July 21 - Ballito Umhl

Garden tasks for July
• Prune bush roses from 20 July to the first week in August.
Cut back bushes by one-third, removing
dead wood and old stems, criss-crossing and weak growth.
Enrich the soil after pruning with compost, fertilise and
water well.
• In dry areas, water the compost heap once a month to
keep it active.
• Fertilise pansies, violas, petunias, and primulas to keep
them flowering.
• Water veggies once a week and feed once a month with a
liquid fertiliser.
• Cover tender plants with frost cloth if very cold weather is
predicted.
• Water vegetables and herbs in containers twice a week.
• Continue to protect conifers from the Italian cypress
aphid with an organic insecticide or use insecticide
granules sprinkled around the base of the conifer.
Veggie of the month
There is nothing sweeter than eating garden peas from
the pod. ‘Tom Thumb’ is a dwarf bush
pea from RAW seeds that is
fun for the kids to plant in
containers or small spaces.
Plants grow 30cm high and
10cm wide, which means
that you can plant them
10cm apart along a mini
trellis. Pods are best when
harvested young, within 50
days from germination. The
peas are sweet and crunchy.
Tips for garden peas
• Grow in full sun. • Plant in
fertile, compost-enriched soil
or potting soil. • Keep the soil
moist, especially for plants
in containers. • Fertilise once
a month. • Keep on picking,
especially to encourage new
pods. Details: rawliving.co.za
July 2021 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga 39