Now is the Time for Action

WINTER ACTIVITIES TO JUMP START YOUR SPRING GARDEN ...

The promise of a spring garden with fresh new leaves

unfolding, the scent of jasmine wafting through the air, blossoms on the fruit trees and flower buds bursting open, it's all motivations enough to inspire the passionate gardener to kit up for a bit of action and help nature craft the best garden ever! Yes, we're going outside...

Here is a list of activities to keep you warm and busy during the cooler winter months. And yes, prepping your garden for spring comes with the added benefit of a natural workout and a dose of crisp, fresh air!

1

Lawn care

Whether the winter has been mild or frosty, the lawn will always respond well to a bit of TLC.

Tip: Healthy roots are the best foundation for a thriving lawn.

Established lawns should get a topdressing of Organic Earthworm Castings at 250ml (1 cup) and 100g per m2 of Vita Green 5:1:5(16) organic fertiliser to condition soil and promote healthy leaf cover. New or problem-riddled lawns (hard or uneven soil, a poor knit or lawns prone to weeds) should be spiked with a garden fork or on large areas, hire a spiked roller from a lawnmower shop before spreading a topdressing layer of about 1 cm mixture of 1/3rd good quality (weed free) topsoil.

Tip: Don’t use builders’ sand which is too gritty and abrasive for delicate new grass stems. Use 1/3rd Organic Earthworm Castings and 1/3rd compost finely sifted. Add 100g VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) and 200g of agricultural lime (Dolomitic lime) into the topdressing mixture per m2 of lawn to be covered. This will result in a tight knit lawn which will smother out weeds and prevent weed seed from germinating.

Lawns in tight clay areas should be conditioned as per problem lawns above, except for substituting gypsum for the agricultural lime. Gypsum will break open the tight bonds of the soil particles by adjusting the chemistry.

2

Pruning and shaping

This is the garden's equivalent of your home's 'spring clean'. Out with the old, dead branches and roots, as pruning stimulates the formation of new roots and branches on which the new growth and buds will develop. While deciduous trees, shrubs and roses look dormant, they are very busy energising in the root zone and preparing for the spring boost which is known as the period where the sap rises.

Tip: Don’t delay your pruning which usually takes place between the start of July and end of August (remember to adjust for your regions climatic conditions). Weather patterns are changing so once the buds appear, pruning is too stressful for the plant.

Claire Gove

Managing Director Talborne Urban Organics

www.talborne.co.za

@talborneorganics

3

Fertilise

Immediately after pruning, the roots require nourishment to regenerate. An organic fertiliser is the ideal choice (Talborne has a fantastic option) for this winter conditioning as it does not burn roots and leaves of plants as nutrients are released over a period of at least 4 months. It contains the N:P:K and the full spectrum of the other nutrients essential for healthy, productive plants.

For existing or newly prepared flower, herb and vegetable beds Apply 100g of VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) per m2 and 125g per rose or shrub and 250ml/1 cup of Organic Earthworm Castings. For fruit and ornamental trees spread 500g to 2kg of VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) per tree and 250ml/1 cup per m2 of Organic Earthworm Castings (adjust for tree and container size).

Tip: Bonemeal is traditionally applied with pruning for supplementing phosphate and calcium, but as VITA Grow 2:3:2(16) has adequate nutrients included in the formulation, do not add any extra bonemeal.

Water the beds, lawn and trees after applying the fertiliser to activate the soil life (microbes) which is responsible for the release of the nutrients from organic fertiliser for uptake by the plants. As the conditions warm up, adjust the watering programme from once a week to 2 or 3 times a week as needed.

Tip: VITA Organic Fertiliser conserves water as nutrients are not bound to salts like old fashioned chemical fertilisers which must be dissolved for uptake by osmosis. VITA Organic Fertiliser is waterwise as plants and lawns will not burn if not watered immediately after application and there is no need to wait for heavy rainfall before you can fertilise the lawn. The usual watering programme will be adequate to activate VITA without the threat of fertiliser burn.

The good news is that on those chilly days when you’re tired of sitting inside and all you want to do is go out into the fresh air and garden but freezing weather conditions keep you tucked up in front of the fire, you can exercise those green fingers by spending time nurturing your indoor plants. Condition your indoor plants with Organic Earthworm Castings (apply a 1cm layer onto the top of your pot plant soil) and feed with 5-10ml of Nourish Liquid Organic Plant Food as per plant’s fertilising requirements.

Tip: Nourish Liquid Organic Plant-Food is 100% plant-based, made from potato and sugar beet extract so there is no unpleasant smell in your indoor space. You can use Nourish to foliar feed or soil drench your indoor and outdoor plants.

Before you know it, Spring will be here in all its glory, and you will be enjoying the fruits of your labour!

4

Watering programme

5

Feed and condition your indoor plants