Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2023 i The Gardener Magazine

If you’re not on the ‘socials’ – you know, Facebook, Pinterest, Insta… (I am sure there are more, but my knowledge of these stops here) – then you may have missed the BIGGEST news in recent South African horticultural history. Our very own homegrown Agapanthus ‘Black Jack’ bred by Andy De Wet and Quinton Bean won the coveted ‘Plant of the Year’ award as judged by the Royal Horticultural Society’s experts at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in London. Andy and Quinton from De Wet Breeders, based in Hartbeespoort, have been making magic with plants for over 30 years. Most of us have one of their plants in our gardens – Aloe ‘Hedgehog’, Aloe ‘Peri-Peri’, Agapanthus ‘Twister’ and Agapanthus ‘Bingo Blue’ are just some of the amazing plants which they…

Metarungia longistrobus The sunbird bush with a wide distribution in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, is surprisingly adaptable to colder provinces as it is fairly cold- and frost-hardy if planted in the protection of trees. From this you can deduct that it loves semi-shade where some sun can reach it. It will also grow in full sun and is equally at home in the garden or in pots. It is an evergreen and neat shrub (1-2m x 1-2m) with glossy, grey-green young leaves deepening to dark green when mature. From April to July, conical spikes of peachy orange to orange-brown blooms appear which attract nectar-feeding birds and butterflies. The flowers are soon followed by large seed capsules that explode when ripe in late winter, dropping the seed under the mother plant where…

Interestingly, an aloe makes it into the top plants that are viewed on the TikTok platform. With 8.2 million views and counting, Aloe vera is not only a cooling gel, but is more than ever a popular houseplant as TikTok users have declared. Now technically speaking, aloes should not be grown indoors, so let’s go outside and see what wonders we can see at this time of the year. Growing To get started, the basic growing requirements for aloes is as follows: • Plant in full sun, although they can tolerate some shade. They will perform better in a sunny spot.• Choose aloes wisely. Stick to aloes that are common or endemic to your area. Aloes grow from colder mountainous regions, to misty grasslands and near the coast on beach…

Essential tools Invest in a good set of small tools for indoor gardening. Using old, rusted tools for repotting could transfer soil pathogens and diseases to newly potted plants. Always use tools that are not rusted, has a durable coated steel and clean thoroughly afterwards with warm soapy water before storing. Keep plants tidy and remove dead leaves from houseplant with a good set of pruners. This helps eliminate breeding grounds for pests and disease. Pruning overgrown plants also assists with overall health and promotes airflow. These pruners are also great for taking cuttings and making more of your favourite houseplants. Potting needs Apart from a good pot, you need good potting soil. You cannot use just any soil in containers, you have to use potting soil that has been…

Pansies may look delicate, but they really are easy to grow with a few standard rules. They also come in an amazing variety of colours and combination of colours. This year, look out for the ‘Punch’ and ‘Prima Punch’ series in your local nursery for large blooms, excellent performance and heat-tolerance. Plant in pots Potted pansies are just a delightful addition to a patio or in the garden. They make a good splash on their own, but are equally handy in mixed containers. Choose containers with plenty of space for roots to grow with lots of drainage holes, and fill with a well-draining potting mix enhanced with compost and added drainage materials like perlite. Remove the plants very gently from the nursery pack, pressing upwards from below to pop them…

Highveld and KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Garden peas, cabbage (sow indoors) Middleveld (Pretoria and other less frosty areas) Lettuce, parsnips, radishes, Swiss chard, tomatoes (indoors), turnips Eastern Cape and Little Karoo Beetroot, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, peas, turnips Western Cape (and Southern coast) Beetroot, celery, garden peas, radishes, tomatoes, turnips Northern Cape and Great Karoo Onions, peas, Swiss chard Lowveld and KwaZulu-Natal coast Beetroot, beans, brinjals, chillies, carrots, cucumber, mealies and melons, squashes, pumpkin, radishes, Swiss chard, and tomatoes…

Rhubarb is a perennial that can last up to 10 years in cooler gardens but less in hot gardens. Like all perennials it reaches a point where it is no longer thriving. The edible stalks are not as long and juicy or produced as prolifically. Dividing the crown will give the rhubarb a new lease of life by generating more new plants. The best time to divide rhubarb is just before spring, in July and August. • Dig up the crown and cut the crown into sections with a spade. Make sure that each section has at least one bud (preferably more) and plenty of roots.• The more buds, the bigger the new plant will be. If the crown breaks up into smaller sections with one bud per section, these…

