Basil, which is an excellent companion for inclusion in tomato recipes, helps repel flies and mosquitoes. A strawberry patch that has some borage plants included should produce higher yields.

Catnip, because of its particular aroma, will repel fleas, ants and rodents.

Fennel and tansy will also achieve similar results. Tansy leaves, when placed into the compost bin, will assist in the fermentation process. 

Cabbage white moths can be deterred from garden beds where cabbages, broccoli, cauliflowers and other similar plants are growing by planting mint, sage or nasturtiums nearby.

Rose plants will benefit from the placement of different herbs in the garden. Garlic and chive plants will help to keep aphids away from the rose plants. 

It is perhaps interesting to note that many vignerons include rose plants at the ends of rows of grape plants.

This practice helps the vignerons identify impending diseases or insect attacks as the roses plants will be affected first, enabling the appropriate treatment to be carried out before the problem becomes more serious.

The practice of using combinations of flowering plants and vegetables in the vegetable garden, in order to assist in deterring pests and diseases from attacking the vegetable plants can be extended to include planting combinations of different types of vegetables.

Certain groupings of vegetables prefer similar growing conditions. Therefore, it would be beneficial to group the different vegetables together in order to achieve maximum yields. 

Groupings of vegetables that the gardener might consider when planning the vegetable garden are:

Beetroot, planted with onions, lettuce, cabbage and silverbeet

Cauliflower, planted with celery

Celery or celeriac, planted with chives, leeks, tomatoes and dwarf beans

Carrots, planted with lettuce, peas, leeks, chives, onions, cucumbers and beans

Broad beans, planted with potatoes, peas and beans

Tomatoes, planted with asparagus, parsley, broccoli and sweet basil

Sweet corn, planted with potatoes, peas and beans

Cymbidium orchids that have multiplied and fill their pot will have reduced flowering as they gradually become starved of needed nutrients.

Once the plants have been removed from their pot, which may take some effort if they are very overgrown, the old ‘soil’ should be removed from the roots.

Then the plant should be divided into smaller plants, making sure each one has some older shoots as well as one or two strong new shoots that will eventually produce the flower spikes.

Older and damaged roots should be cut from the plant. It is advisable to sterilise the secateurs in between treating plants, in an effort to avoid the transfer of diseases.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when re-potting orchids is the medium that is placed into the pot with the plant.

Orchids require a very free-draining mixture as their root system will quickly rot if it has been placed into heavy soil.

A mixture of small-to-medium-sized pine bark is good to use. This will allow the water to flow though as well as letting the roots breathe.

When cultivating garden beds that have been enriched with compost and other organic material, it is preferable to use a fork rather than a spade. Worms will be working thorough the soil, and the use of a spade may cut some worms in half.

Water lilies can also be divided now as they will soon begin to produce their new shoots.

Plants that have not been repotted for a number of years will have probably become quite overcrowded in their pots. A good quality potting mix, or a rich, dark topsoil should be used.

Prior to adding the soil to the pot, it is advisable to firstly line the inside of the pot with newspaper and then place in the soil mixture.

The addition of a fertiliser tablet that has been specially formulated for use with water lilies would be an advantage.

In addition to fertilising the plant, the tablets will restrict the growth of algae.

The size of pots selected for water lilies will usually depend on the variety of plant being grown and its growth habits.

A squat pot that has a diameter of between 20 and 25cm will be suitable for larger varieties.

Prior to planting the lily into the soil, the roots should be cut back as this will encourage new growth.

Old leaves and flowers should also be cut off.

If the plant is placed to one side of the pot room will be left for the root system to grow.

The crown of the plant should be placed above the surface of the soil, which should then be covered with a layer of coarse sand.

This will ensure that the soil does not mix with the surrounding water.

Heavy stones can also be added to the surface.

Prior to placing the newly-planted pot into the selected pond or container of water, giving the pot a good watering will also to help settle the soil.