PAEONIES

​Plant paeonies, choosing the planting spot with care for these beauties prefer not to be disturbed. Give them full sun (though some tolerate light shade) and deep soil enriched with well-rotted animal manure. May it be more on the heavy clay side, than light, but nonetheless, still free-draining. Beware of planting too deeply. The top of the crown should be no more than 5cm below the soil.

Feed generously with a topdressing of manure after flowering is complete – and never in winter or spring as this can cause a fungal disease bud rot which turns the foliage black. Water regularly during their first season.

While the first season's flowers may seem measly, don't despair, peonies just keep on getting better each year.

If you must shift them do it in autumn (when you can divide and increase) and try to disturb the deep and fragile root system as little as possible.

READ MORE:
* In pictures: Paeonies from heaven
* An essential guide to weeding your garden
* A beginner's guide to growing potatoes

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Tomato seedlings on a sunny windowsill.

EDIBLES

Sow tomatoes under cover, that is in a glasshouse, or on the likes of a sunny window sill. As one packet can have up to 50 seeds, it might pay to go in with friends or neighbours and organise to swap seedlings. This way, each gardener can grow a variety of tomatoes – and nowadays the choice is huge. (Kings Seeds lists about 80 different varieties.)

RODIMOVPAVEL / 123RF STOCK PHOTO

Weeding is easier when the soil is damp and the weeds are small.

Hardier crops may be sown straight into the garden, such as brassicas, carrots, onions, peas, silverbeet and spinach.
Broad beans will need support as they grow tall – if you haven't already put some up, do so now. Stakes and string should do the trick.

Coriander and many lettuces do better in the cooler days of spring rather than the heat of summer, so sow in a sheltered spot now.
Chit and plant potatoes.
Plant citrus in a warm sunny spot (preferably frost free) in free-draining soil.

ORNAMENTALS

Weed all beds – it is way easier pulling out weeds at the seedling stage rather than when full-blown. In all but the coldest areas, weeds will still be germinating and growing, albeit more slowly than in warmer seasons.

Many gardeners, including myself, hate using pesticides but sometimes it's a them or the plants showdown, which is why I sprinkle a little Derris Dust insecticide around my most precious perennials at this time of year. Slugs and snails just love the emerging flower shoots, in my case its crambe (and that's the end of their gorgeous spray of tiny white flowers) and delphiniums.

 - NZ Gardener