September in your Tropical garden

As soon as your poinsettias have finished flowering, cut them back to about three buds from ground level. Apply some Debcote Fertiliser to promote luxuriant new growth and the result will be a nice, compact plant covered in red bracts.

Roses need lots of tender loving care at this time of year, because as the heat and humidity start to escalate so too do the pests and diseases. One of the best ways to combat disease in roses is to feed them well, so that means regular applications of Phostrogen Plant Food.

All of those spring flowering callistemons and other Australian plants that have just finished flowering should be given a good hard prune right away to encourage a bushier growth habit. Although most don't like water sitting round their roots, they will perform better if the soil surrounding them has been given a covering of a good quality mulch.

Lawns should be kept moving along now so that means giving them a feed with a high nitrogen fertiliser. Even though it mightn't be your favourite job, mowing regularly will help to keep a dense mat of turf and minimise weeds. Don't make the mistake of cutting the grass too short.

Azaleas that you pruned after flowering will be making new growth now. If lacebugs were a problem last season, then now is the time to get cracking and spray all that new growth with an appropriate insecticide.

Those indoor plants that have outgrown their pots will be the better for a change of pot and potting soil now. Use a quality Debco potting mix and add some SaturAid to assist with water utilisation.

There are a few among us who believe that Rosella Jam is the best of all, so if you're one then now's the time to plant rosella seeds. This member of the hibiscus family should be planted out in full sun, in very well drained or raised beds, into which has been incorporated some compost and some organic fertiliser.