Humidity in February is at it's summer peak.
The garden will need a helping-hand to get through the next few weeks and into the cooler weather.
Photo: Robin Powell
Get to know Worsleya, pictured, a hard-to- find plant from Brazil that blooms in late summer with clusters of large lilac, hippeastrum-like flowers. You’ll
find it at Collector’s Plant Fair, March 28-29.
With summer humidity at its peak, water in the mornings to allow plants to dry off during the day and reduce the risk of foliar disease.
Forgot to stake the dahlias? Quick, do it now, before storms and strong winds threaten.
Treat pots and garden beds with a soil-wetting agent. Use a product that is organically certified so that you are not introducing any chemicals into the
soil that could adversely affect earthworms or microorganisms. Wetting agents break through the waxy coating around organic particles in the soil,
allowing the soil to take up more water.
Hibiscus are tough plants once established, but love some pampering. Give them a dose of Sudden Impact for Roses now and water in well for a great show
through autumn.
Take soft leaf cuttings of begonia. Dip in hormone powder to strike, or strike in a jar filled one-third with water, with a few drops of seaweed extract
added.
Build a super flower display in clivias next spring by feeding witha liquid fertiliser high in potassium once a month from February to May.
Feed indoor plants with a monthly dose of Powerfeed.First wipe leaves clean of dust with a damp cloth and check for signs of mealy bug - furry little white
blobs in the leaf axils.Kill them by dabbing them with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirits.