Overview Description Celery is a biennial vegetable commonly grown as an annual, featuring fleshy, upright, fibrous stalks reaching a height of 40-60 cm (16-24 in). The plant has pinnate, finely divided leaves. In its second year the plant produces clusters of small, creamy-white flowers arranged […]
Many formulations of natural pyrethrum insecticide (derived from the flowers of the Pyrethrum Daisy Tanacetum cinerariifolium) also contain piperonyl butoxide. Gardeners often wonder what this chemical is, what it does, whether it’s environmentally friendly, and if its approved for use in organic gardens. Piperonyl butoxide […]
The ZZ Plant, or Zamioculcas zamiifolia, is a striking and robust houseplant that has soared in popularity due to its aesthetic appeal and remarkable resilience. This glossy-leaved plant is an ideal choice for both novice gardeners and those with a more seasoned green thumb, thanks […]
Overview Description Cabbage is a biennial vegetable grown as an annual. Its has a short stem bearing rosettes of tightly packed, waxy leaves that wrap around a round, compact head or “heart” consisting of multiple layers of thick, sturdy leaves that grow in a tightly […]
Gardeners and horticulturists have long sought effective, environmentally friendly methods to protect their plants from the voracious appetites of snails and slugs. Among the myriad of options, one solution stands out both for its simplicity and its basis in science: copper strips. But how effective […]
The Peace Lily, or Spathiphyllum, stands out as a distinguished and elegant houseplant, favoured for its lush foliage and striking white blooms. This plant not only adds a touch of sophistication to any space but is also known for its air-purifying abilities, making it a […]
Overview Description Cauliflower is an annual cool-season vegetable with a rosette of large, coarse, bluish-green leaves growing from a thick central stem. The edible part of the plant is a dense cluster of undeveloped flower buds known as the “curd.” The curd is usually white […]
Here are the May gardening calendars for all Australian climates – Temperate, Cool & Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Use the links below to view monthly gardening calendars or download printable documents. Temperate Climate May Vegetable And Herb Gardening Calendar For Temperate Climate Australia Cool […]
To ensure municipal tap water is safe, authorities frequently use chlorine or chloramine to disinfect it and remove harmful microorganisms. Although these chemicals are effective at purifying the water, they can leave an unpleasant taste and smell, and may cause problems when used for aquariums […]
The Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum), is a perennial favorite among indoor gardening enthusiasts. Renowned for its easy care and distinctive appearance, with arching leaves and baby plantlets, it’s a must-have for both novice and experienced plant lovers. This guide will explain everything you need to […]
Overview Description Carrots are biennial root vegetables, but they are commonly grown as annuals for their edible taproots. They have a rosette of 8-12 finely divided, feathery leaves with a fern-like appearance, reaching heights of 30-60 cm (12-24 in). The root can range from 15-30 […]
Rats and mice are not just mere nuisances; they pose significant threats to health and property. While traditional methods like traps and poisons are effective, they may not be the most eco-friendly or humane solutions. An excellent alternative is using natural repellents. This article explains […]
This post is part-contributed and may contain affiliate links Gardening is not only a deeply fulfilling pastime but also a therapeutic escape that allows us to unwind and divert our minds from daily stresses, effectively reducing tension and promoting mental well-being. Immersing ourselves in the […]
The Pothos plant, or Epipremnum aureum, is a resilient and adaptable houseplant valued for its vibrant, heart-shaped foliage. Commonly known as Devil’s Ivy, it is favored in both homes and offices due to its capacity to prosper under diverse conditions and its low maintenance requirements. […]
Overview Description Broccoli is an annual plant cultivated for its edible flower heads and stalks. It grows a thick, fibrous stalk topped with a dense cluster of green flower buds known as the “head.” The plant can reach a height of up to 1 m […]
Ensuring that houseplants receive the correct amount of light is crucial for their health and growth. Light intensity directly affects photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light into energy. However, determining if plants are getting just the right amount of light can be challenging, […]
Overview Description Beetroot is a biennial plant cultivated as an annual. It grows an upright rosette of broad, heart-shaped leaves that are dark green with red or purple veins. The round or cylindrical root develops underground and can vary in size, reaching up to 10 […]
The Snake Plant, commonly referred to as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, and scientifically known as Sansevieria, is a resilient and striking houseplant that has gained popularity among both experienced gardeners and beginners alike. With its vertical leaves, adorned in either green or variegated patterns, the Sansevieria brings […]
Slugs can wreak havoc on gardens, voraciously devouring young seedlings and tender plants with alarming efficiency. While conventional methods of slug control often involve harmful chemicals that pose risks to beneficial insects, pets, and children, there’s a safer, environmentally friendly alternative, which is using a […]
Overview Description Amaranth plants belong to the genus Amaranthus, which encompasses a diverse group of annual and perennial plants known for their edible leaves, seeds, and vibrant flowers. These plants are cultivated worldwide for their nutritional value and ornamental beauty. When used for food, they’re […]
Here are the April gardening calendars for all Australian climates – Temperate, Cool & Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Use the links below to view monthly gardening calendars or download printable documents. Temperate Climate April Vegetable And Herb Gardening Calendar For Temperate Climate Australia Cool […]
Overview Description Basil (Ocimum basilicum), is an annual or perennial plant grown for its aromatic leaves which are used as a herb. The leaves are bright green, smooth, oval-shaped,, opposite (paired) in arrangement and vary in size. Stems are square-shaped, characteristic of the mint family, […]
Overview Description Broad beans (Vicia faba), also known as fava bean, are annual legumes that grow as an upright, bushy plant reaching 0.6-1.5 meters (2-5 ft) in height. Plants often have multiple stems growing from the base. The stems are square in cross-section and slightly […]
The amazing thing about composting is that we can take waste materials that were once living and recycle them to enrich the soil and provide nutrients for plant growth. Among the diverse range of materials that can be composted, sawdust often finds its way into […]
Here are the March gardening calendars for all Australian climates – Temperate, Cool & Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Use the links below to view monthly gardening calendars or download printable documents. Temperate Climate March Vegetable And Herb Gardening Calendar For Temperate Climate Australia Cool […]
Palms are monocot trees from the Arecaceae (or Palmae) family with tall, unbranched, columnar trunks and a canopy of large pinnate (feather-like in appearance) or palmate (resembling the palm of a hand) compound leaves, known as palm fronds. An unusual anatomical characteristics of palm trees […]
Here are the February gardening calendars for all Australian climates – Temperate, Cool & Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Use the links below to view monthly gardening calendars or download printable documents. Temperate Climate February Vegetable And Herb Gardening Calendar For Temperate Climate Australia Cool […]
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, with an estimated global consumption of 2.25 billion cups of coffee per day in 2022. That translates to approximately 2.5 billion kilograms (5.5 billion pounds) of coffee beans a year! Using ground coffee […]
Botanical names, also known as scientific names, follow a binomial nomenclature – a two-part system for naming and categorizing plants that was originally developed by the Swedish botanist and physician Carl Linnaeus in 1758. This system consists of the genus, a higher taxonomic (classification) rank […]
Here are the January gardening calendars for all Australian climates – Temperate, Cool & Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Use the links below to view monthly gardening calendars or download printable documents. Temperate Climate January Vegetable And Herb Gardening Calendar For Temperate Climate Australia Cool […]
The Clothes Moth is a common household pest that eats holes in clothing and other fabrics. There are two common types of clothes moths found in homes, the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella), and the case-making clothes moth (Tinea pellionella). These tiny insects consume all […]
The passionfruit vine (Passiflora edulis) is a vigorous perennial woody evergreen fruiting subtropical vine from the Passifloraceae family. It has three-lobed, glossy green leaves, and climbs by tendrils, reaching a height of up to 5m (15′), depending on the structure it’s climbing upon. The purple […]
All living things require energy to function, and their cells require a constant and ongoing input of energy to power the various cellular processes and functions they perform. What’s truly miraculous is how nature’s energies external to living organisms are transmuted into internal cellular energies […]
Photosynthesis is a fundamental process used by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) to absorb the energy of sunlight and convert it into stored chemical energy. They do this by using carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, and water (H2O) from the soil, to produce […]
December is the first month of summer, and with the warmer weather gardens explode into life, becoming lush, abundant and awesome to behold. With the days getting longer as we progress towards the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, there’s more time to […]
December is the first month of summer, and with the warmer weather gardens explode into life, becoming lush, abundant and awesome to behold. With the days getting longer as we progress towards the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, there’s more time to […]
December is the first month of summer, and with the warmer weather gardens explode into life, becoming lush, abundant and awesome to behold. With the days getting longer as we progress towards the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, there’s more time to […]
December is the first month of summer, and with the warmer weather gardens explode into life, becoming lush, abundant and awesome to behold. With the days getting longer as we progress towards the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, there’s more time to […]
December is the first month of summer, and with the warmer weather gardens explode into life, becoming lush, abundant and awesome to behold. With the days getting longer as we progress towards the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, there’s more time to […]
Moon planting is a gardening technique that involves planting crops and sowing seeds according to the phase of the moon. It’s based on the idea that the gravitational pull of the moon affects the water table and therefore the moisture levels in the soil, which […]
This post is part-contributed and may contain affiliate links To maintain a good oral health, experts recommended brushing teeth twice a day, which is easiest done in the morning and evening, making it an easy routine to implement. Visiting a dentist for regular checkups is […]
It’s November, the last month of spring, and with the weather warming up we see plenty of sunny days and lots of new green growth emerging in our gardens. With the onset of warmer weather, snow is less likely on Mount Wellington in Tasmania, but […]
It’s November, the last month of spring, and with the weather warming up we see plenty of sunny days and lots of new green growth emerging in our gardens. Right throughout Australia this month there’s the possibility of very sudden hot weather striking without warning, […]
It’s November, the last month of spring, and with the weather warming up we see plenty of sunny days and lots of new green growth emerging in our gardens. The tropical cyclone season begins now and continues into autumn. Rainfall is increasing, with an average […]
It’s November, the last month of spring, and with the weather warming up we see plenty of sunny days and lots of new green growth emerging in our gardens. This month along the eastern coast severe thunderstorms and heavy hail are possible, along with gale […]
It’s November, the last month of spring, and with the weather warming up we see plenty of sunny days and lots of new green growth emerging in our gardens. In Melbourne, the changeable and windy weather from October continues, while in Perth and Adelaide the […]
