* Plant groundcovers to choke out weeds. It will save time weeding!

* Tie climbing peas to their trellis with twine and feed with seaweed solution.

* Check pansies for aphids and spray with Yates Baythroid or Natrasoap.

Tips & Tricks

* Water camellias in dry weather to encourage flowering. Add seaweed solution fortnightly to encourage stronger plants and better blooms.

* Liquid feed your flowers: pansies, polyanthus, primulas and sweet peas to encourage more buds. Use Yates Thrive soluble flower and fruit plant food.

* Protect budding magnolias from birds and possums. Use Multicrop’s Scat or D-ter or Birdman's sonar device.

Tulips
Early June is the last time to plant tulips. In pots, cram in as many as will fit. In the garden, choose a filtered sunny spot (full sunshine in cold areas). Sprinkle with bulb food as they shoot and watch for snails and slugs.

Camellias
If your camellias ‘ball’ and fall, it could be because morning sunshine is pressure-cooking buds so they can’t open (position them in afternoon sun). Also, some varieties develop up to five buds in one cluster, so remove all but one bud.

Magnolias
Deciduous magnolias are in full bud, ready to burst into richly coloured, fragrant flower. Spray with Scat or D-ter to discourage birds and possums or hang old compact discs in the branches to scare them away. Don’t prune magnolias or you’ll ruin their shape.

Propagate new plants
Divide perennials every second winter (Shasta daisy, Easter daisy, pokers, salvia, penstemon and echinacea, to name some) to maintain vigour and propagate new plants. Lift plants gently with a garden fork. Wash off soil and split the root system. Plant divisions promptly and water well.

Prune deciduous trees

This is best done now while they are dormant. While trees are bare, check for borer damage and destroy borers with a fine wire. Remove loose bark with a wire brush; this will help destroy over-wintering two-spotted mite and codling moth grubs.

Make compost

Add fallen leaves, kitchen scraps and grass clippings in layers to your compost heap but not too much of any one ingredient (stockpile ingredients and use as needed). Turn compost with a fork to accelerate decomposition. Spread matured compost over garden beds in winter to condition the soil.

Plant winter vegetables

Plant spinach, broccoli, cabbage, beetroot, leeks, potatoes, rhubarb and asparagus. Cut down old asparagus stems and top-dress with well-rotted manure or compost and mulch.

Spray stone fruit
Spray stone fruit for diseases such as leaf curl (distorts leaf with blisters), shot hole fungus disease of apricots, peaches and cherries (causes gumming of fruit buds), rust, brown rot and freckle. Spray at early bud swell with Yates Fungus Fighter.

Care for citrus