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In the garden<br />
What to plant and to do in your garden this month<br />
THIS MONTH WE’RE PLANTING<br />
Garden toughie Scaevola Bondi Blue<br />
takes the heat but keeps its cool, lavenderblue<br />
flowers looking fresh throughout<br />
summer. Also known as fan flower, this<br />
grows best in full sun to partial shade<br />
and does well in hot, dry summers. It is<br />
a neat garden flower (20cm and 40cm<br />
wide) and is good for edgings, rockeries,<br />
and as a ground cover or in hanging baskets<br />
and containers. If planted around the edge of a<br />
container, it will trail over the edge. Water deeply once<br />
a week and don’t over-water - these plants don’t like<br />
soggy soil. Snipping off the dead flowers encourages<br />
them to flower even more.<br />
Details: ballstraathof.co.za<br />
INDOOR PLANT OF THE MONTH ... THE GLORIOUS HYDRANGEA<br />
Do you know how hydrangeas got the name of ‘Christmas roses’? Quite simply,<br />
it’s because they flower in <strong>Dec</strong>ember in South Africa. Over Christmas, they are<br />
also sold as indoor plants, standing in as a long-lasting flower arrangement.<br />
All Season’s Hydrangea is a single head hydrangea that produces a longlasting<br />
spectacular bloom in pink or white. The normal multi-flower pink or<br />
blue flowering hydrangeas are also available as indoor plants. Grown indoors<br />
hydrangeas like four hours of bright, indirect light a day, and you’ll find the<br />
flowers last longer if the plant is kept cool. Keep the soil evenly moist but not<br />
soggy, using lime-free water if possible. After flowering, the plant can be cut<br />
back and planted in the garden. Details: lvgplant.co.za<br />
GARDEN TASKS<br />
• Water deeply and<br />
regularly, cut off dead<br />
flowers and give annuals<br />
a weekly drench of<br />
liquid fertiliser to keep<br />
everything fresh and<br />
blooming for Christmas.<br />
• Sow sunflowers with the<br />
kids. The seeds are big so<br />
they are easy to work with<br />
and they can be sown<br />
directly into the soil.<br />
• Water the lawn once a<br />
week, but don’t fertilise if<br />
you are going away.<br />
• Water containers and<br />
hanging baskets once<br />
a day and feed with a<br />
diluted liquid fertiliser<br />
once a week for lush<br />
growth and lots of flowers.<br />
Compiled by: KYM ARGO & ALICE COETZEE
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