The five main reasons leaf tips and edges of houseplants turn brown are: When indoor plants display such symptoms, it’s their way of showing us that something may not be right, and they need attention. 1. Improper Watering When houseplants are overwatered, underwatered, or watered […]
Salt accumulation or build-up in plant pots appears as a white-to-yellow-coloured, hard, crusty mineral deposit along the edges of the growing medium. What Is Salt and Fertiliser Accumulation in Houseplants and Is It Harmful? Water naturally contains dissolved minerals, also known as soluble salts. Water […]
October is the mid-spring period, where flowers bloom in abundance, and the warmer weather with rain bringing ideal conditions for lush plant growth. In the northern regions there are more hot sunny days, with rain and humidity increasing and more thunderstorms, though with many areas […]
October is the mid-spring period, where flowers bloom in abundance, and the warmer weather with rain bringing ideal conditions for lush plant growth. In the northern regions there are more hot sunny days, with rain and humidity increasing and more thunderstorms. Darwin is still in […]
October is the mid-spring period, where flowers bloom in abundance, and the warmer weather with rain bringing ideal conditions for lush plant growth. In the northern regions there are more hot sunny days, with rain increasing and thunderstorms.Sydney is quite rainy this month, averaging 11-12 […]
October is the mid-spring period, where flowers bloom in abundance, and the warmer weather with rain bringing ideal conditions for lush plant growth. Despite the warming weather, cold nights and frosts can still be expected this month, so it’s important to protect tender plants and […]
Olives have a long, rich culinary history that dates back thousands of years. They’re a staple ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, adding a burst of unique flavour and saltiness to these dishes. With their culinary origins in ancient Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern cuisine, olives have […]
October is the mid-spring period, where flowers bloom in abundance, and the warmer weather with rain bringing ideal conditions for lush plant growth. In the southern states, despite the warm, balmy weather, cold nights and even frosts can still be expected this month, so it’s […]
The olive tree, Olea europaea, is a subtropical evergreen tree from the Oleaceae family that is native to the Mediterranean, Africa and China. They grow best in areas with a Mediterranean climate, which is characterised by a long, hot, dry summer growing season and a […]
During the summer season, bean plants may become unhealthy looking, with a mottled or stippled pattern of tiny whitish speckled spots, short streaks or short lines on the upper surface their leaves. These affected leaved may eventually turn yellow, then brown, and become dry and […]
It’s September, the beginning of spring, the time of new life and renewal! The weather is starting to warm up, but there are still cold days, rainy weather and winds to contend with. Early spring is the best time to mulch garden beds, as the […]
It’s September, the beginning of spring, the time of new life and renewal! The weather is starting to warm up this month. In Darwin the weather is sunny, and it’s still the dry season but the weather is becoming hotter and more humid. This month […]
It’s September, the beginning of spring, the time of new life and renewal! The weather is starting to warm up, but there are still cold days, rainy weather and winds to contend with. The weather in Brisbane is mild and warm with some hotter days. […]
It’s September, the beginning of spring, the time of new life and renewal! The weather is starting to warm up, but there are still cold days, rainy weather and winds to contend with. Weather is still cold in Canberra and Hobart, with frosts in high […]
It’s September, the beginning of spring, the time of new life and renewal! The weather is starting to warm up, but there are still cold days, rainy weather and winds to contend with. Melbourne is cool and cloudy, and averages half a month of sunny […]
When plants are grown under artificial lighting, such as LED grow lights, the leaves might turn red in colour, due to a phenomenon known as anthocyanin accumulation. Anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoid plant pigments that produce the major red, blue and purple colours in flowers, fruits […]
Can we convert USDA zones to Australian climatic zones of tropical, subtropical, temperate, arid and cool/alpine regions? That’s a common question many gardeners ask when referencing plant information from the other side on the world. Even though the two are quite different measurements based on […]
Mulching the garden is great way to protect the soil and keep it healthy. A good layer of mulch around 5-10cm (2-4″) thick on top of the soil surface prevents evaporation of soil moisture, saving water, and also keeps plant roots cool in summer. It […]
It’s August, the weather is dry and sunny in Darwin, but the end of winter draws near. Days begin to grow noticeably longer and the change of season isn’t too far away. This month is the time to sow the first summer vegetable seeds. Towards […]
It’s August, the weather is still cold and windy, but the end of winter draws near. Days begin to grow noticeably longer, and the change of season isn’t too far away. The weather in Brisbane is mild, with the possibility of frosts and occasional storms, […]
It’s August, the weather is still cold in many areas and moderately windy, but the end of winter draws near. Days begin to grow noticeably longer and the change of season isn’t too far away. This month is the last chance to complete the pruning […]
It’s August, the weather is still cold and windy, but the end of winter draws near. Days begin to grow noticeably longer and the change of season isn’t too far away. The weather in Hobart is slightly warmer than in the previous month but moderately […]
Live catch rat and mouse cage traps are humane, non-lethal devices that are used to capture pest rodent. They are designed to trap the animals without harming them, so that any non-pest native rodents that are captured can be relocated or released back into the […]
It’s August, the weather is still cold and windy, but the end of winter draws near. Days begin to grow noticeably longer and the change of season isn’t too far away. The weather in Melbourne and Perth is slightly warmer than in the previous month. […]
Woolly aphids are sap-sucking pests that are bluish-black in colour that produce a covering of fluffy white wax that resembles wool. They can be found clustered around the bases of new shoots on branches, wounds on trunks and branches, and on exposed roots of apple […]
Fungus gnats (Bradysia spp.) are annoying tiny, delicate looking little flies are around 1.5 – 3.0mm (1⁄16 to 1⁄8”) often seen flying slowly around indoor plants. They look like and are often mistaken to be tiny ‘fruit flies’ when they land on the sides of pots […]
It’s the month of July, and Midwinter has arrived! As all of Nature’s energies turn inwards, and life comes to a standstill, we finally have a chance to rest and reflect too. During this month temperatures will hit their lowest for the year in many […]
It’s the month of July, and Midwinter has arrived! As all of Nature’s energies turn inwards, and life comes to a standstill, we finally have a chance to rest and reflect too. During this month temperatures will hit their lowest for the year. Brief spells […]
It’s the month of July, and Midwinter has arrived! As all of Nature’s energies turn inwards, and life comes to a standstill, we finally have a chance to rest and reflect too. During this month temperatures will hit their lowest for the year in many […]
It’s the month of July, and Midwinter has arrived! As all of Nature’s energies turn inwards, and life comes to a standstill, we finally have a chance to rest and reflect too. During this month temperatures will hit their lowest for the year in Sydney […]
The practice of painting tree trunks white to protect them, which is known as whitewashing, has a long history that can be traced back to ancient times. The use of lime-based whitewash dates back to ancient Greece and Rome and gained popularity during the medieval […]
Unlike dogs, which are omnivores which are able to consume both meat and plant materials (including your garden vegetables!), cats are obligate carnivores or ‘true carnivores’, meaning that they rely almost entirely on a diet of animal proteins to obtain their nutrition. Cats may lack […]
It’s the month of July, and Midwinter has arrived! As all of Nature’s energies turn inwards, and life comes to a standstill, we finally have a chance to rest and reflect too. During this month temperatures will hit their lowest for the year in Melbourne, […]
The leaf of the olive tree (Olea europaea) has been used medicinally for centuries throughout the world, where it has been used to treat various ailments, including infectious disorders of bacterial, fungal, and viral origin. Olive leaf contains several bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds such […]
Companion planting is the practice of planting specific plants close to others to provide them with some benefit, such as the control of pests, increased health and vigour, resistance to disease, or higher yields. Plants can also be used to add fertility to the soil. […]
June brings us the start of winter, and weather in Darwin is warm and dry with plenty of sunshine. There are winter vegies to harvest, and some tidying up to do around the garden this month. In regions where deciduous trees and shrubs can grow, […]
June brings us the start of winter, with cooler weather. There are still some sunny days to be had, winter vegies to harvest, and some tidying up to do around the garden. As deciduous trees and shrubs shed their leaves and become dormant, it’s a […]
June brings us the start of winter, with colder, wetter weather, and a few frosty nights. There are still some sunny days to be had, winter vegies to harvest, and some tidying up to do around the garden. The winds ease off this month, and […]
June brings us the start of winter, with colder, wetter weather, and a few frosty nights. There are still some sunny days to be had, winter vegies to harvest, and some tidying up to do around the garden. The winds ease off this month, Brisbane […]
June brings us the start of winter, with colder, wetter weather, and a few frosty nights. There are still some sunny days to be had, winter vegies to harvest, and some tidying up to do around the garden. It’s the wettest month in Perth and […]
Edible figs (Ficus carica) belong to the Moraceae (mulberry) family, and the genus Ficus is one of the largest of the angiosperms (flowering plants) with over 800 species, characterised by their milky latex and their uniquely structure of its fruit, known as figs, which are actually inverted flowers, with hundreds of […]
In Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday 28th May at 11:41pm residents were awakened by an earth tremor of magnitude 3.8, that seemed to last close to a minute. It was quite unmistakable, initially sounding like a truck crash on the road and continuing in intensity with […]
A popular method of producing new plants from existing ones is by taking cuttings. Depending on the time of year and the plant, tree or vine being propagated, we can take hardwood cuttings from older wood, or softwood cuttings from newer, more pliable growth. Rather […]
Bees are incredible creatures, and one of the products they create, honey is a truly magical substance – it’s the only food that never spoils if it’s stored in a sealed container. As long as moisture from the air doesn’t get in, honey keeps indefinitely! […]
After many decades, there still seems to be some controversy in the horticulture world as to whether permaculture design works, despite many thriving and successful examples of working permaculture demonstration sites worldwide. For my amusement, I decided to ask the AI (artificial intelligence) program ChatGTP […]
May is the last month of autumn, when the weather starts cooling down, but there are still sunny days. There may be frosts in inland areas. This is a time for pruning, taking cuttings for propagation, dividing perennials, and planting new trees, shrubs and vines. […]
May is the last month of autumn, when the weather starts cooling down, but there are still sunny days. In Sydney the weather is cool and sunny, but it’s also quite a rainy month, while in Brisbane it’s still mild and sunny with temperatures reaching […]
May is the last month of autumn, when the weather starts cooling down, but there are still sunny days. There are frosts inland and in the high regions. Cold windy days are expected in the southern states, and weather in Hobart is cool and rainy. […]
May is the last month of autumn, and the weather is sunny and dry in the tropics. In Darwin, the weather is hot and humid, with temperatures over 30°C, and it’s also the first month of the dry season, with an average rainfall of only […]
Mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial fungi that live in close symbiotic association with the roots of most plants and trees. In this association, the plant provides the mycorrhizal fungi with sugars produced by photosynthesis. In return, the mycorrhizal fungi extend their network of long, threadlike filaments […]
What are Mycorrhizal Fungi? Mycorrhizal fungi are a type of fungi that have evolved to live in close association with the roots of most plants and trees, in a symbiotic relationship where both benefit from each other. This connection is described as mutualistic association. The […]
