"If you are planning to make and create a new garden now is a great time to do so! Gardens are made for enjoyment and to connect with nature. They also add value to your property. Gardens are also a sanctury and a place for rest. They are not meant to be a struggle. Nature is the mightier force. Everything has its place. Gardening requires planning first. But Gardening is never an exact science.Focus on where the Sun comes up, does down. Note also where there is any strong wind. As the garden is just coming to waken up, it is good to see the garden in a blanket state. Before it starts to erupt with flowers, bulbs and even weeds. Select softer planting material. That will be enough for now. As trees are best planted in the Autunm and Winter. Make and plan a gardening diary. Take photographs of the garden once every season. Record them. Compare notes with them for the next year. Select plants from a good and reputable garden centre.
As we are all aware, this Winter has been extrordinary mild. There was only one really severe ground frost last December. And ever since then, it has mild throughout this time. And now it is really starting to warm up.
The mild Winter has had its advantages of course. As well as now, It made a marvellous time for tree planting and pruning and for garden clearance work, fixing and repairing garden walls etc. But the weather in the last three months has its down-sides too.
Not knowing how the Gardening seasons will cope with such dramatic changes in climate. It is to our disadvantage that the coldness of the last Winter was not enough to kill off the bugs from last year which infest our plants in during the gardening seasons.
So, I expect that there will be alot of extra additional spraying required upon our plants. Something that one does not particularly enjoy, but it cannot be avioded at times. If this is the case. Never over-spray. And spray no more than once a month at the very most. If need be. The plants will need to recouperate from the bugs as well as the chemicals. And I hope, will look allright after such ordeals!
Another suggestion for this Spring time. Get and obtain soft wood shrubs, get the flowers in and find some herbs. Even so it is very mild, there is lots of dampness in the ground, which will help to develop and establish the plants in sufficent time before the hot Summer comes round. Assist the plants with watering and with good compost in the ground. Help them to establish.
Feed lawns with fertiliser. Get them of to a good start with strong, green and well fed grass. Grass cutting will begin again fairly soon. You will be rewarded by this for then the hot sun shines upon the lawns and turns them brown and dries them out.
Pruning. Now that the frosts have well and truly left us. Cut back dead, diseased and dying branches from any roses, shrubs, trees etc. Most important for the welfare of the plant and for aesthetical purposes too.
If you were rescourceful enough to re/cycle all of your leaves and grass cuttings from last year. It would have broken down into new, fresh compost. Dress the flower beds and shrubs areas with the compost. Most exciting! I like doing this very much. The plants will love it too and will do very well as a result.
Now is also a good time to put all of your treasured and stored plants from stored areas to the outside. All the Oleanders, Bouganvillieas, Orange and Lemon trees etc. Put them outside now! If they are looking a little bit pale. Feed them with something acidy. A tomato dilute drink will do very well. If they have lost a few leaves. It is not a symptom of ill/health. All plants drop leaves from time to time. Even evergreens drop the occasional leaf too. All these plants need a rest in the Winter. That is all that it is. The leaves and flowers will return.
And just to make my last point.....It will soon be time for Weed-picking. Remember if you do this now....A weed in time, saves nine! Should you wish to contact me please feel free to do so."
Alex Stemp
Have fun in the garden!
09.04.2008