June 2020 - Ballito Umhlanga

DIG IT!
Is it a pansy? Is it a viola?
Pansy Panola is for gardeners who can’t decide which
they love more ... pansies or violas! This pansy is a mix
of both. It has the flower power of a viola but with
pansy-like blooms, that are bigger than violas but
not as big as the extra-large pansies. The plants are
compact (growing to 20cm high and 25cm wide) so
they fit in anywhere and everywhere ... garden beds,
borders, sunny corners, patio pots and window boxes.
You can even plant them in the vegetable garden
because the blooms are edible. Make sure you plant
them in full sun in winter, and remember they need
well composted soil. With regular watering and
feeding, these Panola pansies will keep on flowering
into summer, and with less stretch than regular
pansies in warm climates. Details: ballstraathof.co.za
Did you know that planting a rose now
allows it to settle in over winter, ready
to flower in October? Ludwig’s pick is
Winter Sun KORbatam (N) because
it flowers deep into winter, with
fragrant classically shaped pale-yellow
blooms, like a winter sun. It grows into
a neat, shoulder high hybrid tea rose,
covered in glossy green leaves that are
very resistant to black spot. It’s a low
maintenance rose for today’s no-fuss
gardens. Details: ludwigsroses.co.za
Look out for the Together we Bloom
label on cut flowers, as well as indoor
and outdoor plants. It means R2.27
has already been donated for hunger
relief, and you can pay it forward by
buying the plant. This is a campaign
initiated by the horticultural industry
and is being driven by the NPO
Together we Bloom. Funds raised
will be disbursed to churches and
NGOs working with communities in
need. Follow Together We Bloom on
Facebook.
Garden tasks for June
Transplant roses that are planted in too much shade or in the wrong position.
(see Ludwig’s Roses on You Tube via ludwigsroses.co.za)
Rake up all fallen leaves and add them to the compost heap or store in bags to
make rich leaf compost.
Remember to water flowers and vegetables as early as possible in the morning
so the leaves are dry by evening.
Protect tender leafy vegetables with frost cloth if very cold weather or frost is
predicted.
Plant winter colour in sunny beds ... pansies, violas, petunias (in dry winter areas),
poppies and calendulas. For shade or semi-shade areas, plant primulas.
Feed winter leafy vegetables with a nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer.
Stake broad beans and Brussels sprouts.
48 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga June 2020