At last our rain has arrived, better late than never!!
It’s amazing how clean and fresh everything looks after a thunderstorm or even a light drizzle. People have more spring in their step after the rain and everyone wants to get their plants in, get their lawns fertilized and spread the Snailbait!
If your lawn isn’t dark emerald green by now, fertilise it with 8:1:5 LAWNS and water and mow regularly. It’s best to start mowing the lawn twice a week now. Lawns will become thick after the feeding and the rain. If it forms a thick carpet it will be difficult to cut it on a lower level and your mower will cut large brown patches into it.
The holidays are coming and you are going to be spending lots of time lying on your lawn, either watching the clouds go by or gazing at the stars, and you deserve to be comfortable!
We’d like to remind you, along with all gardeners everywhere, to keep planting for birds and butterflies.
Wild dagga, September bush, Pentas lanceolata and the wonderful Buddleja ‘Buzz’ range of dwarf butterfly bushes are highly recommended to make your garden come alive!
Cut back perennials that have finished flowering, give them a good dose of Compost and 6:1:5 fertiliser and they will flower again. Remember to keep on deadheading summer annuals as well as roses. Trim back lavenders to encourage new growth for an autumn flush.
Check for whiteflies – they love the heat of summer. When spraying, try to get the spray in from under the plant as the little flies sit underneath the leaves. Garden Ripcord will work well for these, a great way is to shake the plant they are infesting, then as the little buggers fly up in the air, dose them with the spray.
Try something new in the food garden – plant blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. They will provide fruit from August to January every year, depending on the variety.
Split clivias now that are overgrown, remember you do not have to cut the leaves back too. Replant them and get them settled for next year’s show of colour.
Give them a good helping of Compost and Bonemeal when planting.
NOVEMEBER is the month for Inspiration, and that is why we are all hard at work building gardens. Our small garden design show starts 21st of November. If you have been to the garden centre in the last week, you will see loads of activity, shade screens and staff members mixing cement, building, pushing wheelbarrows and getting dirty!
This is all for YOU! Just to give everyone a little inspiration for a new bedding or small garden. We are trying to create ideas for small spaces.
So be sure to come and get excited but no PEEKING allowed! You will have to wait and see!
Happy November Gardening!
