As the warmth of summer gently fades, a new energy stirs in the garden. The crisp morning air and the changing colours of leaves signal the arrival of April – a truly wonderful and busy month for gardeners across South Africa! Whether you’re in a frosty region or enjoying a more subtropical climate, now is the time to get your hands dirty and set the stage for a spectacular winter and spring.
At Grow Folk, we’re passionate about helping you cultivate the garden of your dreams. This month’s newsletter is packed with essential tips and regional guidance to ensure your garden thrives. Let’s dig in!
What to Plant Now: Your Regional Guide to April Gardening Success
No matter where you are in South Africa, April offers unique opportunities for planting. Here’s a breakdown by region to help you make the most of the month:
Embrace the Chill: Gardening in Cold Regions
- Last Call for Winter & Spring Blooms: Depending on when the first frost hits, April is generally your final chance to sow those beautiful winter and spring flowering annuals and delicious winter vegetables. Don’t miss out!
- Subtropical Timing: If you’re in a warmer, subtropical area, you’ve got a little more time! Aim to prepare your beds now for planting in late April or May.
Featured Planting Focus: Winter & Spring Flowering Bulbs
Get ready for a burst of colour! Towards the end of April, when the soil cools down significantly, it’s the perfect time to plant your winter and spring flowering bulbs. Remember to hold off on tulips until May.
Planting Like a Pro: Always refer to the instructions on your bulb packet for the correct planting depth. A good rule of thumb is to plant them two to three times their diameter deep.
Bulb Bonanza! Consider adding these beauties to your garden:
Bobbejaantjie (Babiana)
Persian Buttercup (Ranunculus)
Wind Flower (Anemone) – Remember to soak them overnight before planting!
Daffodil and Narcissus
Dutch Iris
Freesia
- Garden Hyacinth (Hyacinthus)
- Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)
- Corn Lily (Ixia)
- Cape Cowslip (Lachenalia)
- Snowflakes (Leucojum)
- Chincherinchees (Ornithogalum)
- Harlequin Flower (Sparaxis)
- Garden Montbretia (Tritonia)
- Watsonia
- Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia)
Western Cape Wonders: April Gardening in Winter Rainfall Regions
April and May are prime planting months in the Western Cape! Enjoy the cooler weather and get your garden buzzing:
- Fynbos Focus: Autumn is the ideal time to plant fynbos as soon as the soil cools down and before the winter rains truly begin.
- Sow & Plant Now: A fantastic selection awaits! Consider these for vibrant displays:
- Cape-forget-me-not (Anchusa)
- Renoster arctotis (Arctotis)
- English daisy (Bellis)
- Bokbaai vygies
- Pot marigold (Calendula)
- Cineraria
- Delphinium
- Dianthus
- Foxgloves
- Felicia
- Godetia
- Gazania
- Larkspur
- Linaria
- Lobelia
- Lupin
- Nemesia
- Nasturtiums
- African daisies
- Nigella
- Pansy and viola (Plant with care, avoiding full sun to prevent scorching on hot days.)
- Iceland poppy
- Penstemon
- Phlox
- Primula
- Primroses
- Ranunculus
- Salvia
- Scabiosa
- Schizanthus
- Snapdragons
- Stocks
- Shirley poppy
- Ursinia
- Virginian stocks
- Veggie Patch Power: Late summer and autumn are perfect for sowing cabbage, oriental cabbages, mustard, kale, kohlrabi, and turnips. You can also sow celery, beetroot, broad beans, peas, Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, leeks, onions, spring onions, carrots, radishes, parsnips, and parsley.
- Essential Autumn Chores:
- Mulch: Protect your soil from heavy rains.
- Feed the Lawn: Use a high potassium fertilizer to toughen it up for winter.
- Clear Gutters & Drains: Prepare for the wet season.
- Prune Carefully: Remove dangerous overhanging branches.
- Secure Standards: Ensure your staked plants are stable.
- Address Drainage: Fix any problem areas from last winter.
- Pruning Pointers:
- Prune summer flowering shrubs now, removing straggly growth and dead wood.
- Hydrangea Help: Many gardeners lightly prune mophead hydrangeas at the end of April. [Link to a relevant article on pruning hydrangeas on your website]
- Fuchsia Farewell (for now): Feed your fuchsias one last time with an organic flowering fertilizer and prune them lightly after flowering for a spring head start.
- Perennial Decisions: While many wait until spring, well-drained soil allows for dividing perennials now. Replant only young, healthy growth with added compost and organic 2:3:2. Overcrowded agapanthus, daylilies, shasta and michaelmas daisies, penstemon, and ajuga can be lifted and divided this month.
Subtropical Success: Planting in Summer Rainfall Regions
Autumn is your prime time for establishing both flower and vegetable gardens! Embrace the cooler temperatures:
- Summer Veggie Extension: Continue sowing the full range of traditional summer vegetables. Cool-season crops can be sown 4-6 weeks later than in cooler regions. [Link to your tips for growing veggies in subtropical regions]
- Don’t Delay These: If you haven’t already, sow long-cropping vegetables like tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, baby marrows, sweet peppers, chillies, cucumbers, eggplants, parsley, and Swiss chard.
- Cool Season Crops are Calling: It’s also time to sow cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, oriental cabbages, broad beans, onions, spring onions, leeks, parsnips, peas, radish, turnips, carrots, beetroot, green beans, and lettuce. Don’t forget Cape gooseberries!
