Paint your

Winter Garden
Pallet
AN ONLINE
WORKSHOP ON
FLOWER POWER FOR
YOUR WINTER
GARDEN!
Proudly brought to you by
Greenwitch
-Sue Both-
NOW
is the Time!
If you haven't already done
so, April is the time to plant
annuals for a splash of
winter colour. Winter and
spring flowering seedlings
are available in garden
centres now and if planted
as soon as possible, will be
in flower during the winter
months when the life of your
garden is calling out for
some much-needed colour.
Layer your
Colour
Plant winter-flowering seedlings in
large groups for best effect or
between your spring-flowering
bulbs to give the border added
impact. Remember to place
tall-growing plants at the back
of a bed, and low-growing ones at
the front.
 Plant in Pots
Containers planted up with these
beautiful annuals will also brighten
up patios and entertainment areas.

Not only can you create stunning

focal points with planting your colour
in pots, but you will also save
money.
 Planting the Right Things
in the Right Place
Get the best results from your winter colour by ensuring
that you plant the right things in the right places.

• For sunny places select sun loving plants

• For the shady areas select plants that will flourish with
less direct sunlight.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Prepare the Soil

Before planting the annuals,
prepare the soil well.

Add liberal quantities of compost

and mix it into your planting
areas.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Fertilize
Before digging over the
flowerbed, sprinkle one
handful of planting
fertiliser like Wonder 3:1:5
over each square meter.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Remove
foreign
objects
Remove all grass,
weeds, stone and
debris. Level the
bed with a rake.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Plant in cool
weather
Seedlings should be
planted out on cloudy
days, or in the late
afternoon, to give them
a chance to recover.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Water
Before transplanting, water the
soil well, as well as the
seedlings in their trays.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Removing
the plants
Remove the seedling
carefully so as not to
damage the root. Avoid
pulling it up by the stem;
rather push it gently from
below.
Follow these tips for bedding plant success

Plant
Make a hole in the bed and pop the
seedling in. Make to sure that you
secure the plants by pressing the soil
around the stems down.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

More Water!
Use a fine sprinkler to water the
plants after transplanting. During the
long, dry winter months, it is
important to keep winter annuals
moist, but not wet. Deep, infrequent
watering encourages deep root
growth and is generally better than
frequent, light applications.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Mulch
Add lots of compost on
top of the soil to provide
nutrients and mulch for
the drier winter months.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants
Feed
Foliar fertilising dramatically improves the
performance of bedding plants. Foliar feed
with a half-strength of Multifeed or Nitrosol
mixed with water. This is especially
necessary in areas where root competition
from trees or shrubs is a problem. Large
gardens can be foliar fed quickly and
easily with the aid of a modern mix-nozzle
that can be clipped onto the end of a
hosepipe.
Follow these tips for Bedding Plants

Dead Head
Throughout flowering
time, remove spent
blooms to encourage
more flowers.
What should I plant
now?
FOR SUN
Namaqualand Daisies
Namaqualand daisies are one of the
loveliest garden plants and will bring colour
to any garden. They are useful for rock
gardens, dry banks and the front row of
borders. They are, however, not good for cut
flowers as they close on cloudy days and
remain closed indoors.
What should I plant now?
FOR SUN
Sweet Peas
Sweet Peas are arguably the prettiest
of the autumn seeds with their bright
colours and heavenly scent, not to
mention the fact that they make
gorgeous cut flowers for vases or in
bunches to give to friends. Soak seeds
overnight in water to speed up
germination. Remember to supply
climbing support for the climbing
varieties.
What should I plant now?
FOR SUN
Stocks
Virginian Stocks are extremely easy to
grow. They require very little care and
will grow on any kind of soil and
spot. This wonderful little plant is a great
border, edge of border, or even cracks in
pavement filler, and will fill your garden
with colour.
What should I plant now?
FOR SUN
Delphiniums
Delphiniums are excellent cut flowers, and
if they are grouped together in the garden,
the taller varieties add drama and vertical
accent to mixed flower beds, and the dwarf
forms are equally graceful and charming in
their own way, making wonderful bedding
and border plants for gardens small and
large.
What should I plant now?
FOR SUN
Iceland Poppies
Iceland poppies add an element of enchantment to the
garden with their delicate petals resembling ruffled tutus.
It's as if numerous ballerinas are dancing out in the
garden when in bloom! Excellent cut flower. The more you
pick, the more they flower.
What should I plant now?
FOR SUN
Calendulas
Calendulas don’t have a large palette of exotic sounding
colours. Nor is its design particularly flamboyant or unique.
What Calendula does offer however is a ray of bright sunshine
in an otherwise bleak winter landscape.
A bed of orange and yellow Calendulas in
full bloom will brighten up even the
coldest of days.
What should I plant now?
FOR SUN
Pansies and Violas
Both pansies and violas brighten up an early
spring garden with their multi-coloured faces that
are delicately perfumed and edible too. The main
difference between the two is flower size.
Pansies generally have fewer blooms per plant,
but make up for it with much larger flowers.
Violas have small, dainty flowers, but they are
very florific. Both perform well in a sunny or
partially shaded position, so planting under
deciduous trees in autumn is ideal.
What should I plant now?
FOR SHADE
Primroses
Growing primrose is easy, as these
plants are quite hardy and
adaptable. Look for primroses that
are healthy in appearance,
preferably with unopened buds.
Great for containers and bright
borders in shady areas.
What should I plant now?
FOR SHADE
Primulas
No winter garden is complete without
the delicate blooms of the
Primula malacoides, or Fairy
Primrose. Primula comes from the
Latin word “primus” meaning first. In
their wild habitat they are among the
first of the spring plants to flower.
What should I plant now?
FOR SHADE
Foxgloves
Tall and stately Foxgloves have
long been included in garden areas
where vertical interest and lovely
flowers are desired. Foxglove
flowers are clusters of tubular
shaped blooms in colours of white,
lavender, yellow, pink, red, and
purple.
What should I plant now?
FOR SHADE
Cyclamens
Cyclamens are always a winter favourite
due to their long lasting flowers and
versatility. Cyclamens can be used in the
home as well as in the garden. From the
first to the last Cyclamen flower they are
sure to bring you endless joy.
What should I plant now?
FOR SHADE
Bellis perennis / English Daisy
They grow best in cool, moist regions but
grow well throughout the country provided
they are watered well in dry regions. Sow or
plant them in late summer and autumn and
they will flower in winter and spring. They are
hardy to frost and will grow in full sun or
light-shade in any well-composted soil.
What should I plant now?

FOR SHADE
Cineraria
Cinerarias are ideal plants for mass planting
in lightly shaded flower beds. They also
thrive in pots and containers. In colder
climates they’re cultivated in protected
greenhouses and then brought indoors for a
splash of vibrant winter and early spring
colour.
No need for a dull grey winter!
Winter flowers add a splash of colour to your garden
just when you require them most. They’ll fill your
containers with attractive flowers and over winter
giving you amazing ‘flower power’.
A FINAL WORD!
Should you have any gardening questions, please do not hesitate to
contact your friendly Greenwitch
- Sue Both -
I will gladly answer them.

You can call me on 076 886 9523

or email me on sueboth71@[Link]

Stay Safe! Keep Gardening!