May is the last month of autumn, when the weather starts cooling down, but there are still sunny days. More rainy weather is expected in Perth and Adelaide, where it may rain for half the month. Cold windy days are expected in the southern states, […]
April brings us well into autumn, and the days are now getting shorter. During this month, temperatures drop, winds ease off and weather may be mild, sunny and warm or damp and rainy, making it ideal planting. While the soil is still warm, it’s a […]
April brings us well into autumn, and the days are now getting shorter.During this month, temperatures drop, winds ease off and weather may be mild, sunny and warm or damp and rainy, making it ideal planting. While the soil is still warm, it’s a good […]
April brings us well into autumn, and the days are now getting shorter.During this month, temperatures drop, winds ease off and weather may be mild, sunny and warm or damp and rainy, making it ideal planting. While the soil is still warm, it’s a good […]
April brings us well into autumn, and the days are now getting shorter. During this month, temperatures drop, winds ease off and weather may be mild, sunny and warm or damp and rainy, making it ideal planting. While the soil is still warm, it’s a […]
April brings us well into autumn, and the days are now getting shorter. During this month, temperatures drop, winds ease off and weather may be mild, sunny and warm or damp and rainy, making it ideal planting. While the soil is still warm, it’s a […]
Two-spotted spider mites or red spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) are tiny sap-sucking pests belonging to the Tetranychidae family that are barely visible to the naked eye, being only 0.3-0.5mm long, that live on the underside of leaves. Their body color varies, it can be pale […]
Whiteflies are small white flying insects around 1mm long that prefer to hide on the undersides of young plant leaves, and when disturbed fly up in the air around the plant in a cloud of white flying insects, often in large numbers. They belong to […]
March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. The weather remains warm and humid in areas as far south of the country as Sydney and Perth. With the cooler conditions and moist soils, it’s also an ideal time […]
March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. The first frosts may appear in Canberra and high inland areas. With the cooler conditions and moist soils, it’s also an ideal time to plant new trees, as the weather […]
March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. The weather remains warm and humid in areas as far south of the country as Sydney and Perth. With the cooler conditions and moist soils, it’s also an ideal time […]
March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. The weather remains warm and humid in areas as far south of the country as Sydney and Perth. With the cooler conditions and moist soils, it’s also an ideal time […]
March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. The weather remains warm and humid in areas as far south of the country as Sydney and Perth. With the cooler conditions and moist soils, it’s also an ideal time […]
Lead is a toxic heavy metal that poses a significant risk to humans, wildlife and natural habitats, as heavy metals are not degraded in the environment and consequently accumulate in soils. The lead-contamination of soil and its circulation in the soil–plant–animal–human biological food chain can […]
The choko or chayote (Sechium edule) is a vigorous, herbaceous perennial vine from the Cucurbitaceae (gourd or cucumber) family, that is native to Central America, but is now cultivated in many parts of the world. Choko fruit are light green in colour and are variable […]
February is the last month of summer, with hot days and strong winds, along with the occasional cyclone up north. During this month there are also cool changes with rain and thunderstorms. It’s still a fairly dry time of the year in Victoria, quite hot […]
February is the last month of summer, and it’s still a fairly dry time of the year in Victoria. Weather is hot and humid in NSW, and rain falls for around half the month. There can be strong winds along with the heat, so water […]
February is the last month of summer, with hot days and strong winds, along with the occasional cyclone up north. During this month there are also cool changes with rain and thunderstorms. In Darwin it’s the wet season. During dry periods, water deeply and less […]
February is the last month of summer, with hot days and strong winds, along with the occasional cyclone up north. During this month there are also cool changes with rain and thunderstorms. During dry periods, water deeply and less often to encourage roots to grow […]
February is the last month of summer, and it’s still a fairly dry time of the year in Melbourne, quite hot and dry in South Australia, and the hottest month in Perth. It’s hot and humid in Sydney and Brisbane, and rain falls for around […]
Herbicide use is very common in mainstream agriculture. Despite the documented environmental harm caused by herbicides, and the findings by the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Agency on Research on Cancer (IARC) that glyphosate (Roundup) causes cancer, herbicide use remains rampant and unabated! In 2020 […]
Mint plants are perennial aromatic herbs from the Mentha genus, that are widely grown in temperate areas around the world, and have spread worldwide, due to their culinary, medicinal and aromatic value. These are amongst the easiest plants for beginner herb gardeners to grow, as […]
Herbs are plants that are used for culinary and medicinal purposes, for making teas and also for their aromatic qualities. The leaves, flowers, seeds and roots of many herbs can be harvested for these purposes. For best flavour, aroma or potency, herbs are usually harvested […]
Willows are fast growing, deciduous trees of the genus Salix, that are mostly native to the temperate areas of the Northern hemisphere, growing in regions with moist soils, but are adaptable to almost any soil conditions. The Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) pictured above is one […]
It’s January, and we find ourselves right in the middle of the summer season. It’s in this month and the next that we experience the hottest daytime and night temperatures of the year. With the weather so hot and dry at this time, and with […]
It’s January, and we find ourselves right in the middle of the summer season. It’s in this month and the next that we experience the hottest daytime and night temperatures of the year. With the weather so hot and dry at this time, and with […]
It’s January, and we find ourselves right in the middle of the summer season. It’s in this month and the next that we experience the hottest daytime and night temperatures of the year. With the weather so hot at this time, it’s important to keep […]
It’s January, and we find ourselves right in the middle of the summer season. It’s in this month and the next that we experience the hottest daytime and night temperatures of the year. With the weather so hot at this time, it’s important to keep […]
It’s January, and we find ourselves right in the middle of the summer season. It’s in this month and the next that we experience the hottest daytime and night temperatures of the year. With the weather so hot and dry at this time, and with […]
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, it’s a neurodegenerative disease associated with a build-up of certain proteins and chemicals in the brain, which causes the brain atrophy and brain cells to die. This leads to dementia symptoms that worsen over time. […]
There’s a gardening myth that Aspirin tablets can be used to stimulate rooting in plant cuttings, but is it true? There’s a saying that “a little science is a dangerous thing“, and as we’ll see when we dissect this myth, it’s based on some partial […]
Deadheading is a pruning technique for removing flowers once they’ve finished in order to encourage plants to direct their energy into producing new flowers and extend their flowering period, rather expending their energy reserves on old spent flowers to produce seeds. Removing spent flowers is also […]
Announcing the Hort People website, an Australian green industry job board where employers can advertise jobs and job seekers can find work at https://hortpeople.com NOW HIRING! HORTICULTURISTS, GARDENERS, LANDSCAPERS, TEAM LEADERS, STUDENTS & BEGINNERS. Hort People is run by Daniel Fuller, the host of the […]
If you grow plants and trees in pots, some will eventually grow large enough to become rather top-heavy. considering that most potting mixes are fairly light, they need to be for proper aeration and drainage, they may not provide sufficient weight to prevent tall or […]
Paper wasps are beneficial insects that are a natural part of the native ecosystem and play an important role in pollination and pest population control. Paper Wasp Identification There are many species of paper wasps worldwide, so they do vary in appearance, but the distinctive […]
Crane flies (Family Tipulidae) look like giant mosquitoes, being up to 3cm (1-1/4″) in length, with a long slender abdomen, very long thin legs, narrow wings, and long antennas with multiple segments per stalk. They can be brown, green or white in colour. They’re sometimes called […]
Tall plant pots can look quite elegant indoors or out in the garden, their shapes serving as visually appealing aesthetic design elements. One of the downsides though to using such deep pots is the large volume of growing medium (potting mix) that it takes to […]
If we look at a healthy natural environment that hasn’t been damaged or subjected to human disturbance, we find that nature goes to some effort to protect the soil, which is not ‘dirt’, but a complex living ecosystem, known as the soil-food web. Layers of natural […]
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are perennial plants from the Asteraceae (daisy) family, that are native to Europe and Asia. They’re often described as ‘edible weeds’, which is a rather disparaging term, considering that the plant has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for many centuries […]
This post is contributed and may contain affiliate links When it comes to keeping your lawn looking great, there are a few simple things you can do to make the process a little bit easier. From taking better care of your lawn mower to watering […]
Citruses are flowering trees and shrubs from the rue (Rutaceae) family and are native to subtropical and tropical regions of South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and northeastern Australia. Plants in the genus Citrus provide a wide assortment of fruit types, including important crops […]
Non-native, feral rodents, such as the Black Rat, aka Roof Rat (Rattus rattus), Brown Rat, aka Ship Rat or Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) and House Mouse (Mus musculus) are destructive pests that can cause considerable damage to a home and garden if they’re not controlled. […]
How do you know if you have rats or mice, or some other pest problem? Correct pest identification is important for deciding on an appropriate course of action. Visual identification is not easy because rats and mice are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at […]
This post is contributed and may contain affiliate links If you have a green thumb and love spending time outdoors, why not put your skills to good use and earn some extra money? With a little effort, you can turn your garden into a veritable […]
Despite the unfounded concerns of some gardeners, setting up Queensland fruit fly traps will not attract more of the harmful female pests into your garden. These traps do work effectively to reduce the numbers of the pest already there, and are best installed at the […]
After using pruning tools, such as secateurs, loppers, hedge hedge and pruning saws, it’s important to clean them to prevent rusting, and to avoid spreading diseases from tree to tree. It’s a good idea to sterilise pruning tools after use, especially before using them on […]
Overpotting is a term used to describe the negative effects on plant health when a plant is grown in a pot that is way too big for it. While it might seem like a good idea to give a plant plenty of future growing space, […]
The soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the ability of soils to bind and store a particular group of nutrients by electrical attraction, those that form positively charged cations, such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), potassium (K+), and nitrogen in the form of ammonium (NH4+). […]
The life expectancy of fruit trees varies with the type of fruit tree, and the rootstock that they’re grafted onto (if they’re not growing on their own roots). Trees on dwarf rootstock tend to have a shorter life span than their larger counterparts because the […]
Burr knots (burrs or burls) are masses of small root initials, plant cells that are dividing and transforming into root tips, which appears on the above-ground portion of a rootstock, or on the trunk and limbs of apple trees. This is an inherited disorder where […]
The goji berry plant (Lycium barbarum), also known as a wolfberry (gouqizi, 枸杞) in Chinese, is a scrambling deciduous shrub with long, sparsely spiny weeping branches. It’s a Lycium (boxthorn) species that is a member of the Solanaceae (nightshade or tomato) plant family, and is […]
