Groundcovers – Time and money savers in every garden

Groundcovers – Time and money savers in every garden

I firmly believe that a garden is for pleasure, to present a pretty picture when looking out from the house, and to provide a space for its occupants to relax and be one with nature. This can be hard to achieve, as we all (probably) suffer from a lack of time to deal with weeding, staking or watering in hot, dry weather. The cost of gardening is also something that concerns most of us. However, there is something easy to do if we want interest and colour in the garden during the different seasons of the year, and this can be achieved by planting groundcovers. 

What is a groundcover?

Groundcovers serve the same purpose in a garden as carpets do indoors. They are low growing plants with a spreading habit that provides a rapid and dense cover. These spreading plants add quick, attractive seasonal colour, provide a hiding place for tiny creatures, and are low on maintenance as they only need a trim after flowering.

A mulch of organic matter after flowering will keep plants healthy. Also, be on the lookout for slugs and snails as the very nature of the growth of groundcovers encourages slugs and snails to breed.

Value of groundcovers

∞ They are effective for covering the bare soil between newly planted trees and shrubs.

∞ They are essential in coastal gardens to bind sandy soil, especially during heavy rains and strong winds, preventing soil erosion. Groundcovers are also the best plants to plant on slopes. They help to slow water when it rains, enabling the soil to absorb more water.

∞ They cut down on maintenance by reducing weed re-growth.

∞ Increasing moisture retention in the root zone and help to keep the soil cool. Acting as a living mulch for plants in their vicinity.

∞ It can be planted between paving to soften the landscape and be more environmentally friendly.

∞ Shade-loving groundcovers are invaluable for ornamenting the ground under trees. Those with light variegated foliage lighten up dark shady areas.

∞ Groundcover can be planted in containers and hanging baskets.

How to choose a groundcover

When selecting plants for a groundcover, it is essential to consider the climate and the soil. Groundcover is planted to beautify the garden. Not for a season, but for as long as you wish to have them. Spending proper time on the soil preparation before planting will ensure healthy growth and reduce the time and money required for later maintenance. Remember to plant them in well-draining soil with compost added.

Choosing the correct ground cover for an area

The following lists have been compiled to assist gardeners in choosing the right groundcovers to suit their climatic conditions and introduce variety in form and colour from season to season.

Groundcovers for dry gardens in full sun:

Aptenia cordifolia

Arctotis species

Bulbine frutescens

Crassula species

Carpobrotus species

Delosperma species

Helichrysum cymosum

Osteospermum species

Gazania species

Portulacaria prostrata

Pelargonium species

Lampranthus species

Dymondia margaretae

Aptenia cordifolia
Aptenia cordifolia

Groundcovers for coastal gardens:

Aptenia cordifolia

Arctotis species

Bulbine frutescens

Carpobrotus species

Crassula species

Drosanthemum species

Felicia species

Geranium incanum

Osteospermum species

Pelargonium species

Tetragonia decumbens

Gazania species

Portulacaria prostrata

Gazania species
Gazania species

Groundcovers for shady places:

Asparagus densifloris ‘Mazeppa’ and Asparagus ‘Meyersii’

Crassula multicava

Plectranthus species

Rhiocicssus tomentosa

Chlorophytum comosum and Chlorophytum comosum Variegated

Sutera cordata (Chaenostoma cordatum)

Crassula spathulata and Crassula pellucida

Crassula multicava
Crassula multicava

Groundcovers that are selected carefully for texture or colour will:

  • tie the garden together, giving it an established and well-maintained look
  • linking the bigger shrubs and trees together
  • accent focal points
  • fill gaps
  • provide unity

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Kniphofia – The Torch in my garden

Kniphofia – The Torch in my garden

Common name: Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily, African Flame flower, Devil’s poker

Kniphofia is herbaceous perennials that are freely grown in gardens, and the beautiful, showstopping flowers picked are excellent for putting in a vase. They are easy to grow plants and prefer full sun for the best blooms. Being virtually disease-free and drought tolerant, Kniphofia’s provide attractive vertical accents in any garden. In addition, they have a wide range of flowering times as there are winter flowering (Kniphofia praecox) and summer flowering (Kniphofia uvaria) species, adding eye-catching colour to any garden throughout the year. 

