GardenTalk Issue 3, 2016 - Live Spring

Garden talk

Issue 3, 2016

LIVE Spring

Garden MORE for less with these gardening SPECIALS

Garden Value

Available while stocks last.

Quantities are limited.

Valid from 1 September – 31 October 2016 Many more offers in store!

Images featured serve as a guide only. Actual colour variations may occur in some instances.

WATER WISE

Selected Roses Choose from Double Delight, Germiston Gold and Joey. 5l.

79

R

95

Gravel Various colours available. Ideal to use between paving stones or as a walkway. 20kg.

any 3 for

150

R

Star Jasmine on Trellis Perfect in pots on balconies and verandas.

Scented white flowers in spring and summer.

19cm.

Dipladenia on Trellis Gracious creeper with pink/red flowers.

Perfect in pots.

19cm.

R

R

9995

9995

Bio Ganic Lawns Organic fertiliser that promotes natural and healthy growth of lawns. Apply every 6 weeks. 5kg.

Selected Terracotta Pots Different styles to choose from.

Various sizes.

595

R

per set

GardenShopSA

2 for

150

R

0861 G-A-R-D-E-N (427336) gardenshop.co.za

Contact us on 0861 G-A-R-D-E-N (427336)

Editor’s lettter Spring has come to life, plants heralding in a season of renewal and growth. We kick off spring with our Annual Plant Sale which sees GardenShop bringing in quality plants at massively attractive prices.

Queries:

To provide you with excellent service, we have a team of dedicated and passionate gardening experts and there are several ways of directing your gardening queries to us: Online: gardenshop.co.za

Call 0861 G-A-R-D-E-N (427336)

Email us on info@gardenshop.co.za Connect with GardenShop! Daily gardening posts, updates on new plants, trending gardening ideas and seasonal pictures from our garden centres.

GardenShopSA Editor: Deborah Hele

e-mail: deborah@gardenshop.co.za Publisher & Ad Sales: First Wave Media cc e-mail: gardentalk@firstwavemedia.co.za

In this spring issue we bring you practical spring gardening tips, how to plant up your own flower pots for colour bursts, how to grow Lavenders with waterwise and bee pollination qualities.

Create new accents in your garden with our exclusive range of bronzeware pieces from individual statues to water features.

Live Spring at GardenShop: walk into a sanctuary full of colour, gardening inspiration, garden ideas and professional service.

We are very excited to announce the launch of our newly designed website. Please visit www.gardenshop.co.za and indulge in the beauty and love of gardening.

Don’t forget to bring in your Spring coupons, savings of up to 25% on essential gardening products.

Happy Gardening!

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GardenShop Tel: 011 516 9700 Fax: 011 516 9701 PO Box 70966, Bryanston, 2021 GardenShop proudly supports:

featured

Bronze Magic Imported sculptural ornamentation for your garden.

Plant Hero The elegant and indigenous Clivia.

Perfect spring lawns Greener, lusher and more resilient lawns.

fi rst wave media GardenTalk is published on behalf of GardenShop (Pty) Ltd by: First Wave Media cc Tel: 011 640 7354 Web: firstwavemedia.co.za Postal: PO Box 28845, Sandringham, Johannesburg, 2131

GardenShop Unique Lavender Collection Exclusive and locally sourced.

Flower pots How to plant up a flower pot in a variety of styles, shapes and finishes.

Child’s Play Sowing the seeds of love.

5 7 11 16 21 30

Love the environment, please recycle this copy of GardenTalk after you have read it!

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GardenShop Collection Espalier training fruit trees Want to grow fruit in a small space with a bit of wow-factor?

You can’t go wrong with a fruit espalier from GardenShop. An exclusive range of espaliers grown specifically for espaliering are available at all GardenShops.

Training fruit trees, like Apples, Citrus, Pomegranates and Pears as espaliers, is a space-saving way of growing fruit flat along a wall or fence. Erect horizontal wires 35-45cm apart between posts, or straining ‘eyes’ on wall or fences. Trees should be planted 3.75 – 6 metres apart.

Available, exclusively at GardenShop for R1395.

Fruit tree espaliers GardenShop’s Collection of tree espaliers, fruit trees that are trained to grow flat against a wall.

