October ushers in the long-awaited Mzansi summer. Cue the sound of marching gumboots as South African gardeners are likely en route to their nearest nursery. Because now is the time to sow those summer vegetables.
Bathong, are you still not convinced about the benefits of starting an edible garden? Edible gardens not only provide your family with an abundant supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs at a low cost, they are also an excellent form of relaxation, says gardening advisor and creator of the Moonbloom planting calendar, Gaye Boshoff.
“Edible gardens are healthy, wealthy and wise. It becomes contagious when you get into it.”
October is one of the most beautiful months of the year, promising a potential harvest of fresh vegetables, herbs and sweet fruity treats.
Now is the time to sow summer seeds, including amaranth, sunflower, pumpkin, basil, coriander, turmeric and rocket.
ALSO READ: ‘Healthy, wealthy, wise is gardener Gaye’s mantra
Ready, set, mulch
It is easier to sow seeds into seed trays and wait until they germinate before you plant them into beds. Even simpler, buy already grown seedlings from your local plant nursery, says Boshoff.
Once you’ve transferred your seedlings into the ground, you will also need to add a nice thick layer of straw or dried grass over the sown seeds to prevent your beds from drying out in the warm weather, she adds.
This process is called mulching. Mulch is used to retain moisture in the soil, to suppress weeds, to keep the soil cool, to prevent frost heaving in winter and to make the garden bed look more attractive.
Organic mulches also help improve the soil’s structure, drainage and nutrient-holding capacity as they decompose.
“You have to do it. You can see the difference in growth if you have mulch, compared to no mulch.”
“What I love about mulching is how it protects your garden from the summer sun.”
“The summer sun bleaches out your soil. It’s like all the nutrients get absorbed. Mulching keeps it nice and moist.”
Beware those slugs and snails
Do be careful, though. Mulch attracts slugs and snails, warns Boshoff. Facing a slug and snail infestation is serious business, leaving your garden full of slime trails and missing a few seedlings.
“Slugs and snails love to bury themselves under the mulch because it is nice and moist. They are such a pain. They hide under everything. You will go to sleep and see ten seedlings and wake up to five the next day,” she says.
Figuring out how to get rid of the nocturnal molluscs without turning to chemical slug baits is just as useless as turning to home-made remedies, she adds. She recommends Biogrow Ferramol.
“I just sprinkle some between my seedling trays or around a seedling, or just plant it in the garden, and the snails will go eat that and not your seedlings. Natural pests are the worst when it comes to organic gardening because you don’t want to kill them with bad stuff.”
So, what can you plant this month?
Something nutritious: Amaranth, lettuce, tomatillo, horseradish, radish, sweet potato, spring onion, globe artichoke, sunflower, Asian greens, okra, lima beans, peppers, Jerusalem artichoke, cucumbers, eggplant, pumpkin, marrows and beetroot.
Something herbal: Basil, coriander, dill, fennel, oregano, parsley, rocket, sage, thyme, ginger, chilli, chives and turmeric.
In the Free State, you can plant: Bush beans, climbing beans, beetroot, carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, melon, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes and watermelon.
In the Eastern Cape, you can plant: Corn, runner beans, French beans, beetroot and carrot.
In the Northern Cape, you can plant: Broad beans, climbing beans, beetroot, cabbage, celery, carrots, corn, cucumber, brinjal, onion, parsnip, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes and watermelon.
In the Western Cape, you can plant: Bush beans, climbing beans, beetroot, celery, corn, cucumber, brinjal, lettuce, melons, onions, peppers, pumpkin, radish, tomato and watermelon.
In Mpumalanga, you can plant: Peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes, watermelon, bush beans, climbing beans, beetroot, carrot, celery, corn and cucumber.
In Limpopo, you can plant: Bush beans, climbing beans, beetroot, carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, lettuce, parsnip, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes and watermelon.
In North West, you can plant: Bush beans, climbing beans, celery, cucumber, corn, melons, parsnip, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes and watermelon.
In Gauteng, you can plant: Bush beans, climbing beans, beetroot, carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, melons, parsnip, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes and watermelon.
In KwaZulu-Natal, you can plant: Bush beans, climbing beans, beetroot, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, brinjal, lettuce, melons, onions, parsnip, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomatoes and watermelon.
