August Gardening in Gauteng: Prepping for Spring
With winter nearly behind us, August is the perfect time to prepare your garden for the upcoming spring in Gauteng. From lawn care to planting and feeding, here’s your comprehensive guide to ensure a vibrant and flourishing garden.
Lawn Care
Revive your winter lawn with these essential steps:
- Mow Low: Trim your lawn short to ready it for new growth.
- Rake Thoroughly: Remove any thatch and debris.
- Aerate: Spike your lawn to improve soil aeration.
- Fertilize: Use a slow-releasing fertilizer like Wonder 3:2:1 or organic options like Atlantic Fertilisers Bio Lawn.
- Top-Dress: Apply lawn dressing and topsoil to even out the surface and fill in holes.
- Evergreen Lawns: Feed with Atlantic Fertilisers Bio Lawn instead of top-dressing.
Planting and Sowing
August is the ideal time to sow and plant for a thriving spring garden:
- Vegetables: Sow seeds for spinach, tomatoes, carrots, nasturtiums, parsley, Swiss chard, lettuce, rocket, beetroot, radishes, beans, sweet peppers, and celery.
- Spring Flowers: Plant primulas, calendulas, poppies, snapdragons, stocks, and alyssum in bare spots.
- Lavender: Plant various types for summer blooms.
Feeding Your Plants
Ensure healthy growth and vibrant blooms with regular feeding:
- Clematis and Fuchsias: Feed every two weeks with Seagro Organic Plant Food, Nitrosol, or Multifeed. Pinch growing tips for bushier growth.
- Fruit Trees: Use 3:1:5 fertilizer for peach, apricot, plum, nectarine, apple, and pear trees as they flower.
- Hydrangeas: Feed with Wonder Shake ‘n Grow Pink or Blue Hydrangea Plant Food every two weeks for vibrant colors.
- Winter-Flowering Bulbs: Feed daffodils and other winter bulbs with bulb food, leaving yellowing foliage to nourish the bulbs.
- Azaleas: Use Wonder Colourburst to ensure a healthy blooming season.
Pruning and Trimming
Maintain plant health and encourage new growth by:
- Pruning Roses: Do this before mid-August.
- Trimming: Prune cassias, euryops daisies, lion’s ears, plumbagos, and poinsettias (if not in flower), and mulch with compost.
Get all your gardening essentials at Plant Elite Nursery to ensure your garden thrives this spring. Happy gardening! 🌸🌼