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Bronze boldness

Create unique garden accents with incredible bronzeware pieces. A superb quality imported range of individual statues and water feature pieces available at GardenShop this season.

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Our favourite flower – The Fabulous Fuchsia • Word “fuchsia” can be used to describe a bright, purple-pink colour. This shade is also known as magenta.

• Fuchsia is a symbol of ‘good taste’ in Japan, and ‘confiding love’ and ‘amiability’ in the Western societies.

• Majority of species of Fuchsia develop brightly coloured flowers, composed of red sepals and purple petals. Some varieties of Fuchsia produce white, yellowish, orange, dark red and purple-blue coloured flowers.

• The fruit of fuchsia are berries. They can be reddish-green, red or purple coloured, depending on the variety. Berries are filled with numerous miniature seeds.

• Fuchsias develop drooping, tubular or bell-shaped flowers. They can be seen during summer and autumn in subtropical areas or all year round in tropics.

• Look out for whitefly and red spider mite. Early control can yield years of pleasure from this beautiful plant.

• For best results fertilise regularly with Nitrosol.

GardenCare for Fuchsias – GardenShop’s guide to the planting and care of Fuchsias available in store and online.

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Clivia magnificence The rich orange to deep shades of red coloured flowers are perfect for planting in heavily shaded areas of the garden.

Further interesting colours of yellow-peach and a range of pastel colours are also available. They are naturally found growing wild in forested woodland areas. Best known and prized is their ability to flower in shade, they are also extremely hardy and drought-resistant. They do not excel in direct sunlight or frost areas.

The magnificent flowers, which peak during the spring months are carried in clusters on strong stout stems. The leaves are strap-shaped, fleshy and even when they are not in flower, the foliage will provide excellent dark green displays.

Clivias at available p o h S n e rd Ga

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The green grass of home

courtesy Kirchhoff’s Seeds

Essential lawn care encompasses many spring time activities! But to ensure beautiful green and well-maintained lawns, don’t forget fertilising and mowing.

TIP

never apply fertilisers to wet foliage.

Fertilising: feed the lawn every two to three months with a 5:1:5 fertiliser, such as Vigorosa which is suitable for roses, lawns, annuals and perennials.

Vigorosa contains organically based humic acids high in carbon that enhance the uptake of nutrients. Use 30grams per square metre. Water well after applications.

Don’t over fertilise, especially with nitrogen, because this lowers the resistance to disease.

Potassium promotes disease resistance, which is why 5:1:5 fertilisers are best.

Mowing: Mow at least once a week and do not remove more than a third of leaf length at a time. Evergreen mixes especially should be left a little higher. When it’s very hot or dry, mow less frequently, and set blades higher. If the grass is wet, don’t mow as this could result in compaction and grass cuttings can clog the mower.

For more lawn care information phone the BallStraathof customer care line: 0861-blossom (or 0861-256776) or email info@ballstraathof.co.za.

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Luscious Lawns with CULTERRA Lawndressing Enviromentally friendly Lawndressing from Culterra, a Johannesburg based company that has produced a range of quality organics for the gardening industry since 1965.

Without exception Culterra Lawndressing is the top selling gardening item in spring and no wonder as it improves the lawn’s soil structure and therefore soil water retention increases immediately.

As soil structure improves, microbial and earthworm populations will be stimulated.

Gardeners will continue to apply lawndressing throughout September and October. One bag of Culterra Lawndressing will cover 4m2. Get going this season with your own luscious lawn for spring with Culterra Lawndressing.

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A perfect SPRING Lawn Warm temperatures, clear blue skies, inviting spring garden flowers and perfumes make it irresistible not to be outside! Investing time in a lawn maintenance programme, starting now, will pay dividends in spring and summer with a greener, lusher and more resilient lawn.

•

• • • •

Start raking out and removing the thatch. Thatch is the continuous build-up of dead matted grass, which prevents water and fertilisers from penetrating the soil. Use a good strong metal rake to remove old matted grass and to loosen the soil slightly.

Alternatively hire a lawn spike aerator. Do not scarify or cut seed grasses such as ‘All Seasons Evergreen’ or ‘Shade-Over’ as well as ‘LM’ and ‘Buffalo’.

