Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i The Gardener Magazine

Congratulations! If you’re reading this then you and your garden have made it through 2022. Both of you may not be in tip-top shape but you made it. Floods, drought, unseasonal downpours of epic magnitudes and of course financial pressures and strains. No one is immune, and yet, here we are at the beginning again, trying to find our way through this maze of life. It all sounds a bit depressing does it not? Well rest assured, it does not have to be. It’s the little things that we can embrace and action that can make a BIG difference. Much like the theme of this month’s magazine – Small Spaces, Big Dreams. Maybe we should have titled it Small Budget, Big Possibilities? We have in these pages following, the best…

Dear Tanya… I want to know what the light requirements are for hydrangeas? Is it semi-shade? I see a friend’s plants are under trees and look like they have too much shade. Also do they grow in alkaline or acid soil and do they need mulching? – Jan Venter Hi Jan Hydrangeas will do best in a spot that receives partial shade – ideally, sun in the mornings and shade in the afternoon. The key thing to remember about the soil is that the level of acidity or alkalinity will determine the colour – from blue to purple to pink. For a bluer shade, make sure your soil is acidic. For pinker blooms, amend it to be more alkaline. A good mulch of compost or leaf mould will help your…

Nepenthes Tropical pitcher plants The first documented record of these green predators, dates back to 1658. There are over 160 known species and several are still being discovered. Sir David Attenborough is a keen enthusiast of this genus and has one named after himself – Nepenthes attenboroughii. A number of tropical pitcher plants have developed a symbiotic relationship with vertebrates like shrews and bats and diplomatic relations with certain insects, allowing certain ant species to build nests and remove excess organic matter that then aids in the plant’s digestion. Hailing from the warm damp jungles of South-East Asia and Madagascar where they exist in varying habitats, these plants can be split into two areas of differentiation. Lowland species and highland species, depending on the altitude of origin. Lowland species prefer…

This leafy, zesty flavoured herb (also known as cilantro or dhania) is particularly easy to grow from seed. It does best in cooler weather which means that sowing in January will yield harvestable leaves from March onwards. Towards the end of autumn, let some plants go to seed. Dried coriander seed is delicious as a tea or used in curries, bread, cakes, biscuits, pickles, tomato chutney, marmalade, sausages and boerewors. How to grow Coriander likes sun and friable rich soil that drains well. Regular watering is necessary. It grows well with potatoes and anise, but not with fennel. Space plants 30cm apart. Seed germinates within two to three weeks. Plants grow 45 to 60cm high and the leaves can be harvested early as mini leaves or from 60 days onwards.…

All round good food Nurture your garden with Talborne Organics Nourish 5:1:4(10) Multi-Plant. It is a 100% plant-based balanced amino acid nitrogen and potassium liquid fertiliser rich in sugars, providing energy to stimulate new plant growth. Apply Nourish Multi-Plant 5:1:4 (10) as a foliar feed or soil drench to make your indoor and outdoor plants flourish, to feed seedlings and cuttings and as a maintenance feed for mixed ornamental and edible gardens in all growth phases. www.talborne.co.za Retro mister Small and effective, the Good Roots mister is the perfect solution for delicate indoor plants. It’s crafted from glass with a convenient finger pump trigger. A selection of air plants also available. www.tanyavisser.com Glass orchid pot Check out this stylish selfwatering orchid pot with frosted glass design by Eva Solo. The…

They might have a dainty and delicate appearance, but are easy going, no-fuss plants to grace small shelves or to trail from hanging baskets. All three are marketed in small pots and at an affordable price. They will grow well in low to medium light conditions. Keep them fed regularly from spring to autumn with a soluble fertiliser mixed at half-strength. Peperomia angulata This trailing peperomia is also known as the beetle peperomia due to its elliptic, emerald green leaves which are delicately veined. Both stems and leaves are semisucculent, which is an indication that the plant can store its own water, meaning that the soil should be allowed to dry out before watering. Peperomia prostrata ‘Pepperspot’ Also called string of coins with round, dark green leaves with ruby red…

It’s all about planting with purpose, using space creatively and choosing the most productive, space intensive veggies and herbs. It’s also about putting together a community of plants that support each other’s growth, or provide shade, attract pollinators or enrich the soil. FOOD UNDER LIGHTS Growing vegetables and herbs under lights is the solution for apartment dwellers without access to outdoor space or sunlight or for gardeners whose winter gardens are too cold or dark for veggies. Indoor grow lights boost the available light levels to meet the needs of edibles for more light than indoor plants, even if they are grown next to a window. While leafy greens and some shade-loving herbs will grow with moderate to bright indoor light, fruiting veggies and herbs for full sun need much…

