Gerberas can become infected with a virus that causes them to produce short-petalled flowers.
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The same virus can also infect pelargoniums.
There is no cure for this problem other than to remove the infected plant and destroy immediately as the virus can be transmitted to healthy plants by insects such as aphids.
Small scale
Keep an eye out for small white objects on your cymbidium orchid bulbs as these could be white scale.
Treatment is usually a spray with white oil but this method is only successful if the spray can get down inside the base of the leaves.
If possible, immerse the plant in a solution of white oil, roots and all, and leave for about an hour.
ARTY GROWTH
There are two edible artichokes, the globe and the Jerusalem.
The globe artichoke is grown from seeds as well as side shoots off the main plant.
The edible part is the thistle-like flower bud.
This perennial will continue to crop for many years.
The Jerusalem artichoke is grown from tubers which multiply like a potato.
The tall stem can reach three metres and supports small sunflower-like flowers.
Grow in an isolated bed as this plant can spread readily.
Perfect proteas
Proteas suit coastal plantings as they tolerate these conditions.
Their main requirement is a free-draining soil, not necessarily rich as they do best in gravelly soils. The pH should be on the acidic side. The branches can be easily broken by strong winds so stake while young.
Enticing ericas
Ericas with their waxy bell- or urn-shaped flowers in a wide range of colours brighten up the garden in winter and are especially suited to smaller gardens.
They look great in rockeries and containers with some Ericas making useful groundcovers.
Soils suited to rhododendrons and azaleas will suit Ericas as they are closely related.
Cut back after flowering to keep tidy.
Fruity advice
The lemonade lemon, said to be a cross between a mandarin and a lemon, has juicy fruits with low acid content that gives them a distinctive sweet flavor enabling them to be eaten fresh from the tree.
It's an ideal container plant.
Most of us would like to grow fruit trees but often sufficient space can pose a problem.
The solution may be as simple as growing dwarf or multi-grafted varieties in large containers, espaliering trees on a wall or growing columnar apples.
Soft fruits like kiwifruit, grapes, passionfruit and climbing berries can be trained over a pergola or archway.