Crowns of glory
Edibles
Sow asparagus seed in sheltered beds for transplanting into permanent beds next August. Plant asparagus crowns in soil rich in compost and seaweed. Plant
40cm apart, 10cm deep, with fine soil on top. Crowns planted last year should be picked very lightly this year, and crowns planted this year should not be picked not at all. Too heavy cropping weakens the plants.
Incorporate the likes of compost, blood and bone, sheep pellets and rotted horse and sheep manure into vegetable beds before planting.
Sprinkle lime onto soil before sowing peas. Sow 5cm deep, about
7cm apart in rows 25cm to 40cm apart.
Plant celery and salad greens seedlings.
Direct sow carrots, beetroot, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, peas and silverbeet.
Sow under cover tomato, capsicum, courgette, melon, cucumber and eggplant seeds. Do not rush to transplant seedlings into the garden until at least two sets of true leaves are showing, and, in colder regions, until all danger of frost is past.
Apply well-rotted animal-based manures (such as horse, cow, pig or chicken), or sheep pellets, blood and bone, fishmeal and worm castings, around fruit trees and bushes, and grape vines but keep it well clear of trunks. These nitrogen-rich fertilisers are especially good for fast-growing leafy fruit crops, such as passionfruit, strawberries and tamarillos.
Pinch off the flowers on newly planted citrus trees to let the plant concentrate on getting established and growing rather than producing fruit.
Ornamentals
Keep an eye out for aphids on new rose shoots – squish or wash off with hose.
Feed bulbs with a general fertiliser, fertiliser tea and/or, blood and bone.
Indoor hyacinths can be planted outdoors after flowering. Plant in sun to part shade, 10cm deep in well-drained, friable soil. Work compost or bonemeal worked into the soil before planting.
Divide hostas before their leaves appear. Divide hellebores and primulas after flowering.
Prune back to about 60cm ornamental shrubs grown for their colourful stems (such as cornus and willow) or large leaves (such as cercis, smoke bush and paulownia). Then fertilise. Prune buddleias back hard after flowering.
Annual flowers that may be sown now directly into the garden include calendula, larkspur, marigold, nasturtium, nigella, night-scented stock, scabiosa, snapdragon and sunflower. For the bees and other beneficial insects, sow some nectar and pollen-rich flowers, such as alyssum, bishops flower, cornflower, Shirley poppies and phacelia.
To initiate reflowering, amaryllis plants in pots left outside over winter can be brought inside, repotted if need be, and watered.