GARDENING TIPS FOR FEBRUARY February 21, 2008

Compiled by Lyn McCallum

WATER:

Those of us who are lucky enough to have well-points or bore-holes must use their water as sparingly as possible. Our underground water will not last forever if abused, and it is in everyone’s best interest to conserve this precious resource. Don’t water in the heat of the day (between 10am and 4pm), ensure that the water reaches the plants it is intended to water, with the minimum run-off and avoid using fine sprinklers on windy days.

MULCHING:

Mulching is very important! Keep a check on all your beds – mulching does not last forever and needs to be topped up at regular intervals, depending on soil type and earthworm activity.

If you are using green grass clippings or shredded cuttings that have not been composted, as mulch, remember to sprinkle a few handfuls of Hoof & Horn or bonemeal around the plants to counteract the nitrogen loss that occurs as the green matter composts down.

Make sure when you water that it can get through the layer of mulch, penetrating into the soil around the roots of the plants.

PRUNING:

Sub-shrubs such as lavender, heliotrope, pelargoniums and daisies that have finished flowering can now be cut back by about one third. The same applies to shrubs like hebes, Pimelea ferruginea, Murraya exotica and Chinese Plumbago. Light pruning of all these plants will improve their shape and encourage new growth.

PESTS:

Red spidermites thrive in hot dry conditions. Spray susceptible plants regularly with water to keep the atmosphere damp to help deter these pests.

Keep a lookout for twig wilters and fruit beetles - hand-pick and destroy, wearing gloves for the twig wilters as they give off a disgusting smell when handled.

Check for slugs and snails at night, especially after watering – hand-pick, and immerse in a bucket of boiling water.

Aphids can also be troublesome at this time of the year. Try rubbing them off between your finger and thumb, spray them off with a strong jet of water or simply let nature do it for you - Witogies (White-eyes) and ladybirds love a feast of aphids! For severe infestations, you can spray with the following: To 5 litres of water add 1tsp each of sunlite liquid, Jeyes Fluid and paraffin; ½ tsp. ammonia and 2 tsp. Kelpac. Mix well and spray the affected parts of the plant.

Check your plants carefully for signs of caterpillars - droppings, damaged leaves. Using a torch, hand pick the caterpillars at night when they are feeding. During the day, check just below the surface of the soil, low down on the plant’s stem or against the sides of pots. This is where the caterpillars lurk during the day.

Lawn caterpillars can be detected by watering a patch with a solution of sunlite liquid, which will bring them to the surface if they are present. To get rid of them without killing birds, frogs etc., sprinkle the lawn with Omo, water in, and pick up the caterpillars as they surface.

WEEDS:

Remove weeds before they set seed to avoid problems next season. It is better not to put weeds in seed on the compost heap. Remember that weeds use up valuable water!

ANNUALS:

Deadhead summer annuals that are still in flower regularly and feed with either a liquid food – Seagro, Nitrosol, Organiksol or Bounce Back to prolong their flowering period.

Replace early summer flowering annuals that are past their best with plants that will flower in the late summer or early autumn, such as cosmos, gomphrena and zinnias. Remember it is best not to plant the same variety where it was before – practice crop rotation.

Petunias need to be well drained and don’t like too much water. Water only when the soil is dry, keeping the spray off the blooms, which could burn if they get wet in the hot sun.

PERENNIALS:

Flowering perennials, such as pentstemon, yarrow, pentas, felicia and diascias should also be fed and deadheaded regularly to prolong flowering.

Those perennials that have finished flowering can be cut back now.

Tidy up alstromerias by pulling out the dead flower stalks and any other weak growth. Feed with Rapid Raiser or 3:1:5, apply a good compost and water well. This should encourage new growth and another flush of flowers before winter.

BULBS:

Now is the time to lift, divide and replant overcrowded watsonias, chasmanthe, crocosmia and agapanthus.

Nerine filifolia flowers later this month. Keep the bulbs well watered and weeded. Pick some of the flowers for the vase – they last well in water that has had the cut flower food, Chrysal, added to it. Allow some of the flowers to go to seed. Once the seed is ripe, gather and sow immediately. Germination is fast and you will soon have tiny, thread-like leaves appearing. Once you have gathered all the seed you want, cut off the remaining dead heads and give the bulbs a feed with Hadeco Bulb Food or an equivalent. Nerine filifolia bulbs can be lifted and split once every 3-4 years.

ROSES:

Keep roses well mulched during the hot windy days of February. Prune lightly and feed with Sudden Impact or 3.1.5 organic fertilizer towards the end of the month to encourage a good autumn flush of blooms.

CAMELLIAS AND AZALEAS

During the months of February, March and April it is very important to keep camellias and azaleas well watered. This is the time that the buds for the next flowering season are being formed and it is important that the plants do not dry out, causing the buds and flowers to drop prematurely. It also helps to spray the foliage of these plants on hot, windy days.

DAHLIAS:

Feed your dahlias regularly with Rapid Raiser or 3.1.5 Organic fertilizer or a home made liquid manure. (See November Tips for a liquid manure “recipe”) Stake the plants if necessary and disbud to encourage bigger blooms.

Dahlias make wonderful cut flowers if treated correctly after picking - cut of the bottom of the stem under water and then dip the ends into boiling water for a minute or so, being careful to protect the flower petals from any steam.

FUCHIAS:

Once flowering is over, pinch out the tops of the branches to encourage new growth from the dormant buds on the stems. To encourage more flowers in autumn, feed with a fertilizer rich in potassium e.g. Rapid Raiser

HYDRANGEAS:

Prune lightly to remove faded flowers, keeping some of the well-coloured heads for arranging and/or drying. Check mulch, and keep well watered.

LAWNS:

Don’t cut your lawn too short, the longer blades of grass help conserve water.