January in the garden

Did you know that 2014 is the International Year of Family Farming? There has never been a better time to start a kitchen garden, plant an edible hedge along the boundary of your property, dot a few fruit trees around your garden, pot up some containers for your patio with dwarf fruit specimens or herbs and if you’ve only got a balcony, to start your very own edible vertical garden! Such exciting times!

It’s important that you check with your local accredited garden centre what is best for your area. Especially if you’re a first timer, you’ll want to make sure you get the best possible advice to ensure that you’re indulging in your own produce in no time!

A kitchen garden would not be complete without rocket, basil and parsley, so why not start with them? These cover the basic herbs you need for cooking, salads, sauces and sandwiches while providing a variety of garnish options for the more aspirational chef!

A countrywide winner as an edible hedge that’s available in January is the Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa), more often called Noem-Noem. This hardy shrub has edible berries that birds love and will even still be there the morning after the storm in the windiest parts of South Africa.

If your patio or balcony is wanting for a pot with something sweet planted in it, then you should give Calamondin a try. Calamondin is a cross between a naartjie and kumquat. Small like a kumquat, sweet like a naartjie, small enough for a balcony, can grow in all parts of the country and should be available in your garden centre in January!

Eastern Cape:

If you’re based in the Eastern Cape and can’t get hold of Calamondin then Eureka lemon is another great dwarf tree for your patio or balcony. Just remember that either way, because of the high humidity levels to take extra care when it comes to any citrus varieties with regards to pests.

Some fruit trees available in January for the Eastern Cape garden:

• Pears
• Peaches
• Mangoes
• Blueberries
• Olives

Some hot and spicy January veggie seedlings available to kick start your kitchen garden:

• Onions
• Spring Onions
• Green Peppers
• Chilies
• Leeks

Free State:

Of all the provinces, Free State is probably the most extreme, having very cold winters and incredibly hot summers. January is one of those times when the heat is intense and the water table is low. Any plants that have an aggressive root system will do exceptionally well, relative to any others, because they will reach and find water.

Oom Sarel, the Yellow Peach, is one of those fruit trees every Free State garden should have because it is hardier than the other peaches and with its aggressive root system it thrives in this climate. The Fruit Salad Tree is more often grown as a shrub but is also hardy and at a height of 1-7m, can be grown into a small tree.

Edible hedges available in January in the Free State:

• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Fruit Salad Tree – Feijoa Sellowiana

Vegetable Seedlings to start your Free State edible garden:

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Strawberries in Containers

Gauteng:

In January, the word parched comes to mind. It is a very hot and dry time so watering is essential for anything new that you plant, especially vegetable and herb seedlings. Using mulch on your garden beds is a wonderful way to conserve water so pick some up while you’re picking out your produce. Ask your friendly garden centre staff what berry bushes are available to make an edible hedge that will be irresistible to birds this winter.

Some fruit trees for the bigger Gauteng garden:

• Peaches
• Plums
• Pears
• Pomegranates Fruiting
• Avocado Fuerte

Some veggies to start your kitchen garden:

• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Green Peppers
• Chilies
• Lettuce

Kwa-Zulu Natal:

Heat and humidity are a way of life in Kwa-Zulu Natal so if you’re planting veggies and herbs remember that watering is very important and make sure their soil does not dry out. Watering is a balancing act at times, so water at about 15:00 when it’s slightly cooler. Not too late though, when there’s not enough time for the excess water to dry up or you could create a great environment for fungi to develop.

Insects also love the heat this time of year, so keep an eye out! Planting sweet basil is a natural way to keep them at bay and it makes a wonderful edible hedge. Rosemary can also be grown as an edible hedge and will delight many of the human senses.

Some fruit trees for the bigger Kwa-Zulu Natal garden:

• Oranges
• Litchis
• Bananas
• Naartjies
• Mangos

Some veggies to start your kitchen garden:

• Green Peppers
• Chilies
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Tomatoes

Western Cape:

January in the Western Cape, much like the rest of the country, will see some of the hottest days all year come and go, so watering is very important … but equally important is conserving water. Western Cape are no strangers to water restrictions so watering out of habit instead of necessity should be avoided.

The heat is accompanied by wind which dries the surface of the soil quite rapidly often making it look like the soil is in need of a good wetting, when in fact, if you prodded with your finger or a wooden spoon you’d see the soil is still quite moist.

The general idea in January would be to water less, but more frequently. So take a short stroll in the garden twice a day instead of a long walk once a day while you water.

Fruity treats for the Western Cape Garden

• Avocado
• Pomegranates
• Peaches

Vegetable Seedlings to kick start your edible garden

• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Lettuce
• Chilies
• Spring Onion

For more information on bringing life to your garden, visit the Life is a Garden website or join the conversation on their Facebook page.