JHB West - Feb 22

Let the romance
BLOSSOM
A sweet and tender superfood that is easy to grow. Exotic
candy-coloured pink plants that make the ideal romantic
gift. And Dianthus ‘I Love You’ for Valentine’s Day.
Garden tasks
• Water early morning or late
afternoon to help plants stand up to
the heat. • Keep the soil cool by mulching
around plants and put shade cloth over veggie
beds. • Use biological or organic controls for
pests like aphids, white fly and mealie bug that
suck the sap out of stems and leaves. • Don’t cut
back or prune plants during very hot periods.
Leaves act as a cooling system for plants. •
Water container plants and hanging baskets
every day, even twice a day on very hot
days. • Mow the lawn longer to shade
the roots. This makes it more
drought tolerant.
Indoor plant for February
This is the month when indoor flowering plants come into their own as
romantic gift plants. One of the most exotic, and unusual, is Curcuma, also
known as the Siamese tulip. It has candy-coloured pink of purple pinecone
shaped flowers that rise about lush green leaves. Being a tropical
plant, it loves warm, summer temperatures. As a patio plant it can take
some dappled sun or early morning sun, and as an indoor plant does best
with bright, diffused light. Let the soil slightly dry out before watering
and add a little liquid plant food to the water once every two weeks. It
produces two to five new flowers, each lasting about three weeks. In winter
it goes dormant, and the leaves die down. Stop watering and keep the pot
in a cool place. In spring bring it out onto warm windowsill, water, and feed
for a new flush of flowers. Details: lvgplant.co.za
24 Get It Magazine February 2022