Fruit cracking is a common problem in tomatoes when there is a wide fluctuation in soil moisture levels, which leads to inconsistent water content within the plant. This is usually caused by huge temperature variations and/or inconsistent irrigation. The cracking or splitting of tomato fruit […]
Introduced, non-native, feral rodents, such as the Black Rat (Rattus rattus), Brown Rat, aka Ship Rat or Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) and House Mouse (Mus musculus) are serious pests that need to be controlled. The danger with using commercial poison baits to control rats and […]
Bananas are tropical plants that belong to the Musaceae (plantain and banana) family. The cultivated varieties of bananas available today originate from ancestral species native to the Malaysian peninsula, New Guinea and South-East Asia. Even though banana plants are mistakenly referred to as trees, they’re […]
The recommended time for planting all evergreen trees and plants, including citrus, is in spring, and the next best time to plant them is in early autumn. The question many new gardeners ask is why? Evergreen trees and plants retain their leaves all year round. […]
I was invited to talk on the Plants Grow Here podcast with Daniel Fuller once again, you can listen to Ep.107 Companion planting by veg family – Angelo Eliades (Deep Green Permaculture) here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MWPemQs5NkOLrvjPiIr3f?si=e2R4emj2QoWxMQe4Adnaow Episode Description: Have you ever wondered which veggies to plant together, […]
Comfrey, nettles and yarrow are herbs that are dynamic accumulators, plants capable of concentrating nutrients at much higher levels than the surrounding soil. When added to compost, these herbs break down, releasing their concentrated nutrients, helping initiate the composting process in a new compost pile, […]
The European wasp (Vespula germanica) is a social wasp that lives in large nest colonies. It’s native to Europe, North Africa and Asia, and has now spread throughout the world. In the US, these wasps are known as German yellowjackets. Why Are European Wasps Considered […]
Tomatoes require a sufficiently long growing season and suitable temperatures in order to ripen their fruit, otherwise the fruit may stay green and fail to ripen. When growing conditions are less than ideal, there are ways for gardeners to turn things in their favour, to […]
Some houseplants are sensitive to the fluoride that is added to municipal tap water for the purpose of preventing tooth decay in humans. The symptom of fluoride toxicity in plants is leaf necrosis (yellowing, then browning, leading to dead, scorched areas on the leaf), which […]
Tomatoes can be grown quite easily from seed, and you can use seeds collected from tomatoes you’ve grown yourself, or from ones you’ve purchase from the greengrocer! There are a few tricks to saving tomato seeds, as they are wet seeded crops, which have seeds […]
One of the most damaging pests of fruit and vegetables in Australia is the Queensland fruit fly or Qfly (Bactrocera tryoni). To control this pest, you can make your own home made traps using empty clear plastic bottles, and also make the homemade bait lure […]
It’s quite disappointing for gardeners when healthy and vigorous tomato plants,drop their flowers and fail to produce fruit after a good growing season. Tomato plants have what are described as complete flowers, they contain both the male and female parts within the same flower. The […]
When houseplant (indoor plant) leaves turn yellow, it’s usually one of the first symptoms indicating that the plant is stressed. If the conditions causing the plant stress are not alleviated, the yellow leaves may eventually turn brown and drop. Plant stress can be caused by […]
In this comprehensive, practical gardening guide, we’ll show you the easiest ways to produce brilliant, bountiful harvests with less effort and cost, by working cleverly with nature. New to gardening? Start the right way, learn how to select the best sites for garden beds, prepare […]
Foam packing peanuts are a lightweight packing material which is used to fill the empty space in boxes and containers, to cushion the contents and protect them from damage during shipping. They’re a welcome addition in freight packaging for the additional protection they provide, but […]
I was invited to talk on the Plants Grow Here podcast with Daniel Fuller on Sunday 10 October 2021, you can listen to Ep.70 Enhance your urban yield – Angelo Eliades (Deep Green Permaculture) here: https://kite.link/PGH-ENH Episode description: Angelo Eliades is an urban permaculturist that’s […]
Horticultural oil, also known as white oil, is an easy and inexpensive pesticide to prepare at home from readily-available materials. It is used to control scale, aphids, mealy bug, citrus leaf miner, mites and caterpillars on roses, ornamentals, citrus and other fruit trees. The commercial […]
Food additives are listed on product labels with a three or four digit number code, because their real names may be far too long to use. This number system is known as the International Numbering System for Food Additives, or INS for short. For example, […]
Container gardening is a great way to grow vegetables when there is no space left in the garden beds, or when space is limited, such as in a courtyard or balcony. When growing in a pot or container, the three main requirements are: The container […]
Just about everything can be composted using cold (slow) composting, hot (fast) composting, worm farms (vermicomposting), bokashi composting and Hügelkultur composting. The table in this article lists how to compost just about every garden and kitchen material that can be recycled, and which composting systems […]
Indoor plants add color and vibrancy to your space. To keep your houseplants in their best form, you need to prune them regularly. Pruning will help you remove dead leaves and flowers and encourage the plant to grow fuller and shapelier. If you’re new to […]
Many warm-season crops, such cantaloupe, capsicums, chillies, cucumbers, eggplants, lima beans, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, and watermelon, are native to subtropical climates, and are therefore very frost-sensitive. They prefer temperatures of 21°C (70°F) to 35°C (95°F), and need daytime temperatures above 15.5°C (60°F). A week of […]
Warm season vegetables and fruit trees are often grown close to brick, stone and concrete walls facing the midday or afternoon sun. This is because these surfaces act as a thermal mass, heating up during the day, and releasing the heat at night as the […]
Odor repellent (scent repellent) products are an effective way of deterring unwanted pest animals from visiting the garden and causing damage. They either contain ingredients which pest animals find offensive and objectionable, or those that evoke an instinctive reaction of fear in pest animals, because […]
The feijoa (Acca sellowiana), commonly known as pineapple guava, is an evergreen fruiting shrub or small tree from the Myrtaceae family, that is native to South America. It is widely grown in the subtropics and in warm temperate areas. This remarkably hardy plant is quite […]
One common gardening myth is that watering plants on a hot, sunny day will scorch their leaves. Is this a fact or a fallacy? There appears to be no information published by university agricultural extension agencies, or in the horticulture literature, to support this idea. […]
European earwigs are usually considered to be garden pests, but they rarely damage leafy green vegetables. When they do, they leave many rough irregular holes with a shredded, jagged appearance in the leaves, much like snail and slug damage. They also chew leaves around the […]
Everyone gardener with a worm farm has probably seen little white insects wriggling around on the surface of the liquid that drains out of the drainage tap at one time or another. Many gardeners wonder what they are, whether they’re harmful, and if it’s safe […]
Snails and slugs are one of the most destructive garden pests, causing extensive damage to seeds, seedlings, leaves, fruit and tubers. They go about unseen because they only come out at night or on rainy days to feed, and hide during the day. The damage […]
For adequate plant nutrition, gardens should be fed with fertiliser twice a year at the very minimum. Once at the start of spring (September in the southern hemisphere, March in the northern hemisphere) for warm season crops, and then again at the start of autumn […]
When feeding the garden it’s best to use natural fertilisers, such as manures, blood & bone, fish emulsion or blended organic fertilisers. No matter what kind of fertiliser we choose to use, it’s important to apply the right amount, and no more! For plants, over-fertilising […]
Many gardeners compost their garden waste, but quite a few don’t make the regular effort to turn their compost! Composting is a process where microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and protozoa are utilised to break down plant matter and other biodegradable materials into a dark, […]
Gardeners are usually enticed by the exotic, the more unusual something is, the more attractive it seems! There are a few online stores selling seeds for rainbow tomatoes, claiming they will produce many different vivid colours of tomatoes from the same plant. Have a look […]
Spring is the time when the weather warms up, and nature springs to life. Fruit trees flower and put out their new leaves ready for the growing season. Sugar rich sap rises from the roots of fruit trees to fuel the new season’s growth. Gardeners […]
The amount of light that vegetables and herbs require varies, depending on the type of plant. We can make most of available garden spaces by observing which areas are in full sun and part shade, both during summer and winter, and then selecting the right […]
Plastic garden pots come in a range of standard sizes. When filling a large pot, or a number of smaller pots, gardeners often have to estimate how much potting mix they will require. Bags of potting mix specify how many litres they hold, usually 25-30L […]
Wicking beds are self-watering raised garden beds, that operate on the principle of sub-irrigation. Water stored in a reservoir located at the bottom wicks water upwards to the soil above, watering the plants from below. When constructing wicking beds, it’s important to understand how they […]
Blackberries and blackberry hybrids, such as thornless blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries, youngberries, taybberries, silvanberries, marionberries and lawtonberries all belong to the genus Rubus, along with raspberries. Unlike raspberries which have vertical growing canes, blackberries and their hybrids have long trailing horizontal canes, which are usually supported […]
Plant propagation is the process of producing more plants from a single plant, is a very popular practice amongst many gardeners. Many plants self-propagate by seed, and some through runners or clumping, but there are also artificial propagation methods such as growing from cuttings, where […]
Is the advice to “use potash and Epsom salts to grow sweeter citrus fruit” based on scientific fact, or is it just gardening folklore? Adding potash (potassium) is only helpful when citrus trees are suffering from potassium deficiency, which is rare in healthy soils, and […]
Most gardeners get by knowing how much water and fertiliser to put on their tomatoes, and when. But someone that has basic plant biology knowledge just understands plants in a way that’s hard to describe to people that don’t have basic plant biology knowledge. It’s […]
The European earwig (Forficula auricularia) is one of our most common earwigs found worldwide in gardens. These insects are scavengers, and they are omnivores – they are voracious feeders on soft-bodied insects such as aphids and insect eggs, they also prey on mites, spiders, and […]
Safer Gardens: Plant Flammability & Planning For Fire by Lesley Corbett is one of the most reliable, comprehensive, and well-researched books published to date on the subject of fire-resistant plant and tree selection. This phenomenal text is a massive compilation of scientific research from around […]
High density tree planting, where two or more trees can be planted in the same hole to form a single canopy with multiple trunks, is drawn from the system of Backyard Orchard Culture, developed by the Dave Wilson Nursery of Central California. In this system, […]
Straw mulches such as hay, lucerne, pea straw and sugar cane mulch are popular for use in vegetable gardens because they’re easy to apply, and they work well to conserve water and effectively suppress weeds. These non-woody mulches breaks down very quickly, in around six […]
Himalayan salt lamps have become very popular home decor accessories because of their aesthetic value and affordability. As natural crystals, they bring nature’s beauty into the home, and when crafted into lamps and illuminated, their warm pink, amber or orange glow creates a calming, tranquil […]
Many gardeners grow vegies in pots, tubs, planters, and self-watering pots. Container gardening is an excellent solution when space is limited or more growing area is required. When growing climbing vegetables such as beans and peas, indeterminate (vining) tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, and zucchini in pots, […]
