HEAVYWEIGHTS for dry shade
The Gardener|July 2023
Do not let a lack of sunlight combined with dry soil get you down. There are solutions to create vibrant life in these 'problem' areas in a garden and flowering time for most are just around the corner.
Anna Celliers
HEAVYWEIGHTS for dry shade

Evergreen trees or large shrubs with surface root systems bully smaller plants trying to survive beneath them by robbing them of nutrients, moisture and light. And so do the huge hedges and screening plants we have to plant for privacy. They cause the top layers of soil to become lifeless and bone dry.

Dry shade can also be caused by the overhang of a building preventing rain from reaching plant roots especially against southfacing walls - areas that we sometimes neglect to water, believing that a rainy spell would have sorted it out.

As always, there is a lesson to learn from Mother Nature. In dense thickets and forests, you will see underbrush consisting of small shrubs, bulbs, succulents and groundcovers growing quite happily in dry shade. This can be replicated in a garden with the right plant choices, proper soil preparation before planting and good aftercare.

Improve the soil

  • Dig in generous amounts of quality compost to improve water holding capacity and to encourage healthy microorganism activity.
  • Make use of the modern water retention products which keep the soil moist for longer and draws the water and added nutrients down to the roots where it is needed. Apply soil wetting agents regularly in these areas and use polymer planting gels when preparing planting holes for individual plants.

Extra feeding

Realising that the roots of small plants will always be in competition with the roots of big established plants, it makes sense to fertilise them regularly throughout the warm months with a balanced, slow-releasing fertiliser.

Watering

Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av The Gardener.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av The Gardener.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE GARDENERSe alt
FIRE AND Feathers!
The Gardener

FIRE AND Feathers!

On a dreary winter's day, a screen of fiery and feathery leaves puts up a fight against dullness!

time-read
2 mins  |
July/August 2024
GET THE ladies in!
The Gardener

GET THE ladies in!

At this time of year, early-flowering shrubs vie with each other to get the most attention. We say: Trust those with female names for frills and butterflies. They go the extra mile to flower their hearts out.

time-read
1 min  |
July/August 2024
Vegetable Soups and dumplings
The Gardener

Vegetable Soups and dumplings

Vegetables make the most delicious soups and classic combinations are always a winner.

time-read
4 mins  |
July/August 2024
Yummy sweet potatoes for your good health
The Gardener

Yummy sweet potatoes for your good health

Boiled, baked or braaied, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are a delicious and healthy winter comfort food. Just a dollop of butter, a little seasoning and you are good to go.

time-read
3 mins  |
July/August 2024
Pretty and functional
The Gardener

Pretty and functional

If cooking is your main thing, you would probably be more interested in the culinary value of the three herbs and some of their varieties we are describing.

time-read
5 mins  |
July/August 2024
Dried Seedheads & Pods
The Gardener

Dried Seedheads & Pods

Autumn and winter are the best times to see what flowers produce the best seedheads that can be left on the plants to feed the birds and bugs and for harvesting for dried arrangements.

time-read
4 mins  |
July/August 2024
SO MANY FACES and so many choices...
The Gardener

SO MANY FACES and so many choices...

Whoever associated a Cotyledon orbiculata (pig's ear) with the ear of a pig obviously did not know about all the varieties and cultivars this species in the genus Cotyledon has.

time-read
3 mins  |
July/August 2024
COLOURFUL Cold Weather WINNERS!
The Gardener

COLOURFUL Cold Weather WINNERS!

If it comes to a vote, these dependable shrubs will be the top candidates for prime performance in winter and in other seasons...

time-read
5 mins  |
July/August 2024
What makes a garden sustainable?
The Gardener

What makes a garden sustainable?

It is interesting to note that the United Nations defines sustainable development as: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

time-read
4 mins  |
July/August 2024
Nurturing NATURE-The Story of Kraal Garden's Transformation
The Gardener

Nurturing NATURE-The Story of Kraal Garden's Transformation

Nestled within Prince Albert's rustic embrace lies a gem that is a testament to the transformative power of human vision and nature's bounty.

time-read
4 mins  |
July/August 2024