Kniphofia – A sugarbird lover!

Kniphofias prefer well-draining soil enriched with compost. They are generally tough perennials, but poor drainage is one of the few things that will kill them. Water well after planting but once established, Kniphofia have modest water needs. Once a year, after flowering mulch with compost to promote blooms for the next flowering season.

Kniphofias are primarily used in mixed borders, water edges, mass planting or indigenous gardens. Their drought tolerance makes them suitable for use in rock gardens. They also tolerate wind well. They attract butterflies and bees and are a favourite of sunbirds and sugarbirds. Snails love to make a nest in the bases of the leaves, especially in wintertime.

Not a fan of the extreme cold!

The arching, tapering leaves are long and narrow. Rootstock is fibrous and forms a dense mat below the ground. Kniphofia plants should not be divided or transplanted more often than necessary because they take up to one year to settle down after being separated. Also, Kniphofias will not tolerate extreme cold.

Kniphofia

The most beautiful flower for the garden

Kniphofias have tubular flowers arranged in a tapering spike near the top of a firm, erect stalk. The flowers commence opening at the spike base while the buds are still closed at the top. Remove spent flowers to encourage more blooms. Kniphofia praecox, which starts flowering in May into June and July, flower buds are scarlet, opening into yellow flowers. The leaves are yellowish-green and with smooth edges. Kniphofia uvaria flowers buds are orange and open into vivid yellow flowers on longer flower stalks than Kniphofia praecox. The dark green foliage has sharply serrated edges.

If you are looking for a stunning evergreen plant to add an accent to your sunny garden, you must definitely consider the indigenous Kniphofia.

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What is wrong with my Aloe? – Aloe mite

What is wrong with my Aloe? – Aloe mite

All species of Aloes are easy to grow and care for, and to raise an Aloe plant you only need sun and a little bit of water. But, unfortunately, the Aloe has a natural enemy that cannot be seen with the naked eye and sadly, the ugly trail of destruction is hard to miss. The Aloe Mite.

Aloe mite

This enemy is the eriohyid mite (Aceria aloinis) that goes by many different names like Aloe mite, Aloe cancer, Aloe wart, Aloe gall or Witch’s Broom. As the many names suggest, the effect of these mites on the plant is not pretty and causes tumour-like growths. Mites are arachnids, which makes them related to spiders, but this is where the resemblance stops. Spiders usually have 8 legs and are fast movers, but this mite only has 4 legs, is worm-like, and is slow. They inject a chemical into the plant that causes these cancerous growths that we call gall, wart or cancer. 

Identification

Unfortunately, the only way to tell if a plant is infected is to see the abnormal tissue growth. The Aloe mites are attracted to rapidly growing tissues, and that is why the first sign of this mite is new inflorescence that emerges from the plants all crooked and bent. Abnormal, distorted growth tends to form more at the leaf centre of the leaf rosettes, makes a bubbly fringe on older leaves edges, and green-orange growths at the base of leaves.

Treatment

Killing the mites is easy, but the problem is getting to the mite underneath the cancerous growth where they are protected against pesticides. The Aloe mite infection is controlled by carving these galls off the Aloe with a sharp knife. The infected tissue must be immediately thrown in the trash (NOT on the compost heap) or burned. Cover the cuts with cinnamon as that will help heal the wound. Blue Death Powder can also be applied by painting it with a small brush onto the fresh wound. BUT please remember that this is toxic to humans and animals!!!! Keep on looking for any new deformities. Clean the knife between every cut with bleach as the mite can be spread from one leaf or plant to another. Also, clean your hands afterwards as it also can be spread by handling uninfected plants thereafter.

