December in your Sub-Tropical garden

Priority should be given to mulching this month. Apply a layer of Mulch'n'Feed to all exposed areas of soil in your garden. A well mulched garden not only looks good but also reduces erosion, cuts water loss through soil evaporation, moderates soil temperatures and helps suppress weeds. Mulch 'n' Feed also provides valuable organic matter to enrich your garden soil.

Sow seeds of Viscaria this month. It provides masses of dainty summer blooms - perfect for partly shaded areas in warm climates. Use Debco's Seed Raising Mix for best results.

Continue to fertilise annuals and vegetables every fortnight with Phostrogen Plant Food.

Fertilize gardenias, camellias, azaleas and other acid soil lovers with Phostrogen Acid Plant Food.

With high evaporation rates in the Centre, try to confine watering to the coolest times of day.

Apply SaturAid (wetting agent) to lawns early this month - simply sprinkle on and water in. Start trying to stretch out the days between watering to condition your lawn to less water. Good deep watering less often encourages strong, deep roots and improved drought tolerance.

Herbs such as basil, thyme and sage add zest to your summer cooking. Liquid feed your herbs every fortnight during the growing season with Phostrogen Plant Food. Regularly tip prune plants to maintain compact growth - of course the prunings can also be used in the kitchen!

Now's the time to think about preparing your garden before you set off on holiday. Water is the major concern so give beds a thorough soak and apply a fresh layer of mulch before you go.