Sustainable Gardening Tips for May

Welcome to the May newsletter. I’m looking forward to showing you a few ways I’ve been building healthy soil and retaining moisture in my garden. It’s been dry, hot and windy for months. So protecting our soil health is a big priority. Dead, dry dirt grows unhealthy stressed plants. Keeping it covered with mulch is vital.

Gardening tips May: Organic mulch is a vital way to protect and build healthy soil

Sustainable Gardening Tips for May

I’m sharing ways to save money and garden more sustainably with mulch without buying it. Sure, you can go to your landscape yard, nursery or hardware to buy bags or get mulch delivered in bulk. However, if you want to save money, why not consider all the potential materials you could use as mulch from your garden or neighbourhood?

Dig into my latest article How to Mulch Your Garden for Free. There’s a barrowload of creative ideas on organic vs inorganic mulches plus 5 mulching tips. Here’s a sneak peek! I hope you get some valuable insights and inspiration.

Organic free mulch materials - Top Left: Dead leaves | Top Right: Nut shells | Bottom Right: Corn Husks | Bottom Left: Pine cones and needles

Organic mulch materials – Top Left: Dead leaves | Top Right: Nut shells | Bottom Right: Corn Husks | Bottom Left: Pine cones and needles

What to Plant Now in Subtropical SE QLD

May is our last month of autumn. We experience cooler days and nights, lower humidity (yay!) and fewer pest insects. Hopefully, perfect growing conditions if we get rain. It’s the ideal time to plant winter crops. Download your May Gardening Tips PDF for planting suggestions, tasks to do in the garden this month and issues to watch out for. 

The Vegetables Growing Guide is a reference chart to help you grow 68 of the most popular vegetables in Australia and New Zealand climate zones. Includes information on companion planting, making compost, soil and moon planting. 

What to Plant Now in other Locations

Click here for what to plant and when. Or visit Gardenate.com (USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa)

Subtropical Planting Guide

PLANT PROFILE: Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a flowering edible and medicinal perennial herb that grows year-round in most climates. In subtropical QLD we sow in autumn.

Gardening tips May: Plant Profile - Edible and medicinal herb pink yarrow in flower

Edible and medicinal herb pink Yarrow in flower

According to a review of Yarrow’s medicinal properties, the most medicinally active part of the plant are the flowers although the leaves are also used. Yarrow has been found to intensify the medicinal action of other herbs taken with it and helps eliminate toxins from the body. Studies confirm it has analgesic properties, is an anti-inflammatory agent, is used to control bleeding, blood clots, lower blood pressure and purify blood. Yarrow is used for colds, chicken pox, circulation, cystitis, diabetes treatment and many other ailments. It’s a wonderful addition to your home pharmacy garden as a first aid plant. Yarrow is one of the 72 herbs covered in the Herb and Medicinal Plants Growing Guide.

Likes:
  • Seeds require light for germination and a temperature of 18–24°C (64–75°F).
  • At least 3-4 hours of sun or partial shade in hot climates.
  • Will do best in compost-rich, well-drained soil but is tolerant of poor soils within a pH range of 5.5–7.0.
  • Regular moisture until established but will tolerate dry conditions when mature.
Dislikes: 
  • Poorly drained soil and poor air circulation as these conditions can contribute to powdery mildew.
  • Too much shade affects flowering.

What’s Been Happening in My Garden?

April has been a busy month as I always look forward to the start of autumn! Cooler temperatures make gardening more comfortable without high humidity. This is the best time of year for planting so many crops so I don’t waste time. I aim for a diverse variety of foods that we most love to eat. Lots of salad ingredients, leafy greens, tummy-filling root vegetables like potatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, peas and beans, broccoli, kale, cabbages, garlic, leeks, onions and of course tomatoes, eggplant and capsicum. A rainbow of fresh ingredients to pick daily including cool-season herbs like coriander and dill. I change the menu to incorporate these new flavours. Soups, curries, stir-fries, salads and roasted or marinated vegetables are a few of our favourites.

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2023-05-04T20:51:36+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , , , |2 Comments
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Sustainable Gardening Tips for April

Welcome to the April newsletter. A sustainable garden aims to provide sustenance and nourishment for minimal time, money and energy.

How can you maintain and support a sustainable garden to meet your needs for a long time? By:

    • Choosing efficient inputs, minimising waste and making as little impact on the earth as possible.
    • Being a good steward of your resources.
    • Using practices that won’t deplete or permanently damage the resources and environment.
    • Working in harmony with nature to create a healthy ecosystem that is self-sustaining.
    • Applying Permaculture principles.

Sustainable Gardening Tips for April | The Micro Gardener

Sustainable Gardening Tips for April

This month I’m sharing tips to garden more sustainably by avoiding food waste.