Aloe mites are also easily spread by wind. If the infestation is severe, dispose of the entire plant because it is a breeding ground.

Prevention

When buying new Aloe plants, always look for uninfected plants, or buy an Aloe that is naturally resistant to Aloe mite like Aloe suprafoliata. Check plants often for early signs of deformation, saving your plant and your garden. If you are an Aloe collector or have a rare and valuable specimen, visit your nursery for preventive miticide that has to be applied before infestation.

Treating Aloe mite can be labour intensive. You need to identify it early and do something about the cancerous growth. Remember, even if you don’t mind the growth on your Aloes it is best to remove it as it will spread to your other Aloes.

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Carissa macrocarpa – the flower as pretty as its name!

Carissa macrocarpa – the flower as pretty as its name!

Carissa macrocarpa/Common names: Natal plum, Num-num, Amatungulu

Where will you find this beauty?

Carissa macrocarpa grows naturally in the coastal forest and dunes from Eastern Cape to Kwazulu Natal, making this a tremendous coastal plant.

Need a pretty hedge? Plant the Carissa macrocarpa

It is an evergreen, ornamental shrub with handsome glossy leaves which is wind resistant. Although it usually forms a dense thorny shrub, it may also grow into a small tree, especially in Kwazulu Natal. If planted close together, it will create a thick, impenetrable hedge. It can be pruned into shape or as a clipped hedge.

Want to make some jam?

The glossy leaves are dark green and oval-shaped, and the stems have long thorns. Starry, sweetly scented white flowers appear in spring and summer followed by ornamental, tomato-coloured  fruits rich in vitamin C. These are edible and may be made into jelly and jam.

No need to hide from the sun!

Carissa macrocarpa is relatively slow-growing if not planted in warmer, more humid areas. When pruned, white sap will appear on the wound. It prefers full sun but can tolerate light shade. It grows pretty quickly in good garden soil enriched with compost and needs regular watering in the summer in the winter rainfall area.  An organic mulch once a year will keep plants healthy.

Carissa macrocarpa

Perfect for low maintenance all year round.

It is a good container plant and a good landscaping plant for low maintenance coastal gardens, hedges, or mass planting.  It is, however frost tender, but attracts birds, bees and butterflies to the garden.

Carissa macrocarpa “Green Carpet” is the dwarf Num-num that grows up to 30 centimetres in height and spread evenly, making it an excellent groundcover with its smaller leaves, flowers and fruit.

Carissa species are one of South Africas tough, hardy plants that is worthwhile to plant.

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The Prettiest Perennial for any garden!

The Prettiest Perennial for any garden!

Leonotis leonurus – Common names: Wild dagga, Lion’s ear

There is no other plant that announces the arrival of autumn more than Leonotis leonurus with its long plumes of bright orange flowers that blends well with all the autumn colours. 

The colourful favourite – Leonotis leonurus

This colourful perennial has become a firm favourite in gardens and is very easy to grow. It attracts sunbirds, bees and butterflies to the garden to feast on the nectar-rich flowers in autumn and winter.  Leonotis leonurus occursnaturally in the Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng, making Leonotis a go-to plant for landscaping uses.

Watch out for the sharp edges

Leonotis is a fast-growing shrub with long, roughly hairy leaves that taper with serrated edges.  It is highly aromatic and has a robust herby scent, characteristic of the mint family—the plant branches at the base into erect, reedy stems that grow up to 2 metres. The stems are brittle and break easily in strong winds. The top half of the stems bear clusters of tubular, bright orange flowers that encircle the stems and appears at intervals along the length of the stem. After flowering, at the end of winter, prune back hard and apply a thick layer of organic mulch to stimulate vigorous growth and retain youthfulness. 

The plant for all seasons

Leonotis leonurusis widely suitable for mixed borders, country garden, fynbos, grassland and rockery garden themes in full sun. It will do best in well-drained soil with plenty of compost added. Water well in summer. Fast-growing and both frost and drought hardy.  It is seldom attacked by pest or disease.

