They say that gardening plans start in January.
But that’s not true for us South Africans.
As we sit here sweating out the start of the year, our summer gardens are approaching maturity and many of us are already fondly looking forward to autumn and our cool weather food and flowers.
In South Africa, gardening is a full time hobby.
Whether you are living here in the Lowveld, somewhere close to me, and you get to enjoy munching on tomatoes all year round, or if you are on the Highveld or somewhere in the Cape or on the Platteland and you are tending to seedlings and plants in your greenhouse or under some sort of frost cover, if you are a gardener in South Africa, chances are you are never actually taking that break that our northern hemisphere counterparts talk about.
For this reason, having a seasonal checklist can be extremely helpful.
If you don’t have one already, I would highly recommend creating a garden journal.
Not only can you print or copy out the checklist below to refer back to it as the seasons stretch and fold in on themselves, but having a place to keep notes will help you stay on track with your planting, your garden chores and recording temperatures and rainfall.
I have only been a gardener for a few short years, but each season has taught me something of value.
In this checklist guide, I am looking back season by season, and sharing with you the notes I keep in my own garden journal.
It is Lowveld specific, but I have included some generally helpful information as well. I hope you find something useful in this and as always, if you have knowledge to share, please leave a comment.
Spring, A Time for Preparing
“When one flower blooms, spring awakens everywhere.” – John O’Donohue
I know spring is around the corner when the buds start forming on my Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow bushes. The heady fragrance of these blooms blow through my studio window on a soft, warm breeze and I know it won’t be long until the earth turns green again.
Spring in South Africa is technically from around the end of August to the end of November, but in some parts of the country, like here in the Lowveld, spring comes as suddenly as it leaves, often being just a brief interval of a few weeks before the blistering heat and humidity settle in. In recent years, the winters have lingered well into October, making it difficult to decide when garden tasks should begin.
Although we don’t get a freezing winter, our winter is often dry, turning the landscape a brittle brown. Spring in the Lowveld heralds the return of the much-needed rains, and the landscape soon transforms back into a lush, green paradise.
In the Western Cape, spring arrives with a gentle embrace, encouraging a stunning array of indigenous flora to bloom. In Gauteng, the Highveld region, delicate blossoms greet gardeners as they prepare for the warmer months.
My Spring Checklist
The moment the season begins its turning, the welcome warmth reawakens me, calling me back to the soil. Here’s what I do in spring:
- With temperatures rising, I focus on hydrating my plants and soil.
- I mulch garden beds, and add some compost. Mulching prevents water loss and it can slow down weeds while composting will give the garden beds a nutrient boost.
- I clear out the winter annuals and veg. Even though many of them still look okay or are still giving one or two veg, I like to start fresh and give the garden some time to revive between plantings. So it’s out with the old.
- I direct seed. Things like sunflowers, cucumbers, and zinnias get direct planted.
- I start more seeds. Spring/summer seed starting can begin as early as the end of July in the Lowveld, but generally gardeners start their summer crops early in the spring to avoid sudden cold snaps (although the weather lately is unpredictable).
- I plant summer bulbs and tubers, as well as annuals. Dahlias, glads and anything else that has caught my eye gets planted.
- I check the irrigation system to make sure that there are no holes or blockages.
Summer, a Time for Abundance
Then followed that beautiful season… Summer…. Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Summer in South Africa is a vibrant landscape of colours, evenings of warm breezes, and early mornings spent in the garden. The season runs from the end of November to about the end of March and each area of the country experiences summer in a different way.
In the Western Cape, the Mediterranean climate encourages the blooming of flowers and herbs, while the Highveld experiences hot days with the most magnificent afternoon thunderstorms, providing much-needed relief for the garden. For the Lowveld and Kwa-Zulu Natal, summer can be particularly intense, which means gardeners need to be on their toes, balancing watering with leaving the gardens to be nourished by the storms.
My Summer Checklist
This time of year can be especially taxing on the body, and keeping up with all the garden tasks can be so overwhelming. Here’s what I do during the summer:
- I try to protect the plants from the scorching sun by strategically placing shade netting and mulching where there might now be gaps.
- I have a spray irrigation system attached to rainwater tanks, but drip irrigation is far better as it reduces evaporation loss. I water mostly by hand between rain showers as we live in a heavy summer rainfall season. This time of year you must regularly check your soil to prevent plants drying out and to prevent over watering.