Once you have removed all the thatch you will need to mow your lawn. A short close crop is what you are looking for, so set your mower low.

Fertilise with suitable granular lawn fertiliser like Wonder Lawn & Leaf, Bio Ganic for Lawns or an organic alternative – Vita Green 5:1:5 (16).

Water well after fertilising.

Apply a thin layer of Lawn Dressing (only necessary every second year).

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Flavours of the world

by Alice Coetzee

Spring is celebrated around the world, and nowhere more joyfully than in Scandinavia when families and friends get together for a day-long feast. The traditional Swedish smorgasbord or koldtbord (‘cold table’) as it is called, features spring herbs and veggies to complement pickled herring or cured salmon, with juicy berries for dessert.

Here are some ideas for a spring feast, Scandinavian style.

4 Herbs for Scandinavian Flavour

Something fishy - try chopped fresh Chives, grated fresh Horseradish, and chopped Fennel bulb combined with pickled herring, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice as a classic combination on rye or crispbread.

• Dill is a culinary staple, added to grilled, fried, or smoked fish, potatoes, eggs, vegetables and salads as well as to sauces and dressings. Dill grows best in full sun, in deep, fertile soil that drains well. Add compost or manure to enrich the soil. Water regularly.

Fresh from the earth - boiled potatoes, tossed in melted butter, with a crunch of sea salt, and chopped Dill, are served with a dipping sauce of mayonnaise, capers and lemon juice.

• Chervil is added to soups, salads, sauces and vegetable gratins. Pureed soup is also made from the leaves. It grows in full sun to partial shade, in fertile soil.

It needs regular watering.

Crisp and crunchy - salads using sweet spring Cabbage shredded with Apples and Kale leaves, pickled Beetroot, and leafy greens with Cucumber, Dill, and Almonds, provide a crunchy contrast to the firm, delicate flesh of the fish.

• Oregano, also known as wild marjoram, is native to northern Europe. It is used to flavour meat and fish dishes. It needs full sun and composted soil.

Berry delight - make a strawberry granita with pureed Strawberries, chopped Mint and sugar syrup, frozen and mashed up, or mash Strawberries with lemon juice, sugar, Mint and black pepper and serve with whipped cream.

• Chives are a grassy, clump forming perennial that quickly re-grows after being cut back.

The leaves are snipped into sour cream, added to egg dishes, or as a garnish for fish, chicken, meat and vegetables. They thrive in most types of soil, need regular watering and can be divided after two years.

Remember GardenShop stocks all these amazing herbs!

For more information on the herbs in this article visit Healthy Living Herbs, www.healthyliving-herbs.co.za.

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The colour palette at GardenShop this spring is endless and can be used to redecorate with a new look and feel using colour, texture, shapes and seedling varieties.

For gardens of all sizes plant up a focal point of seedling colour in a bed, a border or swathes of colour in large gardens. Use colour themes to express yourself: red and white for striking drama or combine gentle pastel pinks, mauves and dainty whites for a soft, romantic feel, or choose vibrant blues, yellows, oranges and whites for lively appeal.

The bold and beautiful

by Jenny Slabber, Talborne Organics

How to plant colour beds Prepare planting beds before buying seedlings to ensure that seedlings are fresh, strong and vigorous when planted out by: • Clearing out old plants, weeds and trimming back shrubs and tree branches that could block out sunlight for sun loving seedlings, or choose a semi-shade or lightly shaded area for shade loving plants.

• Condition soil by digging in 1 Litre (spread 1dm per m2) of good quality compost or 250ml of FERTILIS Earthworm Castings per m2. If soil is acidic, add 1 cup of agricultural lime per m2 to adjust Ph, then level out the bed surface with a rake in preparation for planting.

• Sprinkle 1kg of Talborne Seedling Food for every 5m2 of soil surface, OR add 2.5ml per planting hole when planting out seedlings.

• Make planting holes deep enough to ensure that seedling roots are completely covered as soil will settle after watering.

• Water every day in hot, dry weather until roots are established after 2 weeks. Thereafter adjust to 2 to 3 days per week in warm climates or hot, sheltered areas.

