Border edging: There are plenty to pick from in this category from pretty bellis, candytuft, alyssum, petunias, lobelia, pansies and violas to nasturtiums – both the bush and dwarf type.
Flower of the month: ‘Osteospermum’ is a spectacular, carpet-forming perennial and is more commonly known as the African daisy. Simple to grow from seed, these stunning flowers grow quickly and deserve a prominent place in our gardens. Sown now — just press the seed, very lightly, into the surface of moist compost — the plants should come into bloom over the winter months and on into spring, providing a mass of purple, lavender, white, pink, red or yellow flowers until summer heat gives them pause for thought.
The African daisy flowers most profusely in the full sun but also tolerates light shade. It will grow in most soil/compost as long as it is well-drained but does prefer slightly acidic conditions. It needs regular watering until established — then it becomes fairly drought tolerant, and is happy in pots/containers as well as in the garden proper. When flowering ceases, trim back over the summer months; new growth will begin as summer fades away.
The vegetable garden: Grow a selection of the following to ensure that the months ahead are full to bursting with, preferably, organic goodness: peas, both regular and sugar or snap peas, beans and tomatoes. Others on your list should include: Swiss chard/leaf beet, winter radish such as ‘China rose’ and ‘Black Spanish’, smooth-leaved and crinkly cabbage, cauliflower, calabrese, broccoli, beetroot, carrots, turnips, celery, lettuce, onions, green onions, shallots, endive, mustard, giant red mustard and mustard mizuna. Give spinach, Chinese greens and lettuce a try and you can make a start on planting potatoes, too.
The herb garden: There are plenty of options from blue and white flowered borage — look out for the variety which also has variegated leaves for additional interest — upright and/or creeping thyme and sage to rosemary. You should also plant fast-maturing varieties of lavender, lemon balm, chives, garlic chives, winter savoury, aniseed and lovage. And let’s not forget that this is a good time to grow oregano, agastache, dill, parsley, mint, calendula and nasturtium. Along with ‘ordinary’ mint, you can also plant apple mint, pineapple mint and peppermint.
Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. It is important to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by e-mail. E-mails with attachments will not be opened.
Published in Dawn, EOS, September 1st, 2017