She also mentioned that she has hardly any soil on the hills face area where they grow in full shade and part shade, even coming up in the paths. She has them naturalised in amongst her Camellias and Azaleas and uses the soft Impatiens as an indicator as to when to water the woody Camellias and Azaleas. She also said that hers were nothing special and certainly not the latest cultivars, such as I purchased. In short she reiterated “Malcolm stop attending to them!” I hope you find that of some use, I did.

I was filming a Tree Fern story at Mannum last week and did you know that it’s only the Dicksonia antarctica tree fern that you can cut the trunk from and still get it to grow roots when replanted? The Cyathea, which is the other main genus of Australian Tree Ferns, will die if you sever its trunk. Keith Rogers was my authority and he feeds his potted tree ferns with organic pellets, twice a year, water-soluble fertilizer monthly and 9-month slow release as well. I was staggered that tree ferns could take that much nutrient.

Petunias get wet feet in conditions like we have been having, so if yours collapse, cut them back to about 15cm and they will bounce back. If in pots stage them under a north facing verandah porch or just your eves, until the days warm up and get drier. They resent wet foliage that does not dry out immediately.

This warm humid weather is playing havoc with tomatoes that have been in the ground for at leats two months, but those that were still in pots just three weeks ago, look very healthy. That’s because it’s more difficult for them to have got wet feet, since they are still virtually root-bound. These root bound plants yield their heads off all summer than die rather quickly, while the tomato vine cultivars such as ‘Sweet Bite’ (that don’t get wet feet or fungal diseases) will kick in and then fruit well into late autumn, even winter in a sheltered aspect.

Citrus and stone fruits can be sprayed now with PestOil or Bug Oil to prevent fungal diseases on their foliage. These products can be safely used even when it’s sunny and less than 35ºC, as opposed to the old generation winter or dormant oils that would burn your foliage at such temperatures.

Roses at present that have had heavy infestations of Black spot fungal disease are now dropping their leaves in droves. It’s just a combination of the black spot and the humid conditions, which a few weeks of drying weather should remedy. Don’t start feeding them again until they are making fresh growth. Go easy on the organic too as that will only encourage soft leaf growth. Best to use potassium enriched pellets or use water-soluble nutrients until early autumn. Resist the temptation to mulch for a few weeks until it gets hotter and drier.

If you have one of those worm farms raised up off the ground, they are quite prone to getting ants move in at this time of year. Control the ants not by sprays, that kill your worms too, but by tillage of the composted material and then dust the surface with garden lime or gypsum or both. I use both and it does not affect the worms, keeps the farm smelling sweetly and even keeps the vinegar flies down…. Well for a while anyhow.