Albuca batteniana has the prettiest stripy green and white flowers and this is really why we grow it and perhaps also because they are really easy-going. They make good pot specimens in well-draining soil, in a semi-shaded spot. The best soil is a mix of 2 parts river sand to 1 part potting soil (or loamy garden soil if planting in the garden) to one part compost and a handful of organic fertiliser. Albucas do not like to be overwatered, as the bulbs could rot, and they will do well with a dose of slow-release fertiliser monthly in the growing season from July to October. They will lose their leaves for a short time after flowering in summer and then bounce back again. You can propagate the offsets that appear…

Alocasia zebrina is an attractive, low-maintenance and easy-to-grow indoor plant making waves in the houseplant community at the moment. The stems resemble the stripes of a zebra, hence the common name Zebra Plant. It adds a tropical touch to any room and is a great conversation starter. This stunning tropical plant has lush green leaves in the classic pointed Alocasia shape, reaching high above the pot (as much as 1 – 1.5m). But that’s not why it has become an instant favourite. The striped stems are the real highlight of this plant, best placed just below eye-level to enjoy all parts of the plant at once. Alocasia zebrina requires medium to bright indirect light and moist soil, but is relatively forgiving if you miss a watering or two. Like other…

Despite hundreds of stunning wedding venues, a bride-to-be decided she wanted to get married in her future mother-in-law’s garden. This garden of about 4000 square meters in size, is my sister’s garden which I used as my dumping ground for excess plants more than thirty years ago. Two factors had a large influence on its style and what is still growing in it today. In those years, wholesale nurseries forced small bakkie landscapers to buy ten of the same plant in order to qualify for wholesale prices, while I actually only needed one, three, five, seven, or nine of them when laying out a new garden – we were taught at Technicon to plant in uneven numbers, and that was the rule! Secondly, the garden styles of yonder years where…

George and Carolyn Victor’s charming home is located in the suburb of Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, although you could be forgiven for thinking that it belongs on a farm out in the country. The red brick Natal-veranda style home was built by the owners, both of whom hail from a long line of builders. Their passion for authentic architecture and furniture restoration is evident in every detail in their home. Many pieces of furniture were inherited, lovingly restored, where necessary, and adapted to suit their needs. The garden is filled on all sides with eye-catching features, most of which have been gifted, inherited or reclaimed, providing many cherished memories. George and Carolyn are also passionate about the environment, with George occupying the position of chairman of the local Hillcrest Conservancy. Their south-facing…

This year, older houseplant trends continue, but with a unique twist. Foliage remains the focus thanks to the original favourites – Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig) and Monstera deliciosa (delicious monster). However, rather than the standard green, gardeners are now looking for colour. Beginning with variegated cultivars, the most popular houseplants on the market today are those with interesting patterns and unique colours to change up the look. Calatheas, Ctenanthe and Pothos are some examples, featuring fascinating foliage with patterns that appear painted on rather than real. For a less fussy option suitable for beginners, try low-maintenance philodendron cultivars like ‘Prince of Orange’ or ‘Imperial Red’. Those who prefer muted tones or something a little more dramatic can look for houseplants with deep green, almost black leaves like Alocasia ‘Black…

Evergreen trees or large shrubs with surface root systems bully smaller plants trying to survive beneath them by robbing them of nutrients, moisture and light. And so do the huge hedges and screening plants we have to plant for privacy. They cause the top layers of soil to become lifeless and bone dry. Dry shade can also be caused by the overhang of a building preventing rain from reaching plant roots especially against south-facing walls – areas that we sometimes neglect to water, believing that a rainy spell would have sorted it out. As always, there is a lesson to learn from Mother Nature. In dense thickets and forests, you will see underbrush consisting of small shrubs, bulbs, succulents and groundcovers growing quite happily in dry shade. This can be…

Start parsley early indoors in July. Fill seed trays with a damp germinating mix. Sprinkle the seed lightly on top of the mix and sieve more soil mix on top just to cover. Press down lightly and water lightly or spritz. Place the seed trays in a warm, sunny spot indoors or keep the seed trays on a hot tray turned onto low, or on a heating pad. Make sure that the mixture never dries out. Cover with plastic cling wrap or a plastic bag to act as a micro-climate. Germinating tip Parsley seeds can take up to three weeks or a month to germinate, so don’t be discouraged or in a hurry. Germination can be speeded up at the time of planting by gently watering the seeds with hot…

• Keep soil lightly moist and water during the warmest part of the day.• Mulch shallow-rooted crops to protect the roots from the cold.• Keep on covering tender veggies with frost cloth.• Support the stems of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts by earthing up the soil around the stem.• Stake and tie broad beans.• Strengthen leafy greens to withstand the cold by applying a silica-based plant food like StartGro or a tonic like Kelpak or Seagro.• Cut back asparagus to ground level and build up the soil with compost.• Wash seed trays, clean and sharpen secateurs and other garden tools.…

This romantic-looking pathway looks great due to the combination of two popular garden plants that survive in winter too. The pretty ornamental grass is Carex comans ‘Frosted Curls’ (New Zealand hair sedge) with its pale, silvery green, grass-like leaves that curl gracefully to soften all hard edges. This sedge is attractive all year long, but has a superb glistening quality on a cold, winter morning when covered with dew or even frost. The carex’s lovely companion is Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum), a delicate, cascading annual one can easily grow from seed. It is scented and very free-flowering especially in cool temperatures.…

Spathiphyllum ‘Sensation’ also known as Peace Lily Sensation is a striking plant with superb glossy green leaves that are much larger than its smaller cousin. The leaves also have a distinctive ribbing pattern that is hard to miss. The plants can grow between 1.5 – 1.8m so need the space in the home to be the stars. In general, these plants are easy to care for and will tolerate low light in rooms such as bathrooms. They will instantly give a room that lush feeling. Although grown mainly for its leaves, they also do have the typical white spathe flowers that bloom almost all year round if the plants are healthy and happy. What they need Water – and lots of it. ‘Sensation’ will dramatically wilt if it doesn’t receive…

What you need: 10 x PAR timber (102 x 21mm) cut to 500mm eachSkirting mould (95 x 21mm) – 2 x 1020mm cut at 45°, 2 x 550mm cut at 45°Hanging Hooks5 colors of paintPaint brushesScrews (3.5 x 40mm)Wood glueSandpaperSelection of garden tools to fit Tools Clamps, tape measure, pencil, square, jig saw/mitre saw, drill driver, screw pilot and Phillips bit. 1. Give the 10 x PAR timber a light sanding to clean up the rough edges. 2. For the skirting mould, the thicker side of the profile will be the outer edge of the frame. Using a square, score a 45-degree line that goes from the left to the right, then cut from the inwards out, this will ensure that your corners line up in the end. 3. Cut…

The Pot & Planter offers an exquisite range of plant containers and accessories like this macrame hanger. Visit www.thepotandplanter.co.za and transform your space into a blooming oasis. Houseplant first aid It’s tough to keep houseplants looking as good as the day you bought them. You’ll likely encounter growth problems at some point, requiring some investigation to solve. Look out for these common problems and determine which is the most likely cause to resolve the issue:…

In July it’s all about pruning! The roses that most benefit from pruning are hybrid tea, floribunda, bush and standard roses. Groundcover roses just need a good trim. In most areas pruning can be carried out from July 20 to the first week in August. In very cold areas prune later, from the middle to end of August. In subtropical areas, roses that are still covered in healthy leaves can be watered and fertilised to produce new blooms and only trimmed in September. However, if the rose bushes are scraggly and have lost their leaves they can also be pruned in July. After pruning, loosen the soil around each rose bush and dig in compost down to the roots. Apply rose fertiliser like Vigorosa and water well afterwards.…

Mimetes splendidus (splendid pagoda) is a rare species facing the threat of extinction in its natural fynbos habitat due to factors like frequent fires and other thoughtless actions by mankind. It is a difficult species to grow via seeds or cuttings, but clever growers have found ways to grow robust plants by grafting it onto strong Leucospermum rootstock, thus bypassing most pathogens affecting them, and healthy plants are available for gardeners to plant. Mimetes splendidus is a gorgeous silver-foliage shrub that just shimmers with luminescent light on its salmon-pink flowerheads in winter. It is evergreen with an erect, single stem at the base, but branching out along the way and can reach a height of 2m. The silver leaves are elliptic and hairy on thick stems tipped by cylindrical flowerheads…

General garden and lunar principles agree that perennials and trees benefit from pruning in the dormant months. Take it a step further and prune, cut back or mow according to the affect you desire. Overgrown trees and shrubs that are trimmed on a waning moon (before New and after Full), show minimum or slow growth. Straggly bushes that are trimmed on a waxing moon (between New and Full Moon) burst with new growth in spring. The calendar guide below gives you exact dates.…