Herbs: They have always been widely used in our traditional cuisine and with increasing popularity of ethnic dishes around the world, they are now in larger demand than ever. This month you can sow seeds of as many different kinds of basil as you can find. Make things like basil pesto, basil vinegar, and basil and tomato sauce with some of the excess. You can either freeze or dry the rest.
Another herb to grow is Arugula. Better known as rocket, it grows well in partial shade as long as it is watered regularly. The same goes for borage, dill, coriander, calendula and nasturtiums.
Fruit: A few last minute sweet melons and watermelons will extend the garden fruit season. Adding some ‘Cucamelons’ — cucumbers crossed with melons — that produce bunches of grape-sized, miniature, watermelon-like fruits with a tangy lime flavour will definitely provide a delicious talking point.
Flowers: There are lots of summer-into-autumn flowers that can still be sown this month too: Nicotiana, portulaca, gerberas, matricaria, rudbeckia, tagetes, amaranthus, gompherena, tithonia, sunflowers, cosmos, marigolds, gaillardia, zinnias, coleus, petunias and annual chrysanthemums being just a few of them.
Flower of the month: Nerine, a genus of the autumn flowering bulbs, are also sometimes referred to as ‘naked ladies.’ After the late spring through to the end of summer the strappy leaves die and the bulbs send up a 12-inch to 36-inch (depending on the variety) thick stem which, in autumn, wears a stunning crown of largish flowers.
The flowers can be pale pink, shocking pink, white, cream, red or bi-coloured and — especially when bulbs have multiplied — create a dramatic effect. Bulbs should be planted, with the neck of the bulb remaining above soil level, from April to the end of May. They cannot stand to be waterlogged so excellent drainage is important. Soil with both plenty of organic material/compost and some rough gravel — to aid drainage — is recommended. In our climate, bulbs grow the best if they have morning sun and afternoon shade.
Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened.
Published in Dawn, EOS, May 7th, 2017