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What to plant in spring

It is finally the season of regrowth, renewal and rebirth and we bet you’re excited to get into your garden and enjoy all of spring’s sweet rewards. But before you do, we urge you to get into this article – full of planting advice and tips for the different South African micro-climates. You’ll find everything you need for a flourishing season of growth in your specific area, from plant species and vegetables to plant foods and fertilisers. And if you’re interested, you can also give us, Catscapes, a call to assist you with any garden work.

MICRO-CLIMATE SPRING GARDENING IN SOUTH AFRICA:

1. SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE ZONE

Areas with a warm and subtropical climate zone have coastal summer rainfall and experience a fair amount of humidity. During the spring months, these areas see little rain and weather that is cold, but not freezing, with temperatures averaging between 20°C to 23°C. If you live in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, this is your climate zone.

For a summer bloom, you could plant the following flowers: Marigolds, sunflowers, pansies, poppies, petunias, primulas, begonias, dahlias, and other seasonal bloomers.

The best vegetables to plant for a summer harvest are: Beans, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, maize, cucumber, eggplants, lettuce, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, Swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, and chillies.

The vegetable garden is definitely a highlight during the spring months due to the subtropical climate making it easier for vegetables to thrive.

Maize, kidney beans or runner beans and pumpkins are companion plants and are good to grow together. You can start by planting maize in rows about 60cm apart and 5cm deep and once the seeds start to germinate and grow, you can inter-plant the rows with beans, squash, and other salad veggies. (Before you get going with your vegetable garden, remember to prepare the soil first)

Maintenance focus:

Prune back overgrown hedges and shrubs and keep an eye on weeds as gardens tend to see a resurgence of them in spring.

 

2. MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE ZONE

Spring gardening in South Africa looks a little different when we get to the Mediterranean climate zone, which covers the Western Cape and neighbouring areas. This zone experiences coastal winter rainfall and takes a while to warm up in spring. The more inland parts tend to see temperatures below freezing as well as frost-covered lawns and garden beds. As the dry heat sets in, gardeners return to the garden to plant herbs, vegetables and flowering shrubs.

For a summer bloom you can plant the following flowers: Lavender, arum lilies, pincushions, clivias, dahlias, chamelaucium, arctotis, gazanias, blue felicias, plectranthus, and scabiosas. (Before planting, be sure to balance the soil’s acidity levels with Wonder Agricultural Lime.)

Spring is the season for white Arum Lilies in Mediterranean climate zones. Arum Lilies like cool areas with direct sunlight so it is best to propagate existing arums by dividing the bulbs and replanting them on the south-facing side of your garden. So for optimal growth, plant yours in moist soil in an area that receives full sun for most of the day.

The best vegetables for a summer harvest are: Beans (climbing), beetroot, celery, maize, cucumber, eggplants, lettuce, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, radishes, pumpkin, tomatoes, and artichokes.

Maintenance focus:

Prune, treat, and mulch perennials like gardenias, fuchsias and azaleas. Wonder Iron Chelate and nitrogen-rich Wonder Fruit & Flower fertiliser will come in handy for this process.

 

3. SEMI-ARID CLIMATE ZONE

The inland Karoo and Highveld areas experience summer rainfall and extreme day-to-night temperatures. In spring, this climate zone is recovering from a winter dry period. (If you live in Gauteng or the Freestate, we are sure you are no stranger to the winter drought.) As spring rolls around, these areas recover from the excessive dryness and see a resurgence of greenery.

For a summer bloom, you could plant the following flowers:

Sweet violets, carpet geraniums, columbines, sunflowers, clivias, petunias, impatiens, begonias, gazania, dianthus, delphiniums, alyssum, salvia varieties, and marigolds. (To keep your newly planted flowers happy you may use an organic plant growth stimulant.)

The best vegetables to plant for a summer harvest are:

Asparagus, beans, beetroot, carrots, celery, maize, cucumber, lettuce, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, tomatoes, spinach, swiss chard, and rocket.

The highlight of the semi-arid spring garden you ask? The lovely asparagus. Growing this vegetable is a long-winded process. But when done in this climate zone, the results are so worth it!

Maintenance focus:

Fertilize and care for your lawn. Use a product such as Oro-Vital your grass, watering three times a week. Also remember to treat existing flowering plants, like begonias, for frost damage. Clip away dead parts and fertilize.

Spring is the perfect time to start gardening in South Africa

So, whichever climate zone you fall within, there are many seedlings, shrubs and vegetables to plant in your backyard. Before you get started, discover top-quality fertilisers and plant foods from us at Catscapes Landscapes, we can give you and your beautiful garden a head start.

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