Try to practise crop-rotation, by growing different crops, rather than the same vegetable or members of the same family of vegetables, in the same spot two years running. This will give stronger, healthier plants.

Families of vegetables that suit a four-year rotation are legumes, fruits, root vegetables and leafy green vegetables. Legumes include beans (broad, french and runner) and peas.

Vegetables with edible fruits include tomatoes, chilli, capsicum, eggplant, squashes, zucchini, pumpkins and sweet corn. To avoid forking of roots such as carrots and parsnips, don’t add extra fertiliser. Other root vegetables include onions, garlic, potatoes, beetroot, radishes, swedes and turnips.

Leafy green vegetables include cabbages, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, silver beet/spinach and lettuces. Keep crops growing well with regular soluble feeds.

Check the weather forecast regularly and protect tender seedlings such as pumpkin, squash, eggplant, marrow, cucumber, tomato, capsicum and beans when frosts are predicted. Use cloches or movable fabric or plastic tunnels to protect plants at night and expose them during the day.

Protect seedlings from snails and slugs. A simple effective trap is a saucer of beer which they are attracted to and subsequently drown in.

Spring-flowering bulbs

As bulbs finish flowering, they can be dead-headed. Let the foliage die down naturally and keep applying potassium-rich liquid fertiliser. Deadheading bulbs that have flowered will ensure the plant’s energy is diverted to forming next year’s flower within the bulb.

To reduce deterioration of flower quality and quantity, dense clumps of daffodils, etc, should be lifted and divided every two or three years, but most spring bulbs can be left in place for years. If you decide to lift to break up or move them, wait until the leaves have yellowed down to the base before lifting.

The Armidale Garden Club meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7.30pm in the Uniting Church Hall. Members are encouraged to attend and new members and visitors are welcome.