Brighten shady areas under trees with clivia, whose late-winter blooms in warm tones of orange, salmon, yellow or cream add welcome colour to dull corners.
Feed citrus with an organic-based fertiliser for fruiting plants and a 35mm layer of compost or aged manure. Boosting new growth now allows you to avoid peak citrus leaf miner season in late spring. winter. Good for planting now.
Refresh strappy leaf ornamental grasses, like pennisetum, miscanthus and lomandra, by shearing them off close to ground level. Bunch the tops, tie into a ponytail, then shear off with a long knife, saw blade or chain saw. Encourage a quick response to this tough love with a handful of organic fertiliser.
Spread compost and cow manure mulch on all garden beds and under trees to gently feed plants and encourage worms and beneficial soil microbes. Start a monthly fertiliser program to produce flowering spikes in September.
Get the jump on summer tomatoes by sowing seeds into small pots or trays filled with seed-raising mix. Place these on a sunny window sill indoors and keep just moist.
Aphids are attracted to new growth and multiply rapidly at this time of year. Rub them off with your fingers, or spray with eco-oil or natrasoap.
As flowers fade, divide and repot cymbidium orchids into fresh orchid bark. Look forward to more lovely blooms next year.