- Flower Power Planting: Plant bulbs like anemones, ranunculus, and freesias. Sow or plant annuals including:
- African daisies
- Cape-forget-me-not (Anchusa)
- Renoster arctotis (Arctotis)
- Asters
- Amaranthus
- Begonias
- Bokbaai vygies
- Pot marigold (Calendula)
- Cornflowers
- Cineraria
- Dianthus
- Dahlia
- Delphinium
- Godetia
- Larkspur
- Linaria
- Marigold
- Nemesia
- Nicotiana
- Primula
- Pansy and viola
- Sweet peas
- Iceland poppy
- Shirley poppies
- Ornamental cabbage
- Candytuft
- Petunia
- Phlox
- Rudbeckia
- Salvia
- Stocks
- Snapdragons
- Torenia
- Zinnia
- Virginian stocks
- Time for Trees & Shrubs: While dormancy isn’t total, slower growth makes April ideal for planting trees and shrubs, allowing them to establish roots before the summer rains.
- Pruning Wisdom: Prune deciduous trees now that their leaves have fallen. You can also prune summer flowering shrubs (unless it’s purple wreath or yesterday-today-and-tomorrow).
- Lawn Care Lowdown: Mow less frequently (every 10 days) and water regularly. Feed every six weeks with a balanced, high-nitrogen organic fertilizer.
- Perennial Prep: Tidy up your perennial plants and check hibiscus for woodborer.
- Granadilla Goodness: Plant new granadillas and feed existing ones.
- Propagating Power: Take cuttings of crotons, fuchsias, and geraniums to root in equal parts acid compost and river sand.
Dry, Semi-Arid & Continental Care: Preparing for a Spring Spectacle
April is a crucial month! Prepare now for a beautiful spring flower garden, as winter and spring are your prime growing seasons:
- Cooler Weather Planting: As soon as it cools down, start sowing or planting winter flowers and vegetables like alyssum, Californian poppy, Iceland poppy, candytuft, gaillardia, baby snapdragon, primula, snapdragons, and candytuft. Be mindful of scorching pansies and violas on hot autumn days.
- Direct Sow Success: Sow African daisies, Bokbaai vygies, pot marigold (Calendula), cornflowers, stocks, and Virginian stocks directly into well-prepared beds.
- Brak Garden Bonus: Hollyhocks thrive in salty water gardens – sow them now!
- Sweet Pea Dreams: Sow sweet peas this month. In frosty regions, prepare trenches for May planting with plenty of compost, old kraal manure, agricultural lime, and bone meal. In very cold areas, wait until June or July to sow peas.
- Autumn Veggies: Late summer and autumn are ideal for sowing cabbage, oriental cabbages, mustard, kale, and kohlrabi. Depending on frost, you can also sow beetroot, broad beans, carrots, Swiss chard, spinach, leeks, late-season onions, spring onions, lettuce, radish, turnips, and parsnips.
- March Must-Haves (Checklist): Ensure you’ve completed your March tasks like the final 3:1:5 feeding and mulching, especially in cold areas.
- Lawn Less is More: Reduce mowing frequency and raise the blade height for winter protection.
- Frost Protection: Cover tender plants at the first sign of frost.
- Watering Wisdom: Always water in the morning during winter.
- Tree & Shrub Tips: Clay soils need less watering. Yellow leaves don’t always mean lack of water – overwatering is often the culprit!
- Perennial Prep: Tidy up perennials, but in very cold regions, wait until spring to lift and divide them.
Temperate & Highveld Triumphs: Getting Ready for Winter & Spring
As the weather cools, it’s time to plant those winter and spring beauties:
- Direct Sow Delights: Sow Bokbaai vygies, African daisies (Namaqualand daisies), calendula, cornflowers, Virginian stocks, and nemesia directly into prepared beds.
- Sweet Pea Strategy: Sow sweet peas now. In frosty areas, prepare trenches for May planting. Watch out for scorching pansies and violas on hot days. If you don’t get severe frost, enjoy petunias through winter!
- Seedling Sensations: So many wonderful seedlings to choose from: aquilegia, alyssum, English daisy (Bellis perennis), candytuft, cineraria, delphinium, dianthus, Cape-forget-me-not (Anchusa), foxgloves, gazania, Iceland poppy, baby snapdragon (Linaria), lobelia, lupin, primula, primroses, stocks, snapdragons, and ursinia.
- Veggie Victory: In cold regions, April is perfect for planting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, broad beans, beetroot, cabbage, oriental cabbages, kale, kohlrabi, celery, cauliflower, leeks, carrots, lettuce, mustard, onions, spring onions, radish, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips, parsnips, and parsley.
- Pea Patience: In very cold areas, wait until June or July to sow peas.
- Nurturing Seedlings: If you started early, feed young vegetable seedlings with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Plant them out while the soil is still warm.
- March Reminders: Double-check that you’ve completed your final 3:1:5 feeding and mulching.
- Lawn Love in Autumn: Mow less and raise the blade height.
- Frost First Aid: Cover tender plants at the first sign of frost.
- Morning Hydration: Water in the mornings during winter.
- Planting Powerhouses: April is a great month for planting hardy trees, shrubs, and roses.
- Perennial Partnering: Divide your hardy perennials, replanting only young, healthy growth with added compost and organic 2:3:2. In very cold regions, tidy up perennials, but wait until spring to divide.
Ready to Grow? Visit Grow Folk Today!
This is just a taste of the exciting gardening opportunities April brings. For more in-depth information, specific plant care guides, and a wide range of gardening essentials, head over to our website: https://growfolk.co.za/
Let’s make this autumn and the seasons ahead our most flourishing yet!
Happy Gardening!
The Grow Folk Team