With the rapid advances in lighting technology in recent years, LED grow lights are set to become the next big thing in indoor garden lighting. Once upon a time, the only indoor growing lights around were used for specialist use only, either very expensive, complicated […]
Glyphosate (chemical compound N-phosphonomethyl glycine), also known by the trade name of Roundup, is a non-selective, post-emergence, broad-spectrum systemic organophosphate herbicide used for control of annual and perennial plants. This weedkiller is the largest selling herbicide chemical in the market today, and the most used […]
Fiskars UPX82 PowerGear X Tree Pruner, a super-sturdy and lightweight, ergonomically-designed pole pruner for easy cutting in all directions Pole pruners are versatile pruning tools which provide extended reach, allowing gardeners to access tree canopies and dense bushes to trim overhead branches without needing a […]
Mulberry trees are deciduous trees which are traditionally winter pruned when they’re dormant and have no leaves, with the pruning carried out in late winter. When spring arrives, the buds on the bare branches open to produce new leaves, as well as new branches which […]
Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), also known as Bois d’ arc, Hedge Apple or Horse Apple, is a member of the Moraceae family, to which figs, mulberries, breadfruit and jackfruit also belong, and is native to the south-central United States. This thorny, fast-growing, medium-sized tree or […]
In Australia, one of the most common trees are eucalyptus trees, also known as eucalypts or gum trees. These evergreen trees manage to drop a decent amount of their leaves, branches, twigs and gumnuts below their canopy. Since this debris doesn’t rot very easily, it […]
Plant diseases, caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, can easily be spread from one plant or tree to another if pruning tools are not disinfected before use. Sap from trees and plants usually sticks to the blades of secateurs, loppers, saws and […]
Despite its name, a French drain didn’t come from France. It’s a drainage system created by an American named Henry Flagg French. It’s mostly used for removing water from fields, but today, it’s much more common to use french drains to avert water from inside […]
The active ingredient in herbicides used specifically for killing trees and tree stumps is triclopyr butoxyethanol ester (triclopyr BEE), which is NOT safe to use around ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, any other waterways or bodies of water. The product leaflet for Triclopyr 600 Herbicide issues […]
Compost worms in worm farms and earthworms in compost bins can often be seen gathering in large numbers inside the lid, often trying to escape. This usually happens when it’s about to rain. Before it begins to rain, the air pressure (barometric pressure) in the […]
Terracotta is a hard, fired clay that’s reddish-orange in colour, and is commonly used for making pots and garden features. This material has been used by human civilisations for centuries, dating back to the times of ancient China, Greece and Egypt, a testament to its […]
Over the last decade, there have been increasing reports from gardeners that their vegetables and flowers have been damaged or killed after adding manure or compost to their gardens, or when they’ve planted into new soil they had delivered. In fact, the problems of contaminated […]
The annoying little flies often seen flying around indoor plants are fungus gnats. The adult flies are just a nuisance, but their larvae, which mainly eat fungi growing in decomposing organic matter (such as over-watered plant potting mix!) will also eat the roots of houseplants, […]
When leaves of a citrus tree curl evenly along their length, this is a protective response to minimises leaf surface area in order to reduce moisture loss. It indicates that the roots of the tree can’t supply enough water to support the leaves. This form […]
In nature, earthworms consume decomposing plant matter, and if a compost pile is constructed, they will often move into it on their own when the plant material is broken down and the compost is completed. When compost materials are piled up, or a compost bin […]
Sea shells should not be used in plant pots because they are made of calcium carbonate (chemical formula CaCO₃), which is exactly the same substance as limestone and garden lime. They will make the potting medium extremely alkaline. Some plants don’t grow well in alkaline […]
Are Ornamental Sweet Peas Edible? Ornamental sweet peas are not edible, they are toxic and should not be eaten! The common sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus is an ornamental leguminous annual climbing plant which is native to southern Italy, and is grown purely for its very […]
Tightly curled, yellowing, distorted, and diseased-looking young leaves at the tips of the branches on stone fruit in spring, mainly on cherry and plum trees, is a sign of damage caused by aphids. What are Aphids? Aphids are small sap-sucking pests insects around 2-4 mm […]
Start with only one tray, it takes a long while to fill a single tray, as the food that’s added disappears in a few days, and the level drops back down. When the food is converted to worm castings, the level in the tray doesn’t […]
Ants can be a major pest in the garden because they ‘farm’ aphids and scale – they safeguard them in their nests over winter, then bring them out in spring and carry them onto the new plant growth, then collect the honeydew that aphids and […]
Can nasturtiums be grown from cuttings? Nasturtiums are usually grown from seeds but can also be propagated from cuttings during the warm growing seasons, the best period being spring or late summer when weather is milder. How to make a nasturtium cutting: Cut a piece […]
When cabbages are first planted they initially produce lots of large broad leaves, but in the latter part of their growing season the inner leaves at the centre of the plant begin curling inwards and cupping around a short-thick stem, growing tightly together to form […]
Turmeric (Curcuma longa syn. C. domestica) is a subtropical/tropical plant which is a member of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family, and is native to Southwest India. It’s grown traditionally as a spice, medicine and as a source of bright yellow dye. Ground turmeric root is an […]
When growing plants in pots, it’s sometimes necessary to increase drainage because some plants are sensitive to excessive moisture around their root zone, and stagnant water at the bottom of the pot can lead to root rot. The old garden myth of putting a layer […]
Fruit trees flower and fruit each year, but some of them do so only on new branches, or specific parts of older branches. Why does this matter? If we prune off the wrong branches, we might lose our whole fruit crop for a year! By […]
It’s always a great idea to let vegetables such as lettuce to go to seed, because a single plant can produce hundreds of seeds, resulting in lettuce seedlings popping up all around the garden. Plants that grow on their own, that weren’t intentionally planted, are […]
How Can I Use Herbs in My Daily Life?: Over 500 Herbs, Spices and Edible Plants: an Australian Practical Guide to Growing Culinary and Medicinal Herbs (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and […]
Land Cress (Barbarea vulgaris) and American Upland Cress (Barbarea verna) are biennial, edible leafy-green vegetables from the Brassicaceae (cabbage) family. The young leaves, which are spicy in flavour, are often used as a substitute for watercress in dishes, and can be cooked, or used fresh […]
Many gardeners are familiar with the experience of lifting the lid off a compost bin and seeing a cloud of small flies rise into the air in front of them. These little flies are vinegar flies or drosophila, and the reason why they’re found in […]
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are a herbaceous, perennial, root-crop plant from the Solanaceae (Nightshade) family that grow to around 60cm (24”) high, and are native to Central and South America. They originated in the Andean highlands almost 10,000 years ago, but have naturalised widely and spread […]
Aloe arborescens, also know as the tree aloe, torch aloe, candelabra aloe or krantz aloe, is a hardy succulent perennial plant from the Aloe family Asphodelaceae, which is native to the south-eastern coast of Africa (Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe). This drought-tolerant succulent […]
Citrus vein enation (CVEV), also known as woody gall, is a viral disease which affects various lemon and lime trees and citrus rootstocks. This disease is caused by the CVE virus, a luteovirus which is transmitted by aphids, including the black citrus aphid (Toxoptera citricidus), […]
Growing Good Food: A Citizen’s Guide to Backyard Carbon Farming (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) For readers outside of the US interested in purchasing this book, the […]
Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) belong to the genus Rubus, along with other cane berries such as blackberries, boysenberries, lawtonberries, loganberries, marionberries, silvanberries and tayberries. What’s quite interesting is that the whole Rubus genus is part of the Rosaceae (Rose) family, to which almonds, apples, apricots, cherries, […]
Healthy plants only grow in healthy soils, and if you know what type of soil you’re working with, you’re better able to improve it to get the best results from your garden. In this article, we’ll discuss what soil is composed of, and show you […]
How to Plant Seedling in Six Easy Steps Once we’ve selected the appropriate seedlings that are in season, it’s seedling planting time! In this article we’ll cover the fundamentals of seedling planting, the procedure is very simple and much easier than sowing seeds. If you’re […]
Can you use rabbit manure as a fertiliser in the garden? Rabbit manure is an excellent manure to use in the garden. It can be used fresh, has higher nutrient levels than other manures, and does not burn plant roots. It’s an ideal soil conditioner […]
Tomatoes grow well during warmer weather, and that is expected since they are subtropical plants native to western South America and Central America. In cool to temperate climates tomatoes are grown as annuals, since they start to decline as temperatures drop in late autumn to […]
White leaf spot is a fungal disease of cruciferous vegetables (brassicas) caused by the pathogen Mycosphaerella capsellae, which is also known as Pseudocercosporella capsellae. The distribution of this disease pathogen is worldwide, it can be found in many countries with temperate climates, where brassicas are […]
Most plants prefer a neutral soil around pH 6.5 to 7.5, but many will grow favourably in the broader pH range of 5.5 to 8. When soils become too acidic or too alkaline, some essential plant nutrient will become unavailable to plants, negatively impacting plant […]
There tends to be some confusion about Nightingale and Hachiya persimmons. Despite what some claim, they are not the same thing, they’re two different varieties of Oriental persimmon, Diospyrus kaki, which look fairly similar in appearance. Both of these are astringent varieties, they can only […]
Aloe vera leaves contain a gel which is used externally to treat skin irritation, minor burns, sunburn, itching due to allergies and insect bites, sores, skin ulcers and many other conditions. The edible variety, Aloe vera barbadensis miller, is also used to make Aloe vera […]
What is soil pH? How does it affect soil microorganisms and nutrient availability to plants? What is the optimum soil pH for plants? In this article we’ll answer all those questions and more, explaining soil chemistry in a practical way that is useful to gardeners. […]
Composting is Mother Nature’s ultimate recycling process which converts everything that was once living back into soil. We can compost a lot of organic matter in our homes and gardens, and use it to improve the quality of our soil, rather than toss it out […]
For protection against COVID-19 Coronavirus, people have been using disposable surgical masks or N95 /P2 respirators. With the shortage of these protective masks, people have been advised to sew their own protective cloth masks , which are not as effective but still offer some protection, […]
Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) are a popular dish in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. These appetisers are made of meat, rice, various herbs and spices, all of which are wrapped in grape vine leaves and cooked. When cooking, it’s important to use the correct ingredients, […]
Nutrient imbalances and deficiencies can adversely affect the quality of citrus fruit. Excess nitrogen combined with low phosphorus will cause citrus fruit to be misshapen, with thick peel, a coarse and roughly textured rind, coarse pulpy flesh without much juice, and an open centre. The […]
Aloe vera is a hardy, succulent, semi-tropical plant native to North Africa and the SW Arabian Peninsula, which can tolerate quite harsh conditions. It will grow in poor soils in hot, dry sunny locations with very little water, but can also tolerate dappled sun or […]
Now that more people are beginning to wear protective face masks, either P2/N95 rated masks, surgical masks or even homemade masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus transmission, it’s important that they use them correctly to get the best protection and avoid accidental contamination. […]
