mildew. Make sure you
begin a regular spraying regime to keep
the bugs at bay. Halsted offers a range of
sprays to kick-start your regime.
Green up your lawn
The good thing about the rain is that the
lawn starts to green up and grow. Give it
a boost during the rainy season with lawn
fertiliser and make sure your mower is in
tip-top condition.
Halsted Builders Express and Garden
Centre provide you with a wide variety of
products to help you through the rains.
116 MUTARE RD, MSASA
[phone]
WWW.HALSTEDS.CO.ZW