Scan here to watch the video on how to plant seedlings.

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• To extend flowering, after 3 months sprinkle Talborne Seedling Food at 1kg per 5m2 over planted beds.

Growing T oget he r

Seedling Food 6:2:5 (13) Seedling and Hanging Basket Fertilizer Fertilizer for Certified Organic Growing Reg. No: B3370

Excellent for:

a Planting colour seedlings a Herbs a Hanging flower baskets a Value for money: Use 1kg for 5m² of seedlings every 3 months

Naturally Good

www.talborne.co.za

www.facebook.com/Talborne

healthy soil = healthy plants = healthy people

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GardenShop Collection

Purple reign

Lavender is still popular in the home today, if only as a fragrance. But for many years it was grown for its various practical, fragrance and health qualities. Dried and stored in muslin bags and placed in clothes and linen cupboards were a sure way to deter moths and other insects. It was also used in many houses to keep the flies away. Another great benefit from Lavender is to plant it amongst rose bushes to help deter aphids and other harmful insects. Bees love Lavender!

Lavender is also effective at reducing irritability and anxiety, promoting relaxation and a sense of calm. A few drops of Lavender oil on your pillow or in the bathwater at night will help promote sleep.

And last of all it can also be used in cooking, Lavender Syrup, Lavender Shortbread and also chopped up fresh or dried combined with lemon juice and olive oil and used as a rub for pork or lamb.

All of that from one little powerful herb!

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Caring for Lavender Positioning: Plant Lavender in full sun with a maximum of 4 hours of sunlight a day.

Watering: • Once planted in the ground, water your Lavender for the first couple of weeks until it is established. Thereafter no need to water as Lavenders are waterwise.

• If planted in a container water frequently during hot weather. In winter wait until the soil has dried out before watering.

Maintenance: Prune after two years of growth. Remove one third of the Lavender plant.

Lavender Collection plants available at GardenShop from R150.

There are also many other varieties—see amazing offers on Lavenders at GardenShop’s Annual Plant Sale from 1 September - 31 October.

Buttery Lavender Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’

Grey-green foliage with typical French flag-like flowers. Flowers of dark pink, white, dark purple. Their garden style versatility varies from a relaxed cottage country garden to their adaptability of needing less water in waterwise gardens.

Producing abundant flowers in early spring with such fragrance as to attract a host of butterflies and a perfect companion plant to herbs and vegetables to help deter aphid infestation. Consider planting as a free flowering hedge around your vegetable, rose, succelent or herb garden.

Planting in full sun is necessary to assist with continuous flowering and to maintain their compact growth habit. Lavender is a Mediterranean herb, so it thrives in hot sunny positions. Even when planted in a flower pot, they require less water.

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Grey plants for a waterwise garden Indigenous or exotic grey foliaged plants have the ability to reflect the sun’s rays away from the plant, thereby keeping it cooler, which in turn reduces water loss. Combine with other water saving plants for your climate and gardening style.

Coastal Rosemary – Westringia fruticosa Westringia provides great colour contrast with grey foliage and white or blue flowers from September through to May. Great when planted in a pot with the idea to prune it into a ball shape. An excellent drought-tolerant plant.

Lavenders with grey foliage Glorious in many gardens across the world, Lavenders have the ability to survive in hot dry conditions. Ideal to grow in pots, grouped in borders with mixed plants as well as grown into clipped boxed hedges.

Lamb’s Ear – Stachys lanata This easy-to-care for groundcover has soft velvety, silvery-grey green leaves that have the shape and feel exactly like that of a real lamb’s ears. It will flower in summer with pink to purple coloured spike-like flowers. Grow in full sun

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or semi shade. Lamb’s Ear has the ability to survive drought-like conditions.

Another bonus it has the ability to help with painful bee stings!

Silver Arctotis – Arctotis A vigorous, tough and sprawling groundcover that is ideal for gardens transitioning to waterwise and will survive in sunny dry areas of the garden.

Wormwood – Artemisia afra A soft, aromatic foliaged shrub that is one of the most popular medicinal plants in South Africa.