Leonotis leonurus

Leonotis leonurus is and has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments. Tea made from the flowers is used to treat sore throats, high blood pressure and asthma.  Strong infusions made from leaves, twigs, and flowers are used to treat skin problems and relieve sore muscles if added to a bath. Leonotis leonurus generally grown has bright orange flowers, but there is also a form with ivory-white flowers available. Both make excellent cut flowers. 

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What are your plants trying to tell you?

What are your plants trying to tell you?

Although healthy plants are easy to maintain in suitable soil and climate, they occasionally need protection against pests.  Like people, if feeling poorly, a plant has a way of letting you know what is wrong.  Leaves may droop, holes may appear, or growth may stop. A quick, accurate diagnosis is half the battle in controlling the problem before it gets out of hand.

Please continue to read to discover the most common pest in our gardens and easy remedies for beautiful plants.

Mealy Bugs

White woolly spots appear on stems, at junctions of stems and leaves, generally in any area hidden from bright light. Mealy bugs are insects covered with white powdery wax and suck plant juices from the plants. They excrete honeydew on which a sooty black fungus may form.

Easy remedy: when there are only a few, dip a cotton wool earbud in alcohol or methylated spirits and rub them off. For heavier infestation, spray the plants with soapy (Sunlight Liquid) water.

Red Spider Mite and your plants

Leaves show pale yellow speckles, then slowly turning yellow, and in time the plants become stunted and die. These eight-legged pests are a particular nuisance during dry, hot periods. They are small and red, hardly visible, and live under the leaves spinning delicate white webs. They feed by sucking the sap from the plants.

Control by a direct spray with water from a garden hose pipe.

Aphids:

These tiny plant lice are about 3 mm long and can be green, brown or black, and assemble on soft young tips or leaves’ underside. They are usually wingless and suck the plant’s sap. They cause leaves and buds to wither and stunt the growth of the plants. Leaves and stems become shiny and sticky to the touch. Aphids are generally active when days are hot and nights are cool. 

Control aphids by picking them off or knocking them off with a strong water stream of a garden hose pipe.

Scale:

When your plant becomes stunted and stems and leaves are often sticky to the touch, look on leaves’ underside and plant stems. Your plants are probably infested with scale. Their yellowish (when young) or brown colour makes them hard to see until the infestation is severe. They look like small oval shells and assemble in dense colonies where they sap the plant’s strength by sucking its juices. Scale also excretes a mould forming honeydew.

Control by gently scrub the scale off the leaves and stems using a cotton wool earbud dipped in alcohol or methylated spirits.

Caterpillars:

Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies and moths and often show up in our gardens in late summer and early autumn. They can ravage plant leaves but they’ll usually stick to one kind of plant. They are a very hungry and mostly unwelcome guest in the garden, especially on plants like arum lilies, Clivias and Agapanthus. They will eat holes in your leaves, typically overnight. They do have plenty of natural predators like wasps and birds.

Control caterpillars by picking them off your plants and looking for their eggs on the leaves’ underside, and removing them with a strong flush of water.

If all else fails

If flushing with water or swapping pest with a cotton wool earbud does not help, contact your nursery for an organic spray. Heavy infestations sometimes need harsher intervention but always avoid insecticides that might kill beneficial insects and pollinators like bees. We need them for a healthy earth.

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Autumn in your Garden

Autumn in your Garden

Autumn in your garden is like a spring in your step!

Autumn colours are one of nature’s marvels.  Yellow and orange are the colours of sunshine and life, full of vibrance, highlighting the beginning of a new season. And red, well red is eye-catching and courageous, making Autumn brilliant, exciting and cheerful.

With this colourful time in your garden come days that are cooling down, softer sunlight and unpredictable weather.

It is important to remember that your gardening should not stop in the autumn months. Autumn is the time to prepare your garden for winter and prepping it for the following spring.

