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Shrubs/Trees Abelia Abutilon Allamanda Ardisia (berries) Bougainvilleas Brugsmansia Brunfelsia Americana Buddleja Callicarpa (berries) Carphalea Kirondren Cestrum Dombeya calantha Grevillea Hibiscus Holmskioldia aurea Holmskioldia red Justicia Adhatoda Justicia Nodosa Megakapasma erythrochlamys Mexican Daisy (Montanoa Mussaenda Odontonema Plumbago indica Poinsettia Red/Yellow Poinsettia White (snowflake) Princettia (Pink Poinsettia) Roses Ruttya fruticosa Strelizias Strobilanthes (pink bells) Strobilanthes Goldfussia Tabernamontana Thunbergia erecta Tibouchina Tree Dahlias Triplaris Xanthostemon chrysanthus |
Perennials Ajania Pacifica Agastache Amaranthus Angelonia Anthurium Asters Chrysanthemums Cleome Coleus Cosmos Dianthus Gerberas Heliotrope Kniphofia (Red hot pokers) Nasturtiums Otacanthus Pachystachys Pelargoniums Ivy Pennisetum Grasses Pentas Pycnostachys Salvia Iodanthe Salvia Involucrata Salvia Leucantha Salvia Pink Icicles Salvia Pink Icing Salvia Purpurea Salvia semi-atrata Scutillaria Solidago Statice (perennial) Tulbaghia Whitfeldia |
Orchids Bulbophyllum Cattleya Cymbidium spikes Dendrobiums (Hardcane) Phalaenopsis Vanda Zygopetalums Bromeliads Aechmea Guzmania Hohenbergia Tillandsia Vriesia Succulents Aloes Zygocactus Bulbs Dahlias Gladioli Haemanthus albiflos Hippeastrum reticulatum Vines Aeschynanthus Dalechampia Hoya Ipomoea Horsfalliae Ipomoea lobata Mandevilla Maurandya |
SALVIA IODANTHE
SALVIA INVOLUCRATA
DOMBEYA BURGESSIAE
WHAT IS FEATURING IN THE GARDEN IN MAY:
Happy Mothers’ day to all the gardening Mums and if you do get a potted Chrysanthemum don’t forget to plant it in the garden after it has finished flowering. It will reward you for many more years, not only with lovely flowers but also memories.
SNOW PEAS are best grown from May onwards. I plant mine in small 5cm pots with 2 peas per pot. Water them in and then leave them to germinate, which only takes a few days. When the stems are about 15 cms high I transplant them into my vegetable bed which has a support for them to climb on. The support is best in metal and needs to be the height relative to the peas planted, i.e. dwarf or tall. The dwarf Snow peas are about 30cms high and tall about 2 metres. I use old galvanised mesh panels.
They need to be in a sunny spot. Prior to planting enrich the soil in the bed with well composted organic matter. Water plants regularly throughout the growing season and add mulch to help conserve soil moisture and suppress weed growth.
Snow peas can be harvested from about 6- 8 weeks or approximately 10 days after flowering. Pick the pods when young, tender and flat as once the peas start to swell they can become a bit tough and bitter.
Snow peas can be affected by powdery mildew, a fungal disease that’s prevalent during wet or humid conditions or poor circulation. To reduce the risk, allow about 20cms between seedlings at planting time.
It is a good idea to stagger plantings so that you have a continual supply of Snow peas. So, after you have planted out your first batch of potted seedlings, you can put another batch of seeds in the pots.
To grow snow peas each year from seed, save your own seed to use for the next year. To do this, leave some seed pods to fully mature, dry and turn brown on the vine before picking them, removing the peas and storing them in a cool, dark, dry place until the next growing season.
Trimming Salvias
May is cut back month. The honeybees and the blue banded bees love salvias and I always leave cutting back the salvias as long as possible as even if there are only a few flowers left as the bees are busy getting as much pollen as they can.
The summer salvias with be over their flowering and can be cut back by two thirds, leaving one third. You will find that a lot are producing new shoots at the base and that is a good sign to cut back. These include Anthony Parker and Meighan’s Magic. The large Salvia Mexicana which is very tall and hardy can be cut back right to the ground as it tends to fall over if left too large. The Wendy’s Wish salvias, Waverley and Phyllis’ fancy can be cut back by half. The smaller salvias like Mystic Spires, Nemerosa and the Microphyllas just need a trim with the hedging shears.
It is a good idea to take cuttings in case some should not survive. This is easily done by cutting a piece about 20 cms long which has a joint. Cut about 6 cms below the joint leaving 14 cms above the joint. Place the cutting in a pot with the joint just below the surface of the soil. Keep watered and sheltered over winter.
The trimmings from the large Salvias are easily mulched with a mulcher and the mulch can be put straight back onto the garden. The smaller salvias can be cut and dropped straight back onto the garden.