There has been a lot of bad advice coming from government authorities and ‘experts’ during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and it usually starts with the ominous words “there is still no evidence that…”. The questionable advice which follows usually discourages people from helping themselves by […]
Sowing Seeds Directly Into the Ground or Into Seedling Trays Once we’ve selected the appropriate seeds or seedlings that are in season, it’s seed sowing or seedling planting time! In this article we’ll cover the fundamentals of seed sowing, the procedure is quite straightforward and […]
Some medications are known to weaken the immune system, and would therefore compromise the body’s capacity to fight off diseases such as the COVID-19 Coronavirus. There has been a lot of concerns about the safety of Ibuprofen use during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, so we’ll […]
Sowing Seeds and Planting Seedlings at The Right Time of the Year Once you’ve selected a good location to start a food garden, and prepared the soil in the garden bed to make it suitable for growing plants, the next step is to plant it […]
One of the questions that many people have when constructing wicking beds is what are the best rocks to use in the water reservoir section underneath. Coarse scoria is the recommended material, but are there any reasonable substitutes? As a bit of background, a wicking […]
Preparing the Soil for Growing Food The secret to successful food gardening is rich, healthy soil. What goes into the soil goes into the food coming out of it! Plants take mineral nutrients and water from the soil, along with carbon dioxide from the air […]
Sometimes governments do give sound advice to their nations… During World War I and World War II, in a an effort to reduce the public demand on food supplies and leave more food to send to the soldiers fighting overseas, governments encouraged their people to […]
The general public can play a significant role in reducing the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, it’s everyone’s responsibility, not just the government’s, and everyone has a role to play. Epidemic Control is a Community Effort, Why Selfishness is Dangerous! Since epidemics can affect everyone, […]
Both the US and Australian governments are advising people that masks don’t work as protection against the COVID-19 coronavirus, but is this true? Half-truths are as bad as outright lies, and both governments are guilty of a dangerous half-truth here because they’re being very vague […]
Being prepared is all about being ready for something before it happens, and that implies planning and strategy, not reacting in panic after the fact! There are a range of sensible measures available to everyone to increase self-reliance, regardless of who they may be. Learning […]
Queensland fruit fly or Qfly (Bactrocera tryoni) is one of the most damaging pests of fruit and vegetables in Australia. This insect is native to eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, but has extended its range due to transport of infected fruit, the planting […]
Fire protection is especially important in Australia, the driest continent in the world, which is plagued by periodic bushfires. These fires can burn uncontrollably in wilderness and rural areas, tearing through forests or grasslands, consuming dry combustible fuels which build up from prolonged dry weather […]
Winter is the traditional time to prune and spray deciduous fruit trees and vines. Spraying is carried out at this time to eliminate pests and diseases which can overwinter and emerge in spring. Two separate treatments are usually employed in winter. Oil sprays are often […]
Disposable dust masks or respirators offer protection from fine particulate matter in the air such as dusts, aerosols and smoke. At the time of writing, respiratory protection has been in high demand in Australia due to the extensive bushfires sweeping through the country and the […]
In permaculture, tagasaste (tree lucerne) is used as a nitrogen-fixing tree on large sites and rural properties, but it can grow around 5-7m tall and equally wide, which is way too large for smaller urban properties. Luckily for Australian permaculture gardeners, we have a much […]
Permaculture is all about energy-efficient design, and if you can add a single design element to a site that can perform many functions, then that’s an incredible gain in efficiency! A tree that could do almost everything would be incredible, but it doesn’t exist. The […]
The problem of garden pest control is as old as agriculture itself, which started when humanity first cultivated plants for food more than ten thousand years ago. Modern conventional pest control methods often use chemical controls as the first option, and usually ignore the real […]
One gardening tool to cut through anything, one garden tool that can dig anywhere, one garden tool to rule them all… The Slammer Tool is an industrial grade, commercial multi-purpose tool that is a combination of a crowbar, axe, spade, mattock and grubber all in […]
Fruit trees are trained into particular shapes to make them more productive, easier to manage and better able to support heavy crop loads. Formative pruning (also referred to as framework pruning) is carried out in the first three years of planting a young tree to […]
Any gardener who has ever transplanted or repotted plants has seen first-hand how plants that have been grown in pots can sometimes get rootbound, with their roots spiralling or circling around the rootball. This is quite an unnatural way for plant roots to grow, as […]
Fruit trees are trained into particular shapes to make them more productive, easier to manage and better able to support heavy crop loads. Formative pruning (also referred to as framework pruning) is carried out in the first three years of planting a young tree to […]
Small-space gardening is becoming increasingly popular as outdoor spaces and gardens get progressively smaller in urban areas. There are many ways to maximise the use of limited available space, and one of the best ways is vertical gardening, growing upwards rather than outwards! Gardeners are […]
There’s an old gardening myth that it’s best to put a layer of gravel or rocks at the bottom of a plant pot to improve drainage, but how true is it? Can the practice actually harm plants more than help them? The main reason for […]
Most fruit trees are pruned the same way, making winter pruning a fairly straightforward task, but there are a few exceptions. With some fruit trees, the ends of their branches shouldn’t be cut off, otherwise they won’t fruit, because they either fruit from the ends […]
My Garden (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) My Garden by Sandra Verhoven & Joyeeta Neogi is a beautiful children’s book, and a sheer delight to read! The […]
Fruit tree pruning is both an art and a science. The art to fruit tree pruning is not something that can be taught in a short article or video, but basic pruning technique is quite easy to understand, and once grasped, almost anyone can maintain […]
Grapes fruit on new season’s shoots which arise from one-year-old canes. Once these canes have produced their fruit for the season, they will not produce again. To keep grapes productive, they need to be pruned to renew the young canes which will produce in the […]
The idea of growing food in the kitchen all year round may seem incredible, but it’s super easy with an innovative new Australian product, the UrbiPod. I was fortunate enough to be able to test this product over a four month period, with spectacular results! […]
Arboriculture is the cultivation, management, and study of trees and shrubs, and arborists use several formulas for calculating how far tree roots extend in order to protect the health of trees when construction works and soil disturbance occurs nearby. Knowing how far tree roots extend […]
Chilli peppers (Capsicum species) are members of the Solanaceae (Nightshade) family, along with tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes. They are native to the warm climates of South America and Central America, and they’re perennial plants in tropical and subtropical climates, but are grown as warm season […]
The first step in pruning a tree, before making and cuts to change the shape or size of a tree, is to remove any dead, diseased or broken branches. If removing a branch completely, it’s important to make the cut correctly so as to not […]
“He who plants a tree plants a hope.” -Lucy Larcom Planting a fruit tree is truly an investment in the future, it may take a year or three before a tree begins to bear fruit, but most fruit trees can be productive for 20 to […]
Permaculture is all about working efficiently and in harmony with Nature. We can garden far more efficiently, with far less effort, and improve the soil at the same time by emulating Nature’s soil building processes through practising Chop and Drop gardening. How do most sustainable […]
The Simple Life Guide To RV Living: The Road to Freedom and the Mobile Lifestyle Revolution (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) The Simple Life Guide To RV […]
The practice of saving seeds is as old as agriculture itself, and dates back to over 10,000 years ago. Early human civilizations harvested seeds and selectively bred crop plants to create domesticated varieties which displayed specific desirable traits. Saving seeds has many benefits in the […]
What is the optimum size of a garden bed? What is the most efficient width and length in terms of human ergonomics? What is the perfect balance between cost of materials, gardening space and usability? These are important questions in permaculture energy-efficient design. How Wide […]
Looking at how other cultures garden can really expand a gardener’s horizons, and discovering garden tools that have evolved over thousands of years can make work in the garden so much easier! I had the pleasure to test the F.D. Ryan Aussie Ho-Mi Asian Style […]
Is your citrus tree dropping its fruit before they reach full size, or even worse, dropping the flowers before fruit even begin to form? This problem can happen to oranges, lemons, lime, grapefruit, mandarins and all other citrus. Trees photosynthesise to produce carbohydrates such as […]
Aloe vera is a hardy succulent semi-tropical plant which is native to North Africa and the SW Arabian Peninsula, but at the present time can almost be found worldwide. It’s a very tough plant which will grow in poor soil and hot, dry sunny locations, […]
Plant propagation is the practice of creating new plants from old using a variety of techniques such as seed sowing, grafting, taking cuttings, division, marcotting, ground layering, and even tissue cell culture. Some gardeners may wonder why there’s such a wide range of propagating techniques. […]
Pandan plant (Pandanus amaryllifolius) (Chinese Name : 班兰) is a tropical plant native to South East Asia. It’s a perennial evergreen tree with fragrantly-scented leaves, growing into a small shrub 1 – 1.6 m tall when the leaves are harvested often, or a small tree […]
Sun scald is not a disease, but damage caused to apples and many other fruit, caused by high temperatures and strong sunlight in summer. Typically, sun scald damage appear on sun-exposed side, which is usually towards the direction of the midday to afternoon sun. The […]
If leaves are yellowing on a citrus tree, it may be a sign of nutrient deficiency, but it may not be, depending on which leaves are yellowing. Older leaves yellowing are quite normal as long as it’s only happening to a very small number of […]
Why do apparently healthy looking citrus trees suddenly start deteriorating in a matter of days, with leaves curling then dropping, branches dying back, eventually resulting in the loss of the tree? There are several causes, often caused by common gardening mistakes, which are easy to […]
The before and after photographs in this article were taken at the very beginning when I first finished planting up my urban backyard food forest, and then approximately three to four years later. Each pair of photographs was taken from roughly the same view point, […]
Glue-banding of tree trunks is an effective technique for controlling various pests of fruit trees. A waterproof band covered in horticultural glue, an aggressive long-lasting adhesive, is wrapped around the trunk of the tree to create a sticky barrier which prevents climbing insects from making […]
The best things often come in tiny packages, and this is certainly the case when it comes to tiny houses. At no more than 500 square feet, tiny houses come packed with functional and often eco-friendly features. There are two main types: tiny houses on […]
Herbs are easy to grow and have many great health benefits, we can use them in the kitchen, for making refreshing teas, or as natural remedies to make us feel better. Herbs can be grown in all spaces, from the smallest balcony to the biggest […]
In the previous article on Growing Turmeric in Containers in Temperate Climates, I mentioned that I had discovered a temperate climate technique for growing turmeric in the ground. For those who like to grow plants out of their climatic range without a greenhouse, we’ll explain […]
Turmeric (Curcuma longa syn. C. domestica) is a member of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family. It’s a subtropical/tropical plant native to Southwest India, and has been grown traditionally as a spice, medicine and as a source of bright yellow dye. The root of the turmeric plant […]
