April in your Tropical garden

Many vegetables can be planted now as seedlings, including beans, silverbeet, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage and carrots. All benefit from good ground preparation and on-going watering. Apply SaturAid to ensure effective water take-up. Fertiliser programmes will vary, Phostrogen Plant Food being ideal for leaf crops and Phostrogen Tomato Food for tomatoes.

Apply mulch now to ensure that moisture is held in the soil. Debco Mulch 'n' Feed is ideal for smaller garden beds with display planting.

Create shade in your garden by planting a suitable shade tree. This is not only enjoyable for you but also suits many plants that will prosper in enriched organic soils. The African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) or Northern milkwood (Alotonia actrophylla) provide wonderful shady areas. The latter tree will also give a superb perfume.