JHB North - July 2021

Indoor plant of the month
Peperomia ‘watermelon’ is a striking little plant with large, fleshy leaves that look like
the rind of a watermelon. Even when fully grown, it is compact and bushy, fitting
easily on a bookcase, desktop, windowsill or wherever its unusual leaves can be
appreciated. This is a good plant for a beginner, as it is easy to care for. It just needs
enough bright light and no over watering. Details: lvgplants.co.za
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, crisscrossing
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 21 Get It Magazine 25