Time spent cleaning up now will mean fewer insect and disease problems next season.

Pick up and dispose of all fallen fruits to provide fewer places for insects and diseases to survive. Fruit fly and coddling moth are good examples. The maggots feed on the fruit until they are ready to pupate or until the fruit drops, and then crawl out to pupate in the soil.

Collect any dropped fruit regularly in sealed black plastic bags, and leave it in the sun to “cook” or freeze for a few days, which will dispose of the maggot larvae.

Local nurseries still have supplies of spring bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths, Narcissus spp (daffodils, jonquils), freesias, ranunculus and grape hyacinths in stock. It’s also not too late to order spring bulbs through the mail, as long as they are planted soon after you receive them.

- Plant out asparagus, rhubarb and strawberry runners or new plants. Strawberries should be planted with weed-mat or mulch.

- Plant cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts. Cover with a fine net to exclude cabbage butterfly or look out for and squash any caterpillars on the leaves.

- Plant broadbeans, leeks, lettuce, carrots and parsnips.

- With it being such a wet season, the seed heads on some of the perennials that in other years may have provided autumn of winter interest have collapsed or disintegrated and are best cut back and composted.

One of the best places to find pearls of wisdom is in gardening clubs. Many of the members are older gardeners, and you’ll learn great practical stuff talking to gardeners who’ve amassed a few centuries between them!

The Armidale Garden Club has its next meeting, the 2017 Annual General Meeting, on Thursday 23rd April at the Uniting Church Youth Club Hall, off Rusden St, at 7.30pm. Everyone is most welcome.