Spring has finally arrived, and whether you’re in the Western Cape or Gauteng, September is all about fresh starts in the garden.  

From planting and pruning to feeding and celebrating Arbor Week, this is the perfect time to get outdoors and bring life back to your space. 

Spotlight on Arbor Week

The first week of September is Arbor Week – South Africa’s annual celebration of trees and the role they play in greening our neighbourhoods. If you have space, plant an indigenous tree to mark the occasion. Favourites include yellowwood, leopard tree, tree wisteria, fever tree, and riverbush willow.

If your garden is already full, consider sponsoring a tree to be planted by an organisation like Greenpop or Food & Trees for Africa. 

Western Cape Gardens

Although it’s spring, the Western Cape still holds onto its cooler weather a little longer. Use this in-between time to prepare your beds and get your summer planting underway. 

Plant and sow

  • Plant celery, corn, eggplant, green peppers, melons, parsnips, parsley, basil and tomato seedlings. 
  • Sow beetroot, cucumber, lettuce, potatoes and radishes. 
  • Add indigenous flowering plants for spring colour – arctotis, gazanias, felicias, plectranthus and scabiosas are all lovely choices. 
  • Plant dahlia bulbs and tubers now for a show later in the season. 

Feed and care

  • Start feeding lawns, fruit trees, shrubs and roses to give them a boost ahead of the warmer months. 
  • Cut back fuchsias to encourage new growth. 
  • Once azaleas and camellias have finished flowering, mulch them and give them a nitrogen-rich feed. 
  • Deadhead pansies and other winter annuals, replacing tired plants with summer varieties like petunias, portulacas and delphiniums. 
  • Prune winter-flowering shrubs such as hibiscus and poinsettia once their blooms are done.  

Fresh idea: Go waterwise

The Western Cape knows the value of waterwise gardening. Succulents, aloes, lavender, fynbos and clivias are hardy and beautiful options that will reward you with colour and texture while needing less water. 

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Gauteng gardens 

With frost mostly behind you, Gauteng gardens burst into life in September. It’s all about planting variety, pruning back the old, and preparing for the summer heat ahead. 

Plant and sow

  • Add fruiting trees such as apricot, fig, peach, nectarine, olive or lemon. 
  • Plant eggplant, tomatoes, basil, beans, carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, beetroot and chillies. 
  • Pop in asparagus crowns now. 
  • Brighten up beds with summer-flowering bulbs like cannas, dahlias, gladiolus and watsonias. 
  • Fill borders and pots with colourful annuals – petunias, impatiens, begonias, marigolds and salvia are all excellent choices. 

Feed and care

  • Give lawns, roses, and fruit trees a good feed to set them up for the growing season. 
  • Prune back shrubs, spring-flowering plants (once they’re done), and frost-damaged bedding begonias. 
  • Deadhead pansies and violas to extend their blooming season. 
  • Repot root-bound pot plants to give them space to thrive. 
  • Keep frost protection handy until mid-September, just in case of a late cold snap. 

Pest watch 

New growth attracts pests – keep an eye on your veggie garden and roses. Regular monitoring and natural remedies can help keep problems under control without harsh chemicals. 

A note on bulbs

Both regions are heading into bulb season. When planting summer bulbs like gladiolus, tigridias or watsonias, make sure your soil drains well. Prepare beds with compost and allow winter bulbs to die back naturally before lifting and storing them for next year. 

September is the true start of the gardening year – a time to sow, plant, prune and feed. Whether you’re working with Cape coolness or Gauteng’s spring warmth, your garden will thank you for the care you give it now, rewarding you with colour, fruit, and fragrance in the months to come.

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