Fertilise when plants need to grow not as they go into a rest period
Stand thirsty houseplants on damp clay granules to maintain humidity
Houseplants can burn from strong sun through a window
Houseplants will grow towards the light so turn the pot regularly.
Houseplants can get pests like other plants so watch and treat when spotted.
Do not sow seeds too early (they can get a growth shock in cold snap). They will catch up by up to 4 weeks no problem.
Sow seeds thinly, smaller the seed thinner the sowing.
Sow big seed individually
If sowing in plastic cell trays chose an appropriate size 4’s, 12’s 15’s etc
If sowing in plastic cell trays keep
Mark or label what and where you have sown seeds.
Practice gardening until you get it right – keep on gardening for the rest of your life hoping to never get it wrong.
Keep conifers well watered or they will go brown.
Golden conifers go greener in the shade, golden in the sunshine.
It is bad luck to be superstitious about your plants.
Mulch to keep soil moist.
Mulch to keep down weeds.
Mulch to make an area look tidy.
Mulch to improve soil texture
Deadhead flowers to try get another flush of youthful blooms.
Deadhead to direct energy away from making seed.
Deadhead to maintain a tidy appearance
Prune to remove sick and damaged shoots
Prune to keep plants tidy and in check
Prune to encourage flowering and fruiting
Prune to maintain a hedge’s shape
Prune to encourage new growth
Plant bulbs as deep as the bulbs size
Daffodil bulbs need time in the ground plant early autum
Tulips can be planted up until November/December
Grit or gravel on top of pots deters moss and helps watering
A saucer under a pot holds water – beware of water-logging which will rot roots
A saucer under a pot holds water to help watering. Use some gravel to keep pot out of a permanent puddle.
Clay pots dry out quicker than plastic or ceramic pots
Black plastic pots get hot in the sun.
Standing pots close together creates a useful micro climate
In winter keep tender plants in pots frost free.
Stand pots on feet so they do not freeze to the ground (a cause of damage to pots)
Refurbish plants in pots by removing the surface soil/compost and replace with fresh compost
Pots rely on you for care, there is no worms to aerate or feed the soil nor a water table.
The bigger the pot the more water it can hold – small pots dry quicker
Some plants like to have the roots constrained in a smaller pot to encourage flowering.
Plants become pot bound when the roots fill the pot – repot with fresh compost in a bigger pot
For a low maintenance garden try conifers of varying sizes.
Dwarf conifer are available in different varieties, shapes, textures and forms.
Keep tools sharp
Keep tools clean and disinfect to avoid transferring pathogens
Keep tools where you can find them and where you want use them.
Appropriate tools for the job make gardening and life much easier
If your orchid loses  its leaves and turns yellow, it’s dead.
Wait until daffodils are in bloom before pruning roses.
Cut the roses down to the same height as the daffodils – this requires some commonsense as there are small and tall daffs and a wide variety of roses but it provides a rule of thumb.
You don’t need to cut down your fuchsias for winter but stuff Strulch, straw or pine needles between the branches.
When new growth starts you can trim up your Fuchsias
When planting out leeks or onions dip the roots in water just prior to planting. The weight of the water keeps the roots extended.
Make a homemade birdfeeder in an old hanging basket and add a perch by using a strong stick or cane.
The soil on plants from garden centers is often too dry and hard to re-wet. With care you can shake off this compost and replace it with your own.
Alternatively leave the pot in a dish to soak in water, with a drop of washing up liquid to break the waters meniscus and simultaneously water from the top.
Pansies and to a lesser extent viola are prone to black root rot if over watered. Be sparing when watering.
Create smaller beds they are easier to maintain in tight spaces.
Take photographs of your garden regularly and at least every season.
Take photos before and after a renovation project or new planting.
Take photographs of plant labels at botanic or show gardens of those plants you like.
Keep old plant labels (and seed packets) in date order as a reminder
Use some sort of mulch to line the spaces between your vegetable beds.
Birds adore the red, egg-shaped hips of the wild dog rose.
Best rose hips are produced by species roses.
Where there’s muck there’s brassicas – they love a lot of horsesh…
When summer sets in with all it’s usual severity don’t walk on frozen grass.
Visit New Zealands exotic Taranaki world-renowned rhododendron garden
