Newsletter – April 2026
Embrace the Autumn Planting Season
🌿 Essential Garden Maintenance
- The Golden Rule of Cleanup: While it’s tempting to clear everything, try to keep weeding to a minimum. Leave seed heads for the birds and fallen leaves to rot down naturally—they provide vital cover for local wildlife.
- Disease Control: Act quickly to destroy any diseased plant material. However, all other healthy green waste should be added to your compost heap.
- Soil Preparation: Now is the time to feed your future garden. Work in generous amounts of compost, manure, and organic matter to revitalize the soil.
- Watering & Mulching: Don’t let your pots and containers dry out; check them daily for wilting. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the garden, and ensure the bases of trees and shrubs are kept clear of grass.
🌸 Planting & Pruning
This is the ultimate month for planting! Whether you are adding shrubs, trees, perennials, climbers, or bulbs, remember to check that the root ball is moist before it goes into the ground. If it’s dry, plunge it into a bucket of water first.
- Trees: Stake young trees to protect them from autumn winds.
- Pruning: Trim tall shrubs and conifers, but be careful not to cut into old wood.
- Roses: Remove any unproductive or diseased stems and provide support for new shoots in windier spots.
đźšś Lawn Care
The lawn is still growing, so continue to mow once a fortnight with the blades set high. If you haven’t started your autumn renovation, now is the time to:
- Scarify and aerate.
- Repair patches and apply top dressing.
- Feed with a low-nitrogen autumn lawn food.
- Sow new seed or lay fresh turf while conditions are optimal.
🥗 The Edible Garden
Harvesting & Storing
It’s time to clear the summer crops. Harvest everything left in the veggie patch. Dig up potatoes, carrots, and beetroot, allowing them to dry before storing. For pumpkins and squashes, leave them in the sun for a few days to harden their skins before moving them indoors.
Vegetable Bed Prep
Once a space is cleared, dig it over with plenty of compost. Pro Tip: Leave the roots of peas and beans in the ground! They provide valuable nitrogen. Simply cut the stems for the compost and earmark those spots for leafy greens later.
What to Plant Now:
| Category | Varieties |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | Winter lettuce, onions, cabbage, garlic, and broad beans (in mild areas). |
| Herbs | Mint, parsley, and chives for winter harvesting. |
| Fruit | New strawberry plants (remember to water regularly!). |
Kind Regards / Groete
Pick-Me Nursery Online Team
Mobile / Whatsapp: 076-562-4650
Email: info@pickmenursery.co.za