Permaculture is definitely reaching the mainstream gardening world, and that’s great news! I’m now the permaculture writer for Good Organic Gardening Australia magazine, where I started mid last year with my first article ‘Permaculture Explained’ appearing in the May/June 2018 edition pictured above. It’s a […]
Indeterminate (vining) tomatoes are very vigorous growers, and if they’re neglected they can easily become overgrown, with multiple tangled branches sprawling across the ground. If this happens to your tomato plants, all is not lost. In fact, you can take advantage of the situation to […]
Want to grow lots of tomatoes in limited spaces, even containers? Ever wondered how the commercial hydroponic growers pack in as many plants as possible in their growing areas? By understanding the way tomatoes grow, we can select the right plants and utilise their growth […]
Hard woody mulches or soft non-woody straw-like mulches, what’s the difference? They both work equally well as garden mulches to moderate soil temperature, reduce water loss from the soil through evaporation, conserve soil moisture to reduce the need for watering, inhibit weed seed germination and […]
Crown gall is a bacterial disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (syn. Rhizobium radiobacter), which produces tumour-like swellings on the bark of trees and plants. It can infect a wide range of dicotyledonous (broad-leaved) plants, particularly members of the Rosaceae (rose) family such as roses, raspberries, […]
If you’ve ever been digging in the garden and discovered plump, pale coloured grubs beneath the soil that curl up into a “C” shape when disturbed, these are Curl Grubs. Curl grubs are the larvae of various species of cockchafers or scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae). […]
When protecting fruit trees from birds, possums and pest insects, there are two approaches – you can cover the fruit with individual netting bags as seen in our Product Review – Ryset Fruit Protection Bags, or you can cover the whole tree with netting. Netting […]
Various cultivars of Navel and Valencia oranges, mandarins and mandarin hybrids are prone to fruit splitting, a pre-harvest physiological rind disorder. Gardeners often wonder if this phenomenon is caused by a nutrient deficiency. Actually, there’s another cause, but plant nutrition can play a part in […]
Apple tree branches covered in patches of white, woolly fuzz? What you’re seeing is a woolly aphid infestation. These pests can be controlled by spraying a few applications of horticultural oil spray (preferably a natural oil-based product rather than a petroleum oil based one) 7 […]
Plants which can take can root in water can be propagated very easily from cuttings. All you need to do is leave the cuttings sitting in a glass or a jar of water in a location with indirect light. Pictured above are cherry tomato cuttings […]
One of the most common nutrient deficiencies seen on citrus is the yellowing of the leaf with dark green veins. Citrus are heavy feeders and are prone to nutrient deficiencies in autumn when they’re fruiting heavily and maturing their fruit, and magnesium deficiency is a […]
Rainbow roses, real or fake? As a person who works in the horticulture industry, I couldn’t help but notify fellow gardeners about this matter. There are quite a number of retailers in China selling Rainbow Rose seeds, and what a scam this is… I’ll get […]
Don’t want a lawn? Lawn alternatives are suitable for low–traffic areas where the plants won’t get trampled on too heavily, or to fill the gaps between pavers. What lawn alternative plants do very well is form a nice thick mat which is quite effective at […]
Are birds and possums plundering your fruit trees and vines just before your fruit ripens? Many gardeners try netting the whole tree, but sometimes that proves too difficult. If you can’t get a whole tree or vine under netting, there’s a simpler solution – just […]
Are your citrus leaves turning green with yellow veins in winter? When gardeners see this colour change in their citrus leaves, they often wonder if this is due to a nutrient deficiency, and if so, what they can do to fix it. Leaf Chlorosis The […]
How To Start A Worm Bin (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) How to Start a Worm Bin: Your Guide to Getting Started with Worm Composting by Henry […]
Want to sow seeds in pots? What do you need? Seed raising mix? Guess again! Working part-time in the garden nursery industry, I meet many gardeners who have had problems sowing seeds in seed raising mix – they find that their seeds sprout but their […]
When I was first diagnosed with mesothelioma, I knew my live was never going to be the same. In fact, I felt like it was over. I am still fighting this terrible type of cancer, but I have a lot of ways to cope with […]
Now is the time to start planning your vegetable garden. You might not have a large area yet this is not to say you are unable to grow a substantial amount of healthy vegetables for you and your family. The best of all, having a […]
Remember Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, the toxic endocrine-disrupting chemical which leached out of plastic drink bottles that has now been banned worldwide? Well, the bad news is that it’s still around and you have more contact with it than you imagine! Thermal paper […]
As gardeners, we often told that we shouldn’t use office photocopying paper or glossy magazines in our worm farms, compost or the garden in general. Many gardeners ask why not? There are very good reasons not to, which we’ll explore in this article! By understanding […]
I’ve been contacted by Geoffrey and Craig Clitheroe to promote their upcoming film Permaculture The Documentary. In their article they introduce themselves, their work, and give us three sample videos which I’d like to share. I personally found the Permaculture Documentary : Jodie Venetti video […]
Sometimes we need to cut down trees to remove them, but chopping trees down to the ground does not stop them putting out new growth from the stump or from the roots and eventually turning back into full sized trees again. In fact, the technique […]
With the ever-increasing interest in food growing worldwide, many people are trying their hand at growing nut trees with great success. Pistachio nuts are very popular, just about everyone loves them, and it’s inevitable that some gardeners will take interest in growing their very own […]
Sleep Deep Pad (image credit: Earthing Oz, http://www.EarthingOz.com.au, photo used with permission) In my article “Earthing and Grounding – Restoring Your Natural Balance” I discussed how the modern lifestyle subjects the human body to unnatural conditions which are potentially harmful to health and wellbeing. When […]
Universal Earthing Mat (image credit: Earthing Oz, http://www.EarthingOz.com.au, photo used with permission) In my article “Earthing and Grounding – Restoring Your Natural Balance” I discussed how the modern lifestyle subjects the human body to unnatural conditions which are potentially harmful to health and wellbeing. When […]
“The greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic fields. I consider that to be a far greater threat on a global scale than warming, or the increase of chemical elements in the environment.” – Dr. Robert O. Becker, MD Modern […]
Weeds growing on path and driveways, though crack or gaps in concrete and paving, or in empty garden beds are very easily taken care of without chemicals or digging. How is that possible you may ask? Go put the kettle on, then come back here […]
What are Citrus Galls? Citrus galls are unsightly swellings caused by a tiny female citrus gall wasp (Bruchophagus fellis) which lays her eggs in the soft new growth of citrus trees in spring. As the new growth hardens off, a woody gall forms around the […]
Wolf Garten Ks2K Fixed Hand Tool Weeding And Planting Knife (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this product from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) A Weeding and Planting Knife is one of those garden tools that […]
Natural pest control techniques such as companion planting can control most of your small garden pests such as insects, but what can gardeners do about birds and animals? The seasonal event of birds and other critters stripping fruit trees clean is nothing new for farmers, […]
Good gardeners understand the importance of timing their work to the seasons of the year, but to be able to do that, we must know when the actual seasons start and end! There are different ways to divide up a year into seasons, which changes […]
WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this product from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) Putting up bird netting using the WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook The WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook is the kind […]
Here’s a great free e-book produced by the Australian Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation – “Bee Friendly: A planting guide for European Honey Bees and Australian native pollinators” by Mark Leech. This comprehensive planting guide lists both Australian native plants and exotic plants which […]
Fruit trees naturally reproduce themselves from seeds, but most fruit trees that you buy are not produced that way for very good reasons. There are many ways to propagate fruit trees, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Whether you propagate fruit trees yourself […]
Pruning for Flowers and Fruit (CSIRO PUBLISHING Gardening Guides) (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) Pruning for Flowers and Fruit (CSIRO PUBLISHING Gardening Guides) by Jane Varkulevicius is […]
All New Square Foot Gardening II: The Revolutionary Way to Grow More in Less Space (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) All New Square Foot Gardening II: The […]
Here is a guest article written by Eugene Feygin and provided by Quill.com! While your office may not be your sanctuary, a few simple changes can positively affect the way you feel and work. For starters, you can add a little life to your workspace […]
Praying mantises are a beneficial predator in your garden, they eat other insects and keep the pest insect population down. It’s important to be able to recognise their eggs so that you don’t accidentally damage them, that way you’ll be rewarded with a garden full […]
Jackie French’s Guide to Companion Planting (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) Jackie French’s Guide to Companion Planting is one of my favourite books on the subject of […]
How does Permaculture tie in with our understanding of health? Can it realistically be seen as a ‘health promoting movement’? In this article we’ll examine our connection to Nature and how it affects our health and wellbeing, we’ll look at supporting scientific research on the […]
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more” John Burroughs (1837-1921), American naturalist and writer In Permaculture, we are usually concerned with healthy and harmonious ecological systems, but it’s equally important for us to […]
Bokashi Composting: Scraps to Soil in Weeks (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!) Bokashi Composting: Scraps to Soil in Weeks by Adam Footer is a very comprehensive book […]
Here’s a short video produced by William LaBarge, interviewing me about urban permaculture and growing your own food. There’s plenty of footage of my garden filmed in early spring, so the garden is just coming into leaf at this stage. Thanks Will for sharing this […]
Here is a guest article written by Chris McLaughlin and provided by Fix.com! When beginner gardeners ask me which plants are hardy and forgiving, my answer is always herbs. If a busy gardener asks me which plants will thrive in near-neglect, my answer is herbs. […]
In our previous product review we looked at an excellent product, the Earth Runners Minimalist Outdoor Sandals, footwear which combines the barefoot benefits of earthing shoes with the functionality of minimalist running sandals. Much to my delight I received an invitation to review the latest […]
Bruce Charles ‘Bill’ Mollison (1928-2016), the “Father of Permaculture,” has truly left the world a better place than he found it. I have put up a page on my website as a permanent tribute to Bill – https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/in-memory-of-bill-mollison-the-father-of-permaculture/ His memory lives on in all our […]
The plants in your garden need food just like you do! That might seem obvious but you’ll be surprised how many people never bother to feed their plants and then wonder why they aren’t flowering, fruiting, or growing all that well. Even if you do […]
What do you do with your bokashi bin contents if you don’t have a large garden to dig them into? As discussed in the previous Bokashi Composting article, you can always put the processed bokashi food waste into your compost bin or into your worm […]
Are you into recycling but are still throwing away some food scraps because you can’t put them in your compost bin or worm farm? Large amounts of citrus and onions, or any food that contains fish and meat should not be put in your worm […]
I’ve just written an article for Permaculture Research Institute which addresses concerns raised by some segments of the Permaculture community about the Permaculture ethics, see the whole article here – Permaculture Ethics – Making Them Work