VEGETABLES
When to plant vegetables is critical. Brassicas, onions, peas and vine tomatoes are best grown through the cooler months. Most vegetables need full sun so choose your site that will get at least 5 hours of sunlight. Morning sun is preferable and also you will need access to water. You may need to use netting or fencing to keep the birds and other hungry critters away.
It is important to know the families of the vegetables you grow so that you can grow them in rotation system. Once a vegetable has been harvested, you grow a vegetable from a different family in its place. This not only prevents diseases but in the case of the legume family e.g. beans and peas which add nitrogen to the soil, this can be used by another vegetable which has a nitrogen requirement.
Vegetables like lots of organic matter, so have a composting bin nearby where you can put the vegetable ‘scraps’ and then fork the composted matter into the soil prior to planting. You can also put in a green manure crop and fork that back into the soil.
ORCHIDS
Zygopetalums and Cymbidiums will be sending out spikes and Cattleyas will be flowering.
Good Gardening
Jan
SNOW PEAS are best grown from May onwards. I plant mine in small 5cm pots with 2 peas per pot. Water them in and then leave them to germinate, which only takes a few days. When the stems are about 15 cms high I transplant them into my vegetable bed which has a support for them to climb on. The support is best in metal and needs to be the height relative to the peas planted, i.e. dwarf or tall. The dwarf Snow peas are about 30cms high and tall about 2 metres. I use old galvanised mesh panels.
They need to be in a sunny spot. Prior to planting enrich the soil in the bed with well composted organic matter. Water plants regularly throughout the growing season and add mulch to help conserve soil moisture and suppress weed growth.
Snow peas can be harvested from about 6- 8 weeks or approximately 10 days after flowering. Pick the pods when young, tender and flat as once the peas start to swell they can become a bit tough and bitter.
Snow peas can be affected by powdery mildew, a fungal disease that’s prevalent during wet or humid conditions or poor circulation. To reduce the risk, allow about 20cms between seedlings at planting time.
It is a good idea to stagger plantings so that you have a continual supply of Snow peas. So, after you have planted out your first batch of potted seedlings, you can put another batch of seeds in the pots.
To grow snow peas each year from seed, save your own seed to use for the next year. To do this, leave some seed pods to fully mature, dry and turn brown on the vine before picking them, removing the peas and storing them in a cool, dark, dry place until the next growing season.
Trimming Salvias
May is cut back month. The honeybees and the blue banded bees love salvias and I always leave cutting back the salvias as long as possible as even if there are only a few flowers left as the bees are busy getting as much pollen as they can.
The summer salvias with be over their flowering and can be cut back by two thirds, leaving one third. You will find that a lot are producing new shoots at the base and that is a good sign to cut back. These include Anthony Parker and Meighan’s Magic. The large Salvia Mexicana which is very tall and hardy can be cut back right to the ground as it tends to fall over if left too large. The Wendy’s Wish salvias, Waverley and Phyllis’ fancy can be cut back by half. The smaller salvias like Mystic Spires, Nemerosa and the Microphyllas just need a trim with the hedging shears.
It is a good idea to take cuttings in case some should not survive. This is easily done by cutting a piece about 20 cms long which has a joint. Cut about 6 cms below the joint leaving 14 cms above the joint. Place the cutting in a pot with the joint just below the surface of the soil. Keep watered and sheltered over winter.
The trimmings from the large Salvias are easily mulched with a mulcher and the mulch can be put straight back onto the garden. The smaller salvias can be cut and dropped straight back onto the garden.
VEGETABLES
When to plant vegetables is critical. Brassicas, onions, peas and vine tomatoes are best grown through the cooler months. Most vegetables need full sun so choose your site that will get at least 5 hours of sunlight. Morning sun is preferable and also you will need access to water. You may need to use netting or fencing to keep the birds and other hungry critters away.
It is important to know the families of the vegetables you grow so that you can grow them in rotation system. Once a vegetable has been harvested, you grow a vegetable from a different family in its place. This not only prevents diseases but in the case of the legume family e.g. beans and peas which add nitrogen to the soil, this can be used by another vegetable which has a nitrogen requirement.
Vegetables like lots of organic matter, so have a composting bin nearby where you can put the vegetable ‘scraps’ and then fork the composted matter into the soil prior to planting. You can also put in a green manure crop and fork that back into the soil.
ORCHIDS
Zygopetalums and Cymbidiums will be sending out spikes and Cattleyas will be flowering.
Good Gardening
Jan
THIS MONTH
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan
MAY
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan
MAY
JUSTICIA AUREA
CATTLEYA ORCHID
MONSIER TILLIER ROSE
Let nature be your guide
DAHLIA IMPERIALIS
TREE DAHLIA
TREE DAHLIA
