NEW YOUNG GARDENERS’ CLUB 1ST MARCH 2008 –JENNY SIMPSON March 11, 2008

WHAT TO DO IN MARCH

March is one of the best months to be working in the garden in the Winter Rainfall region. The weather has stabilized; March often brings cooler, windless, sunny days. The weather appears to be holding its breath and enjoying a short break before the beginning of winter’s winds and rain. Make the most of these calmer early autumn days and get into the garden!

ANNUALS:

Water those that are still flowering, keep on with the usual tasks of deadheading, weeding beds and dispatching slugs and snails. A dressing of Bounce Back will prolong the flowering period.

Pull up those annuals that have come to the end of their flowering season. Dig over the beds, add a dressing of 2.3.2 and manure and allow them to rest like that for at least two weeks before re-sowing or re-planting — the best would be to wait until the autumn rains have started usually around Easter time, (21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th of the month this year). Those that have reached their last gasp should have their seeds gathered and stored in brown paper packets, with the tops open, in order to enable the seed to dry out.

• Nasturtiums: the white cabbage butterfly – you will see them flitting around now - is particularly fond of laying its eggs on nasturtium plants and when the worms hatch they very soon demolish the plants. Pick the worms off as soon as you notice them and squash them underfoot or spray them with an insecticide.
• Zinnias: watch your zinnias for mildew, if you keep the water off the foliage it will help prevent it but if you have it spray with a fungicide such as Dithane every 10 days.

BULBS:

March is the time to be thinking about winter and spring flowering bulbs. Firm up any ideas about new plantings and new plans for the garden as next month will be the time to implement these changes. Study bulb catalogues, read gardening magazines and bone up on the amazing array of bulbs we have available to us. Think indigenous bulbs such freesias, tritonias, sparaxis, agapanthus, ornithogalums, eucomis etc etc. Join Ibsa, the indigenous bulb association of S.A. Visit Kirstenbosch.

This month being the month of March, it would be appropriate to have a look at the indigenous March lily Amaryllis belladonna. This beautiful lily ( belladonna means beautiful lady in Italian, is a deciduous plant with a bulb covered in shiny brown membranous tunics. The fleshy strap like leaves appear after the onset of the winter rains. The leaves die back in early summer and the flowering stem is produced in autumn, pushing its way quite dramatically through the earth. The stem bears an umbel of 5 to 10 flowers, very pale pink, deepening to a radiant rose colour with a sweet fruity scent. The bulb is extremely poisonous so care should be taken when handling it.

This is an easy plant to grow and naturally is found on bushy slopes in full sun or part shade, however it blooms best in the open and often provides a spectacle after a fire.

It occurs naturally only in the south-west Cape, from Clanwilliam to Riversdale.

Propagation is by splitting off the bulbs and by seeds which germinate readily, sometimes even before leaving the parent plant.

I was fascinated to discover through Anton Pauw, botanist, photographer and co-author of the beautiful book “Table Mountain” that the March lily is pollinated by the hawk moth. Studies have shown that seed set in these lilies has become very poor in the wild, due to the fact that hawk moths are somewhat threatened. Next time you are about to squash a hawk moth larva underfoot (those big fat worms that seem to demolish one’s Impatiens and Arum lilies in double quick time) resist the temptation and gently pick it up and place it on a group of Arum lilies grown especially for the purpose! Thereby helping to prevent their total extinction and the possible extinction of the March lily in the wild.

• Cannas: in order to keep Cannas flowering well give the dead flowering stems a good tug to remove them or cut them off low down.
• Dahlias: are heavy feeders and need to be watered very well and often. If you find red spider mite you are not watering often enough. Spray with a miticide
• Liliums: As the blooms fade remove the seed heads unless you are saving the seeds. Give the plants a tablespoon of 3.1.5 dissolved in water and keep them well mulched

• Nerines: Feed Nerines with Hadeco Bulb Food – if they are not flowering yet, they soon will be.
• Arums: White evergreen arum lilies should be lifted and divided if they have become overcrowded.
• Agapanthus: can also be split and divided now, do not split the clumps into very small pieces, otherwise they take a very long time to flower again.

ROSES: Roses have their most beautiful blooms during their autumn flush. The dipping temperatures at night result in much more intense colours than normal. Keep a watch out for powdery mildew and downy mildew, I have had very little of it this summer. Possibly, the reason being that I have sprayed with a very unusual spray given to me by one of our farm consultants – one Peter Dall, the main ingredient is Coca Cola!

Here it is:

Spray every 2wks and then every now and then with:

1 litre Coca Cola.

50ml Apple Cider.

25ml Scrubbs Ammonia.

100ml Kelpak.

1tsp honey.

