Get growing

While you begin setting up your garden for the hot months, don8217;t forget to take care of the late winter annuals which are still in bloom. Those already past prime, should be gradually removed to make space for the summer blooms. If you planted your winter annuals late, don8217;t make a habit of it. At least, sow your summer annuals on time. This will save you time and effort of looking after two seasonals this winter.

Clear all pots and beds with winter annuals. Upturn the soil and leave it exposed to the sun. After treating it with organic manure, this soil can also be used to transplant the seedlings of summer annuals. Even if the soil is not treated chemically, the exposure to sun is more than enough. What if the sowing is to be done in fresh pots or beds? The land must be dug well in advance of sowing, cleared of rubbish, old plants, weeds and stones, and left, as long as possible, exposed to the weather to produce it8217;s natural weed population. The ground must be well-drained and porous to allow water to percolate freely. The chief requirement for a soil is an adequate depth of top soil to prevent plants from wilting. It should not be mixed with subsoil, as then it will not grow anything.

The foreign varieties of Amaranthus, Balsam, Basil, Browallia, Cacalia, Celosia, Cleome, Clitoria, Cocksomb, Coleus, Sunflower double, Portulaca, Nicotiana and Mirabilis as also marigolds blooms should stand up to the great Indian summer.

Make sure all deficiencies in the soil are corrected before sowing. If need be, add organic matter in the form of either well-rotten manure, leaf mould or peat. Apply a dressing of well-decayed farmyard manure or Sabuj Sona bone meal at the rate of 100 gm to 300 gm per square metre.

By early June, most of your summer annuals will be in full bloom. Don8217;t forget to include a few foliage plants as structured backbone. The pots and beds should be watered and manured regularly and kept free from weeds.Will all this help you achieve something almost impossible? Well, the answer is an essay in self-fulfillment.