Plants use the daily cycle of light and dark (the photoperiod) as a calendar cue to time seasonal events like flowering, dormancy and leaf drop. Photoperiodism is the physiological response to the relative lengths of day and night, enabling plants to flower at the proper […]
What Are Lectins? Lectins are a type of protein that can bind specifically to carbohydrates (sugars). They are found in nearly all living organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria. In plants, lectins are non-enzymatic proteins, meaning they bind to specific sugars—such as monosaccharides (single […]
The way plant leaves work, they face a perpetual trade-off: they must open microscopic pores (stomata) to breathe in the carbon dioxide needed for sugar production, yet every open pore also loses precious water and exposes the green chlorophyll, the key carbon-fixing enzyme that produces […]
In recent decades, antioxidants have garnered significant attention for their health-promoting properties in human nutrition. However, the presence of antioxidants in plants is not merely coincidental nor primarily for human benefit. Instead, plants have evolved sophisticated biochemical mechanisms involving antioxidants primarily for their own survival, […]
Guerilla gardening is the act of cultivating plants in neglected, abandoned, or otherwise unused spaces, often without the official approval of the landowner. It’s a form of civil disobedience that transforms barren urban landscapes into lush, green areas teeming with life. But it’s more than […]
This post is part-contributed and may contain affiliate links A garden’s natural beauty undoubtedly lies in its soft landscaping—the living elements of the garden’s design such as trees, plants, flowers, and greenery that create a vibrant, thriving space. While these organic features are essential, adding […]
In gardening, the term “wet feet” refers to a condition where a plant’s roots are subjected to excessive moisture due to poor soil drainage. This situation can lead to various detrimental effects on plant health, particularly for species that prefer well-drained soil. Understanding the causes […]
This post is part-contributed and may contain affiliate links Gardening for beginners might seem straightforward, right? As a newcomer to creating a thriving outdoor space, you’ve likely done plenty of research into starting your new garden, including how to grow plants, establish an effective watering […]
Trees are remarkable organisms that play crucial ecological roles in our ecosystems. Not only do they provide oxygen, sequester carbon, and offer habitats for countless species, but some trees also possess an extraordinary ability to regenerate after being cut down. This regenerative ability is due […]
Lawn top dressing involves applying a thin layer of material, typically a mixture composed of soil, compost, and sand, over the surface of a lawn. This technique is essential for improving soil quality, enhancing the health and appearance of the grass, and addressing various lawn […]
Root burn is a common issue in gardening and agriculture, caused by excessive concentrations of soluble salts from fertilizers or other chemical sources. This condition can result in symptoms ranging from mild stress to severe decline or even death of the plant. It arises from […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 (20mm or larger) is the recommended material, but are there any reasonable substitutes? As a bit of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