According to Foodwise.com.au, an estimated 20-40% of fruit and vegetables are rejected even before they reach the shops. This is mostly because they don’t match the consumers’ and supermarkets’ high cosmetic standards for size, colour and shape. Sadly, by expecting all fresh food to look perfect, we contribute to this unsustainable problem.

When food is thrown out, the water, fuel and resources that it took to get it from the paddock to the plate are also wasted. What a huge cost!

So why is so much food wasted? Many people don’t check the fridge or menu plan so end up buying and cooking too much food. Some people don’t know how to use leftovers or throw food out before the use-by or best-before date. Planning and sticking to a shopping list can help this problem.

"Imagine walking out of a grocery store with four bags of groceries, dropping one in the parking lot, and not bothering to pick it up. That's essentially what we're doing in our homes today." Dana Gunders quote on food waste

Permaculture Principles

Permaculture has some practical design guidelines for creating a sustainable garden, particularly when it comes to avoiding waste in its many forms.

‘Produce no waste’ Permaculture Principle:

When it comes to food waste, my goal is to have none. All the food we grow or buy is reused in one form or another to produce a yield. It adds value to our meals or garden in some way. Let’s look at a few ways you can ‘close the loop’ on food waste at home.

  • Grow as many crops as you can so there’s no packaging or wasted fruit and vegetables in your fridge. Pick fresh ingredients as you need them.
  • Eat all edible parts of the crops you grow. e.g. Beetroot, radish, squash, pumpkin, carrot and brassica leaves can be used fresh in salads or added to soups, stir-fries and cooked meals. Spinach and chard stems are just as tasty and nutritious as the leaves. Edible flowers from your herbs and vegetables add nutrition and flavour to your plate. Roasted pumpkin seeds make a delicious high-protein snack.
  • Regrow food from peels, seeds and roots to save money on buying new plants.

In this video, I share a few simple tips on ways to use 100% of your food in the kitchen to save seeds, propagate new plants, cook creatively and compost to close the loop on food ‘waste’. If you need seeds and plants to grow an edible garden, you may be surprised just how easy it is to grow food for free from what you already have in your fridge!

  • Learn to cook creatively with leftover ingredients.
  • The nutrients and moisture in kitchen food scraps such as peelings, cores, stems, roots and eggshells for example, can be recycled back into the garden. Food waste can be:
    • Composted by earthworms and decomposers in the soil food web to create ‘humus’, the finished product. Humus is a natural fertiliser rich in nutrients and helps stabilise your soil, reducing the need for purchasing inputs. No plastic bags! Compost also creates heat during the decomposition process, which can be used to keep neighbouring plant roots warm.
    • Added to a worm farm to produce worm castings (vermicast) as a solid fertiliser and liquid concentrate to feed plants.
    • Fed to animals like chickens. They convert the nutrients in the food scraps into manure, another valuable money-saving input for your garden. Chickens also produce eggs as a food source.
    • Processed into another form to fertilise your garden. e.g. eggshells can be ground into a fine calcium-rich powder. You can add this product to compost systems, worm farms or potting mix; sprinkle it into the soil; and make it into a liquid fertiliser. Banana peels also make a wonderful free fertiliser.

7 Benefits of Adding Food ‘Waste’ to your Garden

Recycling the nutrients in your food scraps:

  1. Improves your soil fertility and structure.
  2. Adds moisture to your soil.
  3. Feeds the microorganism community and enhances biodiversity.
  4. Encourages free self-sown ‘volunteer’ seedlings to germinate from compost, saving time and money.
  5. Provides you with free fertilisers.
  6. Increases your yields.
  7. Avoids landfill with the associated transport and energy required.

Hungry for value from your vegetable garden?

One of the easiest ways to double your harvest from lettuce is to REGROW a second head from the base. Loose-leaf lettuce varieties like this baby Cos (as well as Asian greens, celery and spring onions), will quickly grow new roots and leaves if given the right conditions. In this video, you’ll see how quick and simple it is to encourage new root and leaf growth so you can replant your lettuce and pick a second time! Make every vegetable count and provide you with the maximum harvest possible to save money. When your lettuce finally goes to seed, save them and you’ll never have to buy lettuce ever again! An easy low-cost way to grow good health.

‘Catch and Store Energy’ Permaculture Principle:

Composting captures the energy and nutrients in kitchen and garden waste and converts them into healthy soil. One method is to chop and drop green ‘waste’ as mulch. Layering the nutrients feeds plants and protects the soil from moisture loss and erosion.

Another way to store the energy embodied in our food crops is to preserve it when it’s in season. Sometimes we have a surplus. A lemon tree may