Home& Garden handy hints

• Choose a fertiliser that is high in nitrogen for leafy plants; high in phosphate to sustain root systems; and high in potassium to promote flowering.

• Insulation is the single most effective item you can add to your home to improve its energy efficiency. With adequate insulation, your home can be up to 10 degrees cooler in summer and five degrees warmer in winter. Sealing unwanted air leaks and draughts can also help reduce your heating/cooling bills by 20%.

• Never cut a lawn on the lowest or second lowest settings. The fourth setting is best, especially in summer because it enables the plants to produce long roots and become drought resistant.

• Plants including garlic, chives, coriander and petunias can act as a natural repellent for keeping aphids off your roses, and mint, rosemary, thyme, sage, celery, catnip and wormwood will help keep cabbage moths from eating your vegie patch.

• Composting is a cheap and hygienic method of converting your wastes into a clean smelling material for use in your garden as a soil conditioner or surface mulch. It not only returns nutrients to the soil, but it improves soil structure and increases water holding capacity and aeration.

• To avoid the problem of having to store unused chemicals, it is best to keep quantities to a minimum by only buying enough for immediate use. Other ways to reduce chemicals in the household include: buying less hazardous alternatives (hardware retailers may be able to offer you some advice); reusing leftover chemicals before buying more; and swapping chemicals with friends or neighbours who may have the chemical and quantity you require.