- I place bamboo support structures for beans, tomatoes, zucchini and dahlias.
- I regularly weed the garden, although by the end of summer I pretty much give up.
- I try to keep up with giving flowering plants and veg with fruits a watering of plant food every 2 weeks.
- I pull plants that aren’t doing well. If it is a vegetable that is not healthy or producing, it gets composted.
- I go around the garden a few times a week and deadhead flowers to encourage more blooms.
- I pull out my seed collection and start planning for the year ahead (in January usually). I will make a list of what I want to plant using my Seedtime planner and I will make notes of any seeds I have to buy.
Autumn, a Time for Harvest and Reflection
“The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer. One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider.” – Jane Hirshfield
The clouds look different, the air smells different, and the summer garden is starting to come to an end, meaning now is the time to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Autumn should be from around the end of March to the end of May, but we sometimes skip autumn and go straight to winter here in the Lowveld. By the time March rolls around, I am longing for those cool mornings.
In the Western Cape, the cooler weather is perfect for planting winter crops, while the Highveld experiences a gentle transition with crisp mornings and mild afternoons, with the promise of winter planting just on the horizon. In the Lowveld, autumn brings relief from the heat, allowing for a renewed focus on getting back into the garden during the day, and by the end of the autumn, we Lowvelders can start our winter crops.
My Autumn Checklist
Autumn is a busy time of harvesting, preserving and clearing, as well as seed starting and planning. Here’s what I do during autumn:
- Depending on the forecast, as in recent years I have planted winter veg only to lose them to a sudden and unexpected blast of summer heat, I start my winter veg (broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, beets, etc.)
- I start clearing out summer beaten veggie crops and annual flowers that are starting to look really worn down and in some cases, dead.
- I give my garden beds some new compost and a deep watering, and I cover the beds with mulch.
- I tend to my seedlings. The seeds that have sprouted during this time need to be carefully watched, and kept well-watered, as day time temperatures can still be dehydrating.
- I seed save. If a veg plant or a flower has been particularly abundant and beautiful, I save as many seeds as I can. I also let some plants self-seed. Here in the Lowveld almost everything can grow all year round so there is no need to pull summer volunteers. Your crop might be a little late, but you will get something.
- I preserve. I don’t just try to preserve some of my own harvest, but when I am in the shops I look for in season vegetables and fruits that I can preserve. When you buy in season, it is often cheaper, making this a great way to build your pantry on a budget.
- I clean up my gardening tools and I wash all my seed containers.
- I pot up my peppers. Peppers are perennials and if you want to keep your peppers though winter, make sure you keep them warm. They will survive in the ground in the Lowveld, but I still like to have them in pots.
Winter, A Time of Soups, Stews, Rest & Brassicas
“Don’t think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It’s quiet, but the roots are down there riotous.” – Rumi
Winter in South Africa may not be as harsh as in some other regions, but it brings its own set of considerations. In the Western Cape, winters are mild, and it’s an excellent time for pruning and preparing the garden for the upcoming spring. The Highveld experiences colder temperatures, frost and sometimes even snow, making gardening a bit of a challenge, while the Lowveld enjoys warm winters, making it an ideal time for planting hardy winter vegetables.
It is difficult to grow things like brassicas in my garden in the summer, because the aphids are impossible and I don’t want to spend all my time spraying the bugs, and also because brassicas just taste better when they have been subjected to cold. So I look forward to winter with great excitement just because I get to grow some of my favourite things.
My Winter Checklist
While I do take it easier in winter, what with the season being slow, there’s still a few things to be done:
- I transplant my winter seedlings into the beds that have rested for a little while. By this time my direct planted beets and carrots have already sprouted.
- I add some extra straw mulch around some plants to keep them warm and to also conserve water.
- I put on the irrigation around 3 times a week for 10 to 15 minutes. This keeps the ground wet for longer.
- I plant winter flowers such as sweet alyssum and sweet peas. The sweet alyssum is a favourite in my garden. It’s little snowballs of flowers smell like honey and add something beautiful to the space.
- I prune my roses (you can prune fruit trees and shrubs too).
- I plan and make any changes to the landscape that need to be made.
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Remember, every garden is unique, so you should adapt the checklist to suit your specific needs and preferences.
To help you with your maintenance and your planning, you can download my checklist below.
Happy Gardening my Green Fingered Friends 🙂
A Seasonal Gardening Checklist for South African Gardeners
