IN THE TROPICS

Re-pot Mediterranean herbs (such as thyme and rosemary) that have outgrown their containers

Water lettuce and other leafy greens (above) twice a day on hot, dry days Clear organic mulch away from the base of palms to make them less attractive to adults of the sugarcane weevil Prepare pineapple tops by allowing bases to dry and heal before planting Move moisture-loving ferns and other sensitive pot plants into a shadehouse Lift, divide and replant ginger, turmeric and galangal

Plant cuttings of costus, die enbachia and aglaonema

Cover sensitive vegies with a 25 per cent shadecloth to protect them from sunburn

Plant seedlings of rosella

(right) in well-prepared soil and keep moist

Water heliconias and gingers deeply if they are su ering in the dry

Sow wet-season crops, including pumpkin, zucchini and bitter melon