Its silver-grey foliage makes it a striking display in any garden. Artemisia must be planted in full sun and it is very important to prune it heavily in the winter to encourage lush growth. This plant can become invasive, so it is best to take this into consideration when planting it.

Dipladenia

Star Jasmine

Climbing Colour BEAUTY Spring flowers in double abundance It’s no wonder Dipladenia and Star Jasmine are the two climbers at the top of the flowering bestsellers list!

With versatile character, gorgeous appeal and robust growth, these exquisite climbers add wonderful vertical interest to walls and trellises.

Superb plants which make for terrific talking points in your garden, on sunny decks, patios, balconies and in other outdoor spaces. Surefire climbing favourites to give you endless spring pleasure!

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Container Style Versatile, unique and exclusive to GardenShop FloraImports’ magnificent range of European and Asian imported pots – from countries including Italy, Germany, Thailand and Malaysia – are a sight to behold.

Whether your penchant is for terracotta or a glazed finish, squareshaped, round, rectangular or something truly unique, the selection affords you gardening creativity second -to-none.

From simple to elaborate, the possibilities are limitless to help you plant the perfect pot.

Their versatility in adding instant colour – whether you choose individual plants, mix-and-match varieties even vegetables and herbs – means you can adapt your interior or exterior landscapes as seasons change too. And of course they provide bold focal points in your garden - and even on balconies - and add to the design and architecture of your living space.

Visit GardenShop for your spring container makeovers.

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Practical pots

Pots filled with seasonal colour are extremely versatile, they can brighten up a corner in your garden and make your entrance look welcoming. At GardenShop you are spoilt for choice with a wide selection of local and imported pots in a variety of styles, shapes and finishes! Also think of upcycling tins, old shoes, suitcases and teapots for and eclectic garden style.

How to plant up a ower pot 1. Select your pot, make sure it has sufficient drainage. A tip to help keep the soil temperatures cool through summer is to line your pot with polystyrene or newspaper.

2. Fill two thirds of your pot with potting soil and compact lightly.

Good potting soil is free draining.

3. Carefully remove plants from their pots, loosen the roots lightly and place it into the pot.

4. Add or remove potting soil until the base of the stem sits about 2cm below the lip the container.

5. Fill up the remainder of the pot with a soil mix of potting soil, one third of a cup fertiliser and one third of Bonemeal or Superphosphate. Firm the soil.

6. Water well to settle any air pockets and top off with potting soil and mulch with bark chips to keep temperatures cool.

Maintaining ower pots through spring and summer 1. Check the moisture levels daily. Do the finger test: dig you finger into the top 5cm and if the soil is moist hold off on watering for a day or two.

2. Nutrients are washed out every time you water. Foliar feed pots every 2 to 4 weeks with Multifeed Flowergro.

3. Deadhead flowers regularly to encourage more flowers to form.

Scan here to watch our video to see how easy and fun it is to plant up your own flower pot or collect your FREE GardenEasy Guide in store for more easy how-to gardening tips.

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Weber magic at GardenShop

GardenShop FloraFarm

R3850

GardenShop Bryanston

R250

R39.95

GardenShop Broadacres

Chimney starter R315

A selection of charcoal and gas grills with accessories available now at selected GardenShops.

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We have the ideal

Weber Q1200 Gas braai R4500

If you’re moving into your first apartment, or a starter couple wanting to purchase your first braai together, we have the braai for you . . .

If you’re looking for the braai that can cook more than chops and wors and you long to be the true backyard hero, we have the braai for you . . .

Weber Q3200 Gas braai R9500

for you!

Weber 57 cm Mastertouch with GBS Charcoal braai R3850

Weber 57cm One Touch Original Charcoal braai R2450

If you’re an experienced, gourmet chef wanting to showcase your skills outdoors, we have the braai for you . . .

Weber Genesis E330 Gas braai R19 995

Weber Spirit E310 Gas braai R10 650

A full range of Weber braais and accessories are available at GardenShop FloraFarm, Bryanston and Broadacres.