The answer is simple. This series bred in the hothouses of the Hendriks family in the Netherlands, has a compact and bushy growth habit, starts blooming two weeks earlier than other fuchsias and the abundant and delicate flowers are not hidden away inside the plant, but flaunt their beauty shamelessly. They also keep on flowering well into autumn. Locally we have access to a wide range of flower shapes from single to double bi-coloured flowers in bright pink, soft pink, lavender, red and purple, and it would be hard to fight the urge to own all these‘dancing ballerinas’ with their feminine names like ‘Evita’, ‘Mariska’, ‘Soila’ and ‘Sascha’ to name just a few. These fuchsias are the perfect solution to add some instant colour to your patio or balcony as…

Diamond Frost Before we introduce the new ‘diamonds’, let’s recap the features of Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Diamond Frost’. Firstly, it’s a very low maintenance plant that features pretty pure white bracts all year round. Then it adds an ethereal texture to a flower border or on a patio in pots in semi-shade to full sun. In cooler climates it can be treated as an annual but can also be brought indoors in the cooler weather to be loved like a perennial. It will need moist rich soil with good drainage and definitely a good plant food every 6 weeks to keep it flowering and looking good. Growth to 30cm x 30cm. Diamond Snow A very hardy plant, this Euphorbia ‘Diamond Snow’ has dense clouds of white flowers and does very well…

BEST DAYS FOR JANUARY…

There are so many quintessentially South African things that unite people from every province – the smell of a braai on a Saturday afternoon, slang that no other country will understand, and a hatred of load shedding. Beginning in 2007, the introduction of load shedding changed the outlook on power usage for many South Africans wondering how they can keep the lights on. Searches for solar power have increased dramatically over the past few years as power cuts become more a norm than an anomaly. Luckily, in our gardens, use of solar power has been established for many years. With challenges like weather and power source to consider, solar lights solve so many problems in your backyard. Plus, when you’ve spent time meticulously planning your outdoor lighting to set the…

Bougainvilleas are thorny, ornamental vines or rambling shrubs native to eastern South America. Many hybrids exist and the natural robustness of the parent species have been tamed a bit without them lacking their traditional vibrant colour. The wonderful colours that we see are not flowers, but papery bracts surrounding very small tubular flowers which are either white or cream. Things to know: Bougainvilleas need a maximum of six hours of sunlight to flower well. A good spot for them would be a heatretaining north-facing wall. Choose roomy pots, even though they perform well if their roots are slightly restricted. With big pots you will not have to replant soon. Pots must have large drainage holes (cover them with pieces of shade cloth to prevent the soil from washing out and…

Plant and care Always use a good potting soil when planting in a container. For these plants that all require well-draining soil, you can add a few handfuls of drainage material like vermiculite or perlite to the mix. Add a handful of slow-release organic fertiliser to give the plants a boost. Add crocks or stones to the bottom of the pot to stop the soil from escaping but still allowing the water to drain through. Fill the pot halfway with the prepared soil and place4 the plants into the pot, filling in with more soil and firming it down to secure the plants. Water well and place in a sunny spot. To care for the plants, use these tips: Deadhead the flowers continuously. Water 2-3 times a week or more…

This wagon looks tricky, but is anything but – it’s a simple box on wheels, with a handle and front wheels that turn. Don’t be intimidated – give it a whirl, and then seal it in two colour tones with Woodoc 30. What you need: Pine cutting list: 1 x 455mm x 600mm x 20mm board (base) 2 x 455mm x 12mm x 94mm (base front and rear) 2 x 624mm x 12mm x 94mm (base sides) 2 x 445mm x 20mm x 20mm (cleats) 2 x 550mm x 20mm x 20mm (cleats) 10 x 300mm x 10mm x 10mm (uprights) 4 x 435mm x 12mm x 60mm (front and rear slats) 4 x 580mm x 12mm x 60mm (side slats) 1 x 275mm x 90mm x 30mm (rear axle…

Over a cocktail or two, my neighbour and I reminisced about how fast time flies and how kids grow up without us noticing it. Then she showed me her teenage daughter’s farewell message to the 2022 matric class of her high school. What I read there enlightened me and could help me to face another new year without the need to dig too deep for other possible new year’s resolutions which I might not be able to stick to for longer than a day… She borrowed a quote from Munshira Althaf on the YourQuoteApp and gave them this message: “As it all comes to an end, you face the bitterest of sweet endings. You are stumbling into the unknown; just an entanglement of doubt and paralysing fear. Your roots and…