The great thing about gardening with annual vegetables is that it’s very cheap to get started and the plants grow very quickly, so gardeners get to see (and taste) the results of their efforts in a very short time. Some gardeners get discouraged after a […]
Composting allows us to recycle plant materials so they can be re-used in the garden, but the materials need to be broken up into small pieces for the composting process to work efficiently. Traditional composting works fine for for soft green plant matter, twigs and […]
Having a love of Nature and an understanding of the well-being benefits of interacting with Nature, I’m always looking to review products that enhance people’s connection to Nature or even just encourage them to interact more with Nature. When I was contacted by a […]
Self watering pots that wick water upwards from a water reservoir below have been around for decades. They’re commonly used for indoor plants, and they also have more specialized applications in the form of tiny wick watering pots used by African Violet growers. More recently, […]
Brett Pritchard, a recognized pioneering permaculturalist and recipient of the Permaculture Services Award (1992) has released a set of mindmaps to accompany his free to download Permaculture Ethics and Principles 21 Card Set which is available on his website http://www.permaculturefundamentals.com . There are 21 mindmaps […]
Brett Pritchard, a recognized pioneering permaculturalist and recipient of the Permaculture Services Award (1992) has released a free to download Permaculture Ethics and Principles 21 Card Set which is available on his website http://www.permaculturefundamentals.com . In my opinion the Permaculture Ethics and Principles 21 Card […]
A wicking bed is a self-watering raised garden bed, and even though the design is a relatively new innovation that is catching the attention of many produce gardeners worldwide, it is essentially nothing more than a large-scale version of a self-watering pot. Self watering pots […]
Creeping Thyme ‘Coccineus’ growing in my French drain Alternatives to Lawn When is a lawn not a lawn? When it is a lawn alternative – something other than grass! Lawns are everywhere, and for better or for worse they are a deeply ingrained part of […]
Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are native to north-eastern North America. and grow in swamps and bogs. They are a low growing, trailing woody evergreen perennial with small oval leaves that grows along the ground and forms a dense mat. Berries are produced on short vertical upright […]
The Australian gardening tool company Cyclone has launched its new ‘Sculpt’ range of shears and loppers, and I’ve been asked to write a product review! I was delighted at the opportunity to try these products out, as I formally teach pruning classes, have lots to […]
The Australian gardening tool company Cyclone has launched its new ‘Sculpt’ range of shears and loppers, and I’ve been asked to write a product review! I was delighted at the opportunity to try these products out, as I formally teach pruning classes, have lots to […]
If you thought that hedges and hedging were restricted to ornamental gardening only, you’d be seriously mistaken! Hedges are quite useful in a garden, and can serve many functions, such as: barriers for security, privacy and screening purposes shade for people or gardens – especially […]
Guest Article by Samantha LangloisProgram Coordinator, Organic Life Guruwww.organiclifeguru.com The Permaculture movement has a well-educated and passionate following of dedicated practitioners. It also is terribly misunderstood by mainstream modern culture. The term ‘permaculture’ may indeed be one of the most misunderstood terms thrown around by […]
Here is a guest article from Jack Smith from Gardenaholic.com! Sustainability is something that’s close to my heart, so when I started looking into keeping chickens I was shocked at how confusing it seemed. I just wanted to know how to build a chicken coop […]
How could composting be made easier? By not ever having to turn the compost and not having to move the compost into your garden, that’s how! You can get Nature to do even more of the work with a Worm Tunnel, an in-ground worm farm […]
Here’s an interesting article and graphic that I’ve been asked to share! Rotating crops can help break pest and disease cycles, improve soil health, and even reduce maintenance while increasing yields. But the thought of rotational planting can be daunting. This article explains why crop […]
Guest Article by Paul Taylor, PhDBiochar Consultant,thebiocharsolution.com “Biochar, produced in pyrolysis of residues from crops, forestry, and animal wastes, can be used to restore soil fertility while storing carbon for centuries to millennia. Biochar helps soil retain nutrients and fertilizers, reducing emissions of GHGs such […]
“No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected.” Julius Caesar Important Announcement: There will not be an All Nations Food Forest project! Our contribution: We the founders of the project Angelo Eliades, John Pinniger and Charlie Si created the All […]
See my brief video for Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) where I discuss Backyard Forest Gardening using Ecological Principles! You can also find the video with a description on the SGA site here The video has some great professional footage of my garden, so if you’ve […]
The term design can mean many things to many people, so it’s important to understand what the design process actually is, what it entails and its intended purpose and objectives. Functional design has a purpose and aims to solve a problem. The design that it […]
Welcome to All Nations Food Forest – Melbourne’s First Council Built Community Food Forest Project, and possibly the first in Australia! In the first part of this case study – All Nations Food Forest – Melbourne’s First Council Built Community Food Forest Project, we […]
Welcome to All Nations Food Forest – Melbourne’s First Council Built Food Forest Project, and possibly the first in Australia! Food forests are Nature’s way of growing food, the most sustainable and productive system known, that require minimal effort to maintain by taking […]
Worm Farms are a great way to recycle kitchen waste and food scraps into one of the best garden fertilizers available! It’s very easy to maintain a worm farm, it takes very little time and effort, and you can set up worm farms in the […]
If you’re thinking of trying out worm farming but don’t want to go out and buy a worm farm, you can always build your own DIY worm farm instead. Construction is really easy, and only takes a few minutes, and it can all be done […]
Here’s a graphic with lots of interesting information that I’ve been asked to share!
Here’s the handout for the Small Space Gardening Workshop, enjoy! Gardening for Small Spaces
Everyone agrees that gardening would be way more fun, and many people would be more inclined to take up gardening if there wasn’t the need for all that back-breaking hard work such as digging… It may be a surprise to many people, but digging IS […]
Here are the annual figures for the garden yields for the period of Oct 2011 – Oct 2012, the garden’s fourth year. The annual production for this garden was: first year: 133 kg second year: 204 kg third year: 196 kg (as a consequence of […]
Here’s the handout for the Food Forest Workshop, enjoy! Edible Forest Gardening Handout
One of the easiest propagation techniques is propagating using hardwood cuttings. Since these cuttings don’t have leaves, there isn’t the initial requirement to provide a high humidity environment to stop the cuttings drying out before they root. Softwood vs. Hardwood Cuttings At this point you […]
Here are the annual figures for the garden yields for the period of Oct 2010 – Oct 2011, the garden’s third year. The annual production for this garden was 131kg in the first year, 202kg in the second year and 194kg in the third year […]
Water management is an important aspect in the design of a sustainable garden, for without water nothing grows, as I’ve said before, it’s virtually the very essence of life itself! In Permaculture, designing a garden to make optimum use of water is critical, especially in […]
Willows are fast growing, deciduous trees that are mainly found in the Northern Hemisphere, in cold arctic and north temperate zones, in regions with moist soils. The Weeping Willow appears to be a native of extra-tropical Asia, from Japan and China to Armenia and the […]
Here are the final figures for the garden yields for the period of Oct 2009 – Oct 2010, the garden’s second year. The annual production for this first year was 202kg, up 71kg from last years 131kg. The total garden bed area is 686 sq. […]
Most people passionate about living sustainably and harmoniously with nature will eventually stumble upon the system of Permaculture, it’s hard not to, it’s a world-wide phenomenon and it’s growing! If you’re reading this, then you’re one of these people! Some of you will eventually study […]
In Permaculture we like to do things naturally, and we like to exercise our initiative to make use of the resources at hand to achieve our ends. What better way to do this than to brew up your own DIY garden natural pesticides, fungicides, plant […]
One thing a growing garden needs is plants, and lots of them! To buy enough plants to fill a regular backyard garden can be quite an expensive affair, but, thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way. Nature provides freely and abundantly, and when we […]
In a cold climate, such as in Melbourne, Australia, the summer is never quite long enough to grow all your summer annuals vegetables, such as tomatoes, chillies, capsicums and so on. The best way to get a long productive season is to start the seedlings […]
A serene, reflective pool has its allure, it’s something that has always drawn mankind. There is something about water that relaxes us, that makes us feel peaceful and calm. It resonates with a deep inner part of us, a part perhaps long forgotten, but the […]
Regular composting, also known as cold composting, involves placing a variety of organic materials in a compost bin, enclosure, or even just in a large heap, and leaving it there until it breaks down several months later. It’s a very slow process and typically takes […]
A veriety of “Devil Plant” , giant devil fig Solanum chrysotrichum for grafting eggplant Would you like to grow an eggplant tree, yes you heard right, a tree, that can produce dozens of eggplants, and not die down in winter? Well, you can if you […]
Wheelie bin as a water storage container You can never have enough water storage, and a spare wheelie bin makes a handy water carrier that can easily be moved around (when it is empty of course, a full one can’t be moved!) This design was […]
Rainwater is a valuable resource that is largely under-utilised in urban environments. It’s one of nature’s free resources that we can use to grow food, and considering that Australia is the world’s driest continent, rainwater is a very valuable resource, far to valuable to let […]
This article is an introduction to the gardening technique of Backyard Orchard Culture – a system of high density planting of fruit trees which allows for a wide variety of fruit to be grown in a limited space, and harvested over a prolonged period of […]
Here are the annual figures for the garden yields for the period of Oct 2008 – Oct 2009, the garden’s first year. The annual production for this garden was: first year: 133 kg The total garden bed area is 686 sq. feet (64 sq. metres). […]
A self-watering capillary tray is a wicking tray with its own water supply, which can keep seedlings in pots watered. All you have to do is occasionally top up the main water reservoir, and that’s all! They’re great for watering seedlings, freshly rooted cuttings, and […]
Plant labels are an item that gardeners use aplenty, but there’s no need to ever run out when you can make your own by recycling polypropylene plastic food grade containers. A white plastic container can be cut with a pair of scissors to produce around […]
What is an Espalier? An espalier (pronounced “es-PAL-yer”) is a tree that has been trained to grow in a flat plane against a wall,fence, or trellis, though the term has also been used to describe the technique of training a tree to grow this way. […]
A raised garden bed is an elevated garden bed that sits higher than the surrounding soil, or the ground that it sits on, and is usually supported by some sort of frame or enclosure, though this is not always the case. Timber Raised Garden Bed […]
Here are the instructions for the construction of a basic 2.0m x 2.4m (6′ x 8′) grape vine trellis as shown below. Construction materials required are as follows: 2.4m (8ft) steel star pickets (x3) Plastic coated or galvanised wire, 2.0mm or 12 gauge (x30ft/10m) Turnbuckles […]
Good Companions Bad Companions Apples Chives, Horsetail (Equisetum), Foxgloves, WallflowersNasturtiums, Garlic, Onions Grass, Potatoes Apricots Basil, Tansy, Southernwood Tomatoes, Sage Asparagus Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil Basil Tomatoes, Asparagus, Parsley, Apricots Beans Carrots, Cucumbers, Cabbages, Lettuce, Peas, ParsleyCauliflower, Spinach, Summer Savory Onions, Garlic, Fennel, […]
What is Companion Planting? Companion planting is the practice of planting two or more types of plants close together for some kind of benefit, such as the control of pests, increased health and vigour, resistance to disease, or higher yields. These are termed “good companions”. […]