Spraying needs to be adjusted to the climate. Rain and overcast days with low temperatures are ideal for black spot and even downy mildew. It is most important to maintain a film of fungicide on the leave’s surface. Coppercount N, Dithane WG, Bravo, Copperoxychloride, or Mancozeb sprayed with Ludwig’s Spray ‘n Stay should do the trick. For drizzling rain, a fortnightly interval suffices, however, it is safest to re-spray after a heavy shower. Alternating with Chronos will help since it is systemic and once absorbed, which takes minutes after spraying, works from inside the leaves.

Aphids – blast with water and control ants. Thrips can be controlled with Neem oil. Feed with Culterra Rose 8. 1. 5. \ All-grow Rose Food (organic) \Colourburst Rose Food 18.6.15 (42). Spray every 14 days against bollworm (which was bad in the Western Cape last year) black spot and beetles. Big bodied insects like the yellow and black “Flower Beetle” need twice the recommended normal strength of contact and stomach insecticides such as Ludwig’s Insect Spray and Efekto Garden Ripcord.

Deadhead and water twice a week.

PERENNIALS

Perennials are those plants that live for longer than a year as annuals do and shorter than say a tree or shrub which can both live for many years. They often die down during the winter and come up again in spring time like Inka Lillies or Michaelmas daisies. Other examples are Rudbeckia and Japanese Anemone.

Water perennials once a week and cut down the stems of faded flowers to ground level.

Perennials that have finished flowering and have exhausted the soil they are living in or have become overcrowded or maybe you want to move them to another spot, can all be lifted now or in September when the new growth begins. After lifting do not let the roots dry out. Do the dividing in the shade, and if you are expecting the job to take some time cover the unearthed plants with some damp sacking to further protect the roots. A large clump of perennials can be lifted more easily by inserting two large forks back to back and then pushing the handles towards each other. Replant the healthy looking young growths from the outer edge for stronger plants.

LAWNS

Feed the lawn with 4.1.4. for the last time this summer season. Lawns can also be fed with a commercial lawn feed every 6 weeks and if necessary treat your lawn to a lawn dressing. Scatter the feed over the grass when it is dry then water immediately afterwards. Water once a week during dry weather and mow regularly.

SHRUBS

Keep the ground mulched with compost and water once every three weeks during hot dry weather.

• Azaleas: Hose these shrubs down frequently in dry weather. If the leaves are turning yellow apply Wonder Iron Chelate (Efekto), plus a tablespoon of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) per bush, and acidify the soil with pine needles, acid peat or a light dusting of sulphur.

• Fuchsias: feed your plants with a fertiliser high in potassium eg. Superfeed wkly. or 3.1.5 S.R once - this should be your last feed for the season.

FRUIT TREES

Give fruit trees their final application of fertilizer. Citrus should have a dressing of 3.1.5 and an application of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) – 1 teaspoon dissolved in 5l of water. Check trees for scale and if necessary spray with Oleum.

After harvesting the grape crop fertilise the vines with a high nitrogen fertiliser.

CUTTINGS

Hardwood cuttings can be taken now. Dip the bottom end of the cutting into a hormone powder and knock the stem against the side of the container to knock off excess powder, before planting up into a sandy mix and keeping moist. Remember to keep the potted up cuttings moist or they will not strike. When striking softwood cuttings such as Impatiens in water, drop a pinch of hormone powder into the water and notice the increased root formation.

MULCH

Keep the mulch on your beds good and thick. One can mulch with many kinds of material – pebbles, straw, good compost, old manure, pine needles, chipped branches and newspapers. If you have used green material sprinkle a little nitrogen on the top of the mulch as the decomposing green matter depletes the soil of nitrogen.

SEEDS

Keep an eye on seed heads, the ripening process will depend on the weather, the plant type and planting times. Gather those that are drying and complete the process indoors storing each in its own yoghurt bakkie with the plant name written on the side in koki.

Leave some seeds on the plants, especially on the sunflower plants as the little Cape Canary delights in this delicacy.

DEADHEADING

Deadheading is another necessary but pleasant chore; salvias, roses, dahlias, rudbeckias and zinnias will extend their blooming time considerably if deadheaded regularly.

VEGETABLES

Keep watering and caring for the last of the summer vegetables. Keep spraying tomatoes once a week with a fungicide. If squash leaves show any sign of mildew spray them with Dithane M45. Water from ground level instead of overhead with a sprinkler to discourage mildew.

POT PLANTS

Check the drainage holes in the bottom of your pots to ensure that they have not become blocked over the summer. Unhappy looking plants in pots may not need more water – they may in fact be drowning. Give your container plants a feed of either Bounce Back, Nitrosol or Seagro.

LAST TIP

Anti Insect Cocktail: To repel if not kill a number of sucking insects add to 5 litres of water: 1tsp. Sanpic liquid, 1tsp paraffin, 1 tsp. Sunlight liquid, 2tsps Kelpak or other seaweed based product, 1/2 tsp. Scrubbs Ammonia and 2tsps spreader/sticker.

WHAT TO SOW:

Arctotis, Anchusa capensis, Alcea rosea (Hollyhock), Campanula, Calendula, Delphinium, Nemesia, Godetia, Stocks, Cineraria,

Beetroot, Broad bean, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Lettuce, Leeks, Onion, Parsley, Radish, Swiss chard and Turnips.

GARDENING TIPS FOR MARCH February 21, 2008

(Compiled by Lyn McCallum)

Keep all your beds well mulched against the hot dry windy days we are still experiencing. Many materials make a good mulch – coarse compost, chipped branches, grass cuttings, bark chips, leaves, straw, pebbles, even newspapers, can be used, but take care that water can penetrate the mulch! If you are using green material, add a fertilizer rich in nitrogen such as Bounce Back, as the green cuttings from lawns etc. will deplete the soil of its nitrogen.

Turn your compost heap regularly, about every 6 - 8 weeks, and keep it damp (but not too wet). If space allows, divide the heap into two sections. This will enable you to let one section mature, whilst you are adding your kitchen and garden waste to the other.

If you have an irrigation system in use, check that the sprinkler tops are not blocked and are still reaching the plants that they should. If not, some judicious pruning can remedy this, or else add extensions to the standpipes.

Keep up the deadheading of summer flowering annuals. This and the application of a fertilizer such as Rapid Raiser, will prolong their flowering period. It is not too late to fill in any gaps in your garden with late flowering annuals such as zinnias, gomphrena and marigolds.

Once your perennials have finished flowering, they can be cut back lightly, thus helping to keep the plants tidy and well shaped. Crowded clumps can be thinned by pulling out old flower stems and filling the gaps with well-rotted manure or compost. Foliar feeding penstemons, day lilies and alstromerias will help them produce more flowers.

Dahlias need regular watering, as well as feeding with a liquid manure, or a foliar feed. Check that they are securely staked and keep a sharp eye out for slugs, snails and twig wilters!

Roses should have been lightly pruned during the month of February, to ensure a flush of blooms in late summer. Keep the bushes well mulched and watered and give each plant a feed of 3.1.5 Organic or Sudden Impact.

Watch out for aphids, which can be rubbed off between finger and thumb, or sprayed away with a strong jet of water.

Although hydrangeas are probably now past their best, it is a good idea to give them a feed of Bounce Back or Humac (Kraggroei) and top up their mulch. Cut back any flowerheads that have gone brown, with a long a stem as possible.

Give your container plants a feed of either Bounce Back, Rapid Raiser, Nitrosol, Organiksol, or Seagro. A teaspoon of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) dissolved in 5l of water and applied to the plants would also be beneficial. Top up the containers with fresh soil and a layer of mulch.

Remember to give the foliage of azaleas and camellias a spraying of water on very hot days. This is the time the buds for next season’s flowers are formed and it is essential to keep the plants well watered to minimise the risk of bud drop. Mulch well with an acid mulch or peat, or leaf mould made from oak leaves or pine needles.

Check your lawns for lawn caterpillar and if present use Omo, well watered in, to bring these destructive little pests to the surface. (See Feb. Gardening Tips.)

Fertilize the lawn for the last time before winter with a general-purpose fertilizer such as Upsurge to strengthen the grass and build up reserves for winter. Once the weather starts to cool down, begin to reduce the length of the grass by lowering the height of the mower blades.

Lift and divide overcrowded white evergreen arums this month. Agapanthus can also be split and divided now, but don’t split the clumps into very small pieces, otherwise they may take a long time to flower again.

Now is the time to pick herbs for drying for winter use. Tie up bunches of thyme, marjoram and sage with raffia or string and hang upside down in a warm place to dry out. Once dry, store in airtight containers and use as required.

Basil does not dry well. Freeze the leaves in a little water. Alternatively, brush the leaves with a little cooking oil, place between plastic, seal in a bag and freeze.

Collect seeds of summer flowering annuals such as cleome, sunflowers, Nicotiana sylvestrus, cosmos and marigolds. Choose a warm dry day and let the seeds dry completely before putting in paper bags or envelopes. Don’t forget to label!

Citrus trees should be fed with Bounce Back or 3.1.5 Organic this month. An application of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) – 1 teaspoon dissolved in 5l of water - would be beneficial. Check trees for scale and if necessary spray with oleum.

Start preparing your vegetable patch for winter growing vegetables such as leeks, onions, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach. Incorporate well-rotted manure, compost, hoof and horn and bounce back, water well and leave to allow for the germination of weed seeds. Remove these as they come up and the ground will be ready for a fresh crop of vegetables. Remember to practice crop rotation.

Browse through Spring bulb catalogues and plan what to plant for a colourful display. Prepare the ground for planting – incorporate compost, bounce back and hoof and horn into the soil, digging over lightly, but don’t be tempted to plant out the bulbs yet! It is best to wait for the cooler autumn weather to set in.