Gardening advice in June

Expert advice from Starke Ayres on getting the most from your garden in June.

Continue planting winter veg in a well-drained specially formulate mix such as Living Herb Mix from Culterra, it takes all the guesswork out of what soil preparation is required. Plant Peas, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Broad Beans, Carrots, Celery, Beetroot, Onion, Spring Onion, Spinach and Kale. Feed your vegetable garden weekly with a slow-release certified organic fertiliser such as Talbore 6:3:4. 

Rose care for June – Watering can be reduced to once a week or less. No more fertilising is necessary. Spray fortnightly against Black Spot with Chronos or Rose Protector and keep on removing dead blooms. After pruning open cuts can be protected with Pruning Seal from Makhro Home and Garden.  

Ants have been very active and their presence will be seen well into June. Control ants and eradicate whole colonies within a week, including the queen with Protek Nip It. It is 99% organic and has low toxicity to humans and pets. 

Plant Citrus trees. Citrus grows in most soil types but prefer well-drained conditions with plenty of compost added to the planting hole. Full sun and adequate growing space are important. Feed with a slow-release liquid organic fertiliser such as Gorganic which contains macro and micronutrients. Regular applications of Trelmix will also ensure your micronutrient deficiencies are tended to.

Your Cymbidiums orchids should be well in bloom, or if later varieties have spikes ready to pop into bloom, keep fertilising with Starke Ayres Flowering Orchid water-soluble plant food twice per month at a teaspoon per 5l water. On promotion @ R89.95 for 500g. Both Garden Centres have a magnificent selection of seldom found Cascading and Arching Cymbidiums that are just amazing for hanging baskets, best displayed from trees or patio showing off in all their splendour.

Feed all citrus trees with Magnesium sulphate from Makhro Home and Garden. A mature tree requires 2 kg of Magnesium per year and a quarterly application ensures that the tree has access to this nutrient all year round.

Citrus psylla, an aphid specific to citrus trees, causes bumps and curly leaf and also results in a secondary reaction where black sooty mould fungus forms underneath the leaf due to the excretion of the aphid. Provide treatment and protection for your trees with the application of SK Eco oil from Makhro Home and Garden.   

Replace and revive summer pots and garden borders with colourful winter-flowering seedlings such a Pansies, Viola’s, Primula’s, Mesembryanthemum and Calendulas. Soil preparation is key and good drainage is essential for the cultivation of healthy plants. To improve your soil condition add the following elements to your soil; Bonemeal, Gold Dust, compost, palm peat, perlite and an organic fertiliser such as Talborne 6:3:4. Cutworms are frustrating pests in the garden. They are the larvae (in caterpillar form) of night-flying moths. While the moths themselves do no harm to crops, the larvae, called cutworms, destroy young plants by eating the stems at or near ground level. If cutworms are attacking your seedlings apply Cutworm bait or Plantcare to the areas around your seedlings.

Starke Ayres, West Coast Village

Tel: 021 554 8450