Greenfingers Garden Club: Cycads steal the show
Thee plants are protected - you may not sell them, or even give them away to friends.
CHAIRMAN, Caroline van Hilten, welcomed us to the very different garden of John and Jane Downey in Pennington, and opened the meeting by offering gardening tips for the next month.
She advised that cuttings be taken from soft wood plants, making sure they are healthy, then trimmed just below the node.
ALSO READ : Greenfingers Garden Club: Tips for your summer garden
Use a method to grow them in – either custard powder or dip the cutting in honey then into half a potato and place in a pot or bag with potting soil and watch it grow.
Feed summer flowering annuals fortnightly and fill in the gaps in flower beds with perennials.
Dead head roses and annuals to prolong blooming and prune spring flowering climbers like jasmine and petria to train new growth.
Plant seedlings to enjoy later in a sunny position.
In the veggie patch, feed with a balanced 2-3-2 or 3-1-5, guide tomatoes up supports and trim off lower leaves.
If you need to water your lawn so in the morning to prevent fungal diseases and mow regularly on a higher setting on seeded lawns then feed lawns and flower beds with 2-3-2.
We were then told about John and Jane’s cycad garden.
There are about 40 different species in their garden and they are protected – you may not sell them, or even give them away to friends.
Cycads are very hard to propagate and patience is needed.
If you want to collect the seeds you have to chose the right moment, checking the cone carefully.
Some grow new leaves every year, others once every second year.
If you want to move them you cut off the leaves and trim the roots, water once and with luck they grow.
John checks his plants every day, and sprays once they grow new leaves to protect against bugs.
The garden boasts cycads of all shapes and sizes, under trees and in full sun, and they all look lovely.
The competition winners are: One stem indigenous foliage – first Chris Makepeace, Dion Pienaar, Rina Mason, Annetjie Lottering and Elmerie Brown. Second – Liz Thompson, Rona Jones and Karen Verleur.
Best bloom – first Dion Pienaar, Rina Mason, and Liz Thompson. Second Chris Makepeace, Rona Jones, Des Cuff, Karen Verleur and Elmerie Brown.
Best herb – first Dion Pienaar and Elmerie Brown. Second, Des Cuff and Karen Verlour.
Best fruit – first Liz Thompson. Best veg – first Des Cuff, Wendy van den Hever and Elmerie Brown.
November competitions are: Three day lilies, same colour, or one pot plant, one arum lily.
Herbs – thyme or mint.
The next meeting takes place at 21 Pienaar Road, Pennington on November 21.
Hope to see you all there.
SHIRLEY BRITTAIN
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