Give tender loving care to your garden in June

If your plants have a history of getting frost burn, which is when sun rays “burn” the frost on their leaves, you should consider spraying some cold water on them in the morning before the sun gets a look in. If time is an issue and your mornings are hectic, then an automated irrigation system could possibly be set to go off for just 15 minutes or so.

It’s a very dry time in Gauteng, and the brown outlook shows how well into winter this region is now. Luckily that is easily remedied with a quick trip to your local garden centre. Pick up some pansies, violas and primulas to bring instant colour into your garden. Put bird feeders out and keep your bird baths topped up because our feathered friends are looking for food and water at this time of the year, so attracting them now is easier than ever.

Keep watering your gardens, anytime from 9am to 3pm, but remember that with the really cold nights that this region experiences it is advisable to water as early in the day as possible to allow the plants to drink up as much as they can, leaving very little left overs to freeze, come night time.

It’s a sub-tropical paradise in KwaZulu-Natal, but that doesn’t mean it is all sunshine and roses. This area never quite gets rid of all its pests because it is just not quite cold enough for them to make like a tree. Enter: lizards, skinks and geckos to help balance the pest environment and provide food for (thereby also attracting) birds.

Providing places for these little reptiles to hide instead of chasing them away is very beneficial for your garden, plants and home so let them help you by helping themselves.

Remember to reduce watering for roses and in the warmer parts of KZN, keep an eye out for tomato blight. Proteas in the province are looking particularly gorgeous right now – so pop in to your local accredited garden centre and pick some up, or just stare at their beauty, whichever is your preference.

– Life Is A Garden