Store Focus

GardenShop Parktown North

GardenShop’s green lung is situated in the heart of bustling Parktown North. A little piece of heaven and tranquillity where you will be able to experience garden shopping at its absolute best. A wide range of gardening tools, plant food and flower pots are available amongst the large collection of healthy indoor and outdoor plants, trees, patio furniture and stunning home décor items. The best florist in town, Bunches will simply take your breath away with their gorgeous array of fresh contemporary flower arrangements and enjoy fresh delicious café fare at Munch Cafe.

GardenShop Partktown North Cnr Jan Smuts Avenue & Chester Road Tel: 011 447 2368 info.ptn@gardenshop.co.za

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Stimulate your senses with Yankee Candles

The leading brand of premium scented candles, accessories and giftware, Yankee Candle, is now available at GardenShop stores: Broadacres, Bryanston, FloraFarm, Menlo Park and Parktown North. Add a fragrant perfume and warm finishing touch to your home or a gift for a loved one or friend.

The beautifully scented collection draws inspiration from the emotive names, delicate textures and vibrant colours of a range of natural ingredients, fruit pieces, fragrant flowers, pure essences, plant oils and flavourful seeds and spices.

Transcend your space into a fragrance that denotes something special for you or someone else. Hues of beautiful flowers, fruits and scents that capture your senses and take you to a special setting be it the ocean, a garden or mystical place, these scents will help you to enjoy life.

Each lead-free wick is straightened by hand to ensure quality burn from 110 to 150 hours.

Gardenshop offers you the medium tumbler jar for R335 and the large for R395.

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Easy does it!

GardenShop’s exciting ‘how-to’ gardening guide that quite simply, makes gardening really easy! This guide has been especially put together for novice gardeners and the not-so-green-fingers.

Of course, seasoned gardeners will also find it an extremely handy quick reference for essential gardening tasks and plantings too! It’s packed with simple, easy-tofollow, ‘how-to’ gardening basics – all of which means you can garden and shop with great confidence. Whatever gardening mysteries may have baffled you in the past, GardenEasy will solve them all and give you peace of mind.

Available FREE to all Gardenshop customers in store or download from our website gardenshop.co.za

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Plant Symbols: helping you to choose wisely These plant symbols on GardenShop price labels will help you make the best plant choice for your garden. A take-home Plant Symbol Guide is available in store

LAVENDER

LAVANDULA DENTATA ELEGANS Beautiful blue flowers 60cm x 1.5m

R 115.00

28

80002506

for your convenience.

Design Wise Robyn Baxter is a landscape architect specialising in outdoor garden spatial planning and planting advice. The main focus is to provide responsible design with cleverly planned spaces, waterwise and indigenous planting to provide you with an easy maintenance garden.

With training in architecture, Robyn is able to undertake any project which includes being able to entirely construct a new garden, replan, re-engineer and replant to increase the usability, durability and enjoyment of your outside space, while at the same time, increasing the value of your property.

Visit www.robynbaxter.co.za email: info@robynbaxter.co.za Tel: 084 549 7851

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Sunflowers are the most rewarding flowers to get children excited about gardening

Get growing!

Sow Sunflower seeds in spring and summer. You might want to choose from a variety of Sunflowers available such as Tall Yellow (100-140cm), Dwarf Sunspot (40- 60cm) or Cut Flower Mixed (100 – 170cm) How to grow

• Sunflowers must be grown in the sun after all danger of frost has passed.

• Sow them 3cm deep and about 1 metre apart, cover them up with soil and give them a light sprinkling of water.

• Choose a packet of Sunflower seeds – remember to read the instructions on the back of the packet

• Water the plants regularly and fertilise every three weeks with Multifeed Flowergro.

• A rake

• If you are growing Sunflowers in the garden, plant them where they won’t shade shorter plants.

• Sunflower seeds can be sown straight into the ground where they are going to flower.

• When the Sunflower seedlings appear, put compost around the base of each plant making sure the compost does not harm the stems.

• Be careful, as slugs and snails like to eat the new shoots, you might want to protect the young sunflowers by cutting the top of a litre plastic bottle and placing it over your seedlings.

• Taller plants may require stakes for support.

• Watch them grow and grow and grow!

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Gardening materials you will need

• Gardening gloves • Wooden ice-cream stick or plant label and pencil to mark your variety of sunflower • Multifeed Flowergro for fertilising

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