Start a compost heap this Autumn

Compost is organic gold, and with all the colourful leaves, grass clippings, dead flowers and plants, there will be enough organic matter to start with. (Remember not to throw weeds or diseased plants on your compost heap).

Divide perennials

Autumn is the best time to divide overgrown, summer-flowering perennials like wild garlic, Agapanthus, Dietes and daylilies so new roots can get a chance to establish themselves before the winter really starts. Remember to prepare soil in advance with compost and put some bone meal (good root starter) in each hole, and water well.

Compost

By giving a layer of compost in the Autumn, you ensure that plants have all the nutrients they need for winter. Compost will also help to aerate the soil; it will improve drainage and encourage earthworms and micro-organisms in your garden.

Pruning and Watering

Cut back all summer flowering perennials like Salvia, lavender bushes, Fuchsias and daisy bushes. Cut back all dead growth, twigs and branches.

Remember to set irrigation in your garden on less watering and reduce the amount of water you give to your house plants.

Lawn care

Keep lawn weed-free and feed with a phosphorous rich fertilizer to promote a healthy root system before the winter weather arrives. Remove fallen leaves from your lawn regularly as they deprive the lawn of light, causing it to die off and create brown patches.

Planting for spring

Seedlings and bulbs can be planted in early Autumn. Some bulbs like Watsonia’s and Chasmanthe can be planted as early as March. If it is still too hot in your area to plant spring bulbs, buy them while they are available and keep them in a cool, dry place.  New plantings will establish good root growth before slowing down in winter.

Check for the unwelcome guest in your garden

Watch out for weeds that will germinate after the first winter rains and with the cooler weather. Snails, caterpillars and aphids love the cooler nights and warm days. Keep a lookout for them, spray them off your plants with water, or ask at your local nursery for a recommended organic spray.

The best part is that next spring, your efforts will be rewarded with a garden that comes alive and will look better than ever!

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Wonderful World of String Succulents

Wonderful World of String Succulents

Succulents are so varied in shape and size, but the wonderful world of string succulents, well, these are just beautiful!

Look how pretty!

Succulents are long-lasting, beautiful, unique, low maintenance, truly amazing and beautiful plants! Succulents with trailing or hanging growing habits are growing more and more in popularity and add a lot of charm and character to every garden or home.

Caring for them is as easy as 1,2,3

String succulents are similar to other succulents when it comes to their care but differ in appearance, form, colour, blooms and size. Their growth habit makes them excellent for indoor or outdoor hanging baskets, container gardening, and instrumental in vertical gardens.

Succulents

Don’t overwater and keep your hand on pruning!

They need well-drained soil and a bright shade (when indoors, put them near a sunny window). They are sensitive to overwatering, and damp soil can cause root rot. The soil should dry out completely between watering, and they should be fertilized once a month with a liquid fertilizer (or half-strength compose tea) in summer and spring. Prune back any stems that are looking straggly to keep plants neat.

Proudly South African!

Strings are proudly South African plants and occur naturally in the Western and Eastern Cape. The string family has so much character and worth falling in love with. Always remember that they are toxic to our house pets and humans.

Here is some info on string plants we have available at our Succulent Trading Post @ Klein Joostenberg:

String of pearls/peas – Senecio rowleyanus

This beautiful trailing succulent receives its common name from the size and shape of its small, round, pea-like, green leaves that are lined on its stems. Trumpet-shaped flowers appear in summer and are small, nearly white and fragrant. 

String of beads or tears – Senecio herreianus

String of beads’ trailing stems is lined with oval, curved green pointed leaves. Fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers are small in white to nearly white and appear from spring to summer.

String of bananas or fishhooks – Senecio radicans 

Being relatively hardy, these are great strings to start your collection with. They are tough, fast-growing and mostly trouble-free. They can also tolerate full sun if given protection from the extreme afternoon sun. 

