Gardening

February 2000 Table of Contents

GARDENING
by Jack Hardy

It has been a wonderful vegetable growing season so far, but we must remember that any seeds we plant in February will mature in much warmer weather. Move to tropical and heat-resistant varieties of your favourite veggies to take you into the summer months.

In the flower beds, gradually move away from Impatiens and start planting New Guinea Impatiens, which can take the summer heat. Now is a good time to put in Calladium bulbs for a summer-long show of gorgeous coloured leaves that will re-appear year after year. Don't forget annuals such as petunias, vincas, zinnias and cosmos. Plant pentas if you are willing to water them regularly.

Much of our tropical colour comes from sprawling vines. Find a sunny location and support for Thunbergia (Blue Sky Flower) and other extravagant flowering beauties. Once established, they are easy to maintain.

We will soon be experiencing the new growth of spring, so prune your Annonas (Sugar apple, Soursop, etc) as fruits are produced on new growth only. Plenty of new growth, plenty of fruit. Fertilize your trees after pruning, but leave the fertilizing of citrus trees for another month or so. Avocado and Mango trees can also be fertilized.

Do you still have some wan-looking Poinsettia plants in the same containers you bought before Christmas? Prune them back severely and separate the plants. Christmas pots often have three or four plants. Plant them out separately in a sunny location away from artificial lighting and they will soon turn into small shrubs with magnificent foliage. Next season they will reward you with an outdoor Christmas show, one that will last much longer than the potted plants were able to maintain.

Now is also the time to sow watermelon seeds. When summer comes, you'll be so glad you did. Another incentive: Have you seen the price of watermelons in recent years? Watermelons like sandy soil and lots of low nitrogen fertilizer.

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