One of the biggest mistakes I see every winter is gardeners leaving their beds completely bare because they think nothing is growing. The tomatoes are finished, the beans are gone, and suddenly the veggie garden looks like it has gone into hibernation. The problem is...
Pine needles… you either love them or you’ve been told to avoid them at all costs. If you’ve spent any time in gardening groups, you’ve probably heard this; “Don’t use pine needles — they make your soil too acidic!” But here’s the truth… it’s not that simple. And like...
Mid-January Tomato Rescue: How I Keep My Tomatoes Strong Until the End of the Season If you’re reading this in mid-January, you’re probably standing in your garden doing that tomato look… You know the one.The plants are still producing, but suddenly they look a...
Beds vs Containers — and what we’ve learned at VanZylStead Every December, I get dozens of panicked messages that all sound the same:“Tash… we’re going away for a week. Will my garden die?” And honestly — I get it.We pour our hearts (and our compost!) into these...
There’s a moment every summer when the sun stops being “warm and lovely” and turns into a full-blown garden bully. Whether you’re gardening under Cape Town’s dry summer skies, Durban’s humid heat, or the scorching inland Lowveld, your veggie patch will face the same...
Healthy soil is the foundation of a successful garden. You can have the best seeds, the perfect amount of sunlight, and all the love in the world for your plants, but if your soil is lacking, your garden just won’t thrive. That’s why I’m so excited to share my latest...
Rooibos tea - packed with health benefits and classified as a superfood, AND it is brilliant for your garden. Much has been said about the multiple health benefits of Rooibos or ‘red bush’ tea, derived from the unique herbal shrub native to the Western Cape region of...
What is mulch? Mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. There are a wide variety of mulches—both organic and inorganic—that have different uses in the garden. Mulch suppresses weed growth and helps retain soil moisture. It also protects the soil...