String of dolphins – Senecio peregrinus

This rare succulent with lush green leaves that looks like tiny dolphins jumping out of the waves is quirky and unique. The longer the stems get, the more leaves you have! White flowers with a tinge of pink in spring and summer.

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Stachys Aethiopica – A South African Beauty

Stachys Aethiopica – A South African Beauty

African Stachys, Katbossie. The hardy all-year-round beauty

This evergreen, hardy and fast-growing groundcover occur naturally in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Kwazulu-Natal, in full sun to shade. It appears delicate, but is very tough, particularly when in full bloom. The African Stachys mainly blossoms in spring, but with a few flowers almost year-round.

Perfect for summer and winter

African Stachys aethiopica can be planted under large trees, used as an edging along the informal garden border, to cover a shady bank or in hanging baskets or containers. It is also a good fynbos garden plant. For best results plant in well-drained, compost-enriched soil and water regularly. Mulch with compost once a year in spring. Once established, it is frost and drought hardy.

Strong smelling means no pests!

Being from the mint family (Lamiaceae) the stems are short, stiff and 4-sided with egg-shaped to triangular leaves with a toothed margin and soft green in color. The leaves are intensely aromatic and hairy. Because of these hairy and fragrant leaves, the African Stachys do not have any major pests. The flowers are spikes of tiny tubular white to pale mauve flowers with a few darker spots. This spreading groundcover is very attractive during spring when in full bloom and attracts bees, butterflies, and birds to the garden. Remember any plant that attracts these helpful insects are lovely to have in your garden as they ensure pollination and distribution of the seeds from the other plants or flowers in your garden.

After flowering trim back to encourage bushier plants and also longer flowering season.

African Stachys

Good for the garden and for you

This African Stachys is used as a medicine to cure feverish delirium, influenza and liver disorders. This hardy plant can also be used for internal haemorrhoids as well as gynaecological problems.

Stachys aethiopica is an attractive groundcover for both sun and shade; it is low maintenance and is an excellent addition to any water-wise garden. Hardy and long-lasting, beautiful all year round.

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Stoebe plumosa – The Perfect Garden Plant

Stoebe plumosa – The Perfect Garden Plant

Stoebe plumosa – the perfect garden plant for all seasons

Growing up, we had a lot of respect for the Stoebe plumosa plants in our garden on our farm, because of its common name, slangbos. Fortunately, however contradictory to what we believed, there weren’t any snakes in the bushes.

Where will we find these plants?

Stoebe plumosa is indigenous to South Africa and occurs naturally in the Western Cape on rocky flats and slopes. The foliage is famous in the florist industry (especially around Christmas time) and provides attractive, long-lasting colour for the vase, straight out the garden. The foliage can be used fresh or dried, and combined with other fynbos it makes beautiful indigenous flower arrangements. Traditionally it is used as a remedy for stomach ache, intestinal worms and heart problems.

Stoebe plumosa

How to identify these beauties?

Stoebe plumosa has a striking colour, and provides an interesting and long-lasting contrast in the garden.  This sprawling, softly woody shrub grows up to 1 metre in height, its leaves are minute and granular in appearance and form tufts on the main stem or short shoots. The grey-silver foliage appears woolly and soft. The light colour reflects the sunlight, which reduces water loss. The plant is well adapted to survive the dry summers of the Western Cape. Spike-like inflorescence in golden brown or purplish appears at the end of the longest stems in late autumn to early winter. It is an aromatic plant that yields a volatile oil and is seldom eaten by stock in the wild.

The perfect bedding plant

Plant in full sun, well-drained soil enriched with compost, and keep it neat by pruning in early spring. Plant with fynbos and small shrubs with similar requirements, as Stoebe plumosa/Slangbos is truly drought resistant and low maintenance. For best effect, plant in groups. By providing woolly foliage for nesting, it attracts birds to the garden and a variety of insects. The outdoor enthusiast will testify that the plant makes excellent bedding material!

Slangbos is indeed a beautiful addition to any garden and particularly a truly ornamental plant that is very hardy.

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