We’re in that weird time where winter is slowly fading away and spring is settling in. And if you’re an avid gardener, you’ll know that this is the perfect time to get your hands in the soil. Starting to sow seeds, grow seedlings, and planning out your planting ensures a bountiful spring and early summer harvest. And if you’re a novice gardener, now is the perfect time to experiment with planting layouts, so by the time peak summer rolls in, you’ve found your gardening groove.
Use our spring/summer guide to reap the many benefits gardening offers, from saving costs on fresh produce and guaranteed freshness, to flavour-packed and nutritious fruits and veggies, helped along with your green thumb!
First, prep your garden for spring planting
You’ll need to prepare your garden before sowing. Here’s how:
- Check your garden’s soil quality, and find out what nutrients it needs
- You can enrich your soil with specific nutrients, like bone meal or fertiliser, or choose to hit all the needs with a once-off till of compost
- Make sure to clear any weeds and debris from last season
- Consider your garden layout: learn the sunny and shady spots, how much space you have available, and which companion plants will prove to be successful
Veggies to plant now
Veggies that will benefit from being sown and grown now in SA, include:
- Tomatoes: They thrive in warm weather, can be directly sown or grown as seedlings, and are super delicious in salads and sarmies, or to make sauces
- Peppers (bell, chilli, jalapeno): These heat-loving plants take their time to produce their vibrant and versatile bounty; best grown and sown as seedlings
- Cucumbers: The cucumber plant loves the heat and is fast-growing to provide you with a continuous supply for salads and cocktails
- Zucchini/Baby marrow: One of the easiest veggies to grow, you can sow their seeds directly in the soil, and enjoy these prolific producers with braais, summer bakes, and pastas
- Beans: These climbers are great space savers, add vital nitrogen back into the soil, and are best sown as seedlings
- Lettuce and leafy greens: Now that spring is approaching, plant these seeds directly into the soil and enjoy a continuous harvest throughout the season, and remember to water them plentifully
Fruits to plant now
Fruits you should be sowing now to enjoy later include:
- Strawberries: A summer essential, and easy-growing plant, sow strawberry seedlings directly into pots and beds
- Melons (watermelons and cantaloupes): Melons love the heat but take some time to grow. Plant seedlings now to enjoy as sweet summer desserts
- Berries (blueberries and raspberries): A longer-term investment, berry bushes are worth it, as once they start producing, you’ll enjoy a continuous harvest
- Citrus trees (lemons and oranges): Establish your favourite citrus tree now for thriving summer growth
Tips for a successful harvest
After the long hours of prepping soil, sowing seeds, and safeguarding your garden from hungry birds, a break sounds well-deserved. But don’t put down your tools just yet.
Here are a few tips to guarantee a successful harvest:
- Create and keep to a consistent watering schedule: water in early mornings, making sure to drench those seedlings
- Use natural pest control methods to keep your plants healthy
- Remember to mulch the topsoil to retain soil moisture and prevent the spread of disease
- Stagger planting for an extended harvest; once your seedlings take and start flourishing, prepare another batch
With a little planning and hard work now, your garden will reward you with a colourful, flavour-packed harvest in spring and summer. Plant today, and feast tomorrow!
