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Winter Gardening
14May-21

Colour the cold with Hecker Homegrown pansies

Throughout the years, a slight morning and evening chill has always been accompanied by the wondrous sight of seeing Pansies and Viola's grow from small seedlings to the colour powerhouses which they become.  Pansies are a source of cheer and warmth during the cooler months with their striking blooms and vibrant demeanour. Homegrown Pansies We grow our own pansies right here at the nursery. Ronnie, Albert and the propagation team have always had a knack for growing seedlings- Pansies even more...
22Jun-20

Watering in Winter

Posted By Category: Gardening Tips, Winter GardeningComments: 0
"Why do my pansies look so wilted? I am giving them loads of water!"  The aforementioned statement is something one always hears during winter.  Winter watering is tricky at the best of times. To understand how one should water in winter let's have a look at how watering actually works. How watering works Soil is filled with loads of tiny air pockets that are filled with water during rain or watering.  As the water moves downwards through the soil, it pulls...
2Jun-19

No Need to Fear the Frost

We’ve all been there, losing a favourite member of our garden or that rare tropical plant to winters icy whim.  The winters here on the Highveld can be erratic at best with beautiful sunny days that just make you want to soak up the sun's warming rays, to those days where you are locked in bed and can’t get out due to the cold.  Before we find out how to fight the frost lets first have a look at...
water wise plants Gauteng
13Mar-19

7 Simple ways to save water in your garden

Many parts of South Africa have received ample rain, and water restrictions have been lessened, but this is no reason to become complacent about saving water.  And although it sometimes feels that the little we do won't have any impact, every drop saved makes a difference. These are my seven simple ways to save water in your garden. 1. Add mulch to your garden Mulching has numerous benefits, one being its ability to prevent water from evaporating too fast. It...
1Jun-17

All you need to know about Cymbidium orchids

Besides their flowers, their appeal also lies in how exceptionally easy they are to keep. One could almost say that they “thrive on neglect”, with even the most uncared for plant still having the chance to astound with its blooms.  With that in mind, providing your Cymbidium with its preferred growing conditions can only result in a riot of colour.  Continue reading for a few Cymbidium basics and then a guide of how to care for your Cymbidium through...
Ornamental Kale
12May-17

Add a splash of colour to your winter garden

Posted By Category: Gardening Tips, Winter GardeningComments: 0
Never mind “winter is coming”, with the crispness in the air it already feels like winter has begun to spread its cold fingers. Winter can be a miraculous time in the garden if you know how to look. Beauty can be found in a bare tree’s silhouette against the setting sun, or in the flurry of wildlife activity in our gardens as all they prepare for winter. The morning chill is also invigorating and we have been spoilt of...
Winter soup
7Apr-17

Grow your own winter soup garden

Few things provide the satisfaction of knowing that you are eating a hearty homecooked meal, but moreover knowing that it is homegrown too. So, let Adriaan guide you through growing your own winter soup garden. A project such as this is also an excellent opportunity to get kids involved. The process of seeing their hard work slowly come to fruition exposes them to principles such as patience, diligence and perseverance that often gets lost in today’s fast-paced and technology-driven...
15Jul-16

Six easy steps to prune your roses

Rose pruning seems to have come a bit earlier than usual this year with our roses thinking that it is already the end of July.  Fret not, as you can still prune your roses even if it is a bit early. Left unpruned, roses eventually carry out their own pruning by not nourishing the thinner inside growth, which slowly dries out completely and dies.  We prune roses to maintain the shape of the bush, to keep the main branches...
24Jun-16

Watering in Winter

"Why are my pansies wilted? I am giving them enough water, every day even?"  The aforementioned statement is something one always hears during winter.  Winter watering is tricky at the best of times. To understand how one should water in winter let's have a look at how watering actually works. How watering works The soil is filled with loads of tiny air pockets that are filled with water during rain or a watering.  As the water moves downwards through the soil,...
10Jun-16

Colour the cold with Camellias

Posted By Category: Gardening Tips, Winter GardeningComments: 0
Garden Camellias are renowned for their exquisite waxy blooms, evergreen, glossy, dark green foliage.  Garden Camellias originate from the far-east and is a close relative to sinensis the source of tea, but a bit more on that later.  The garden varieties that we stock are Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua Camellia japonica is known for its intricate flower shapes and colours Camellia japonica Commonly referred to as just japonicas. The best spot is a shade to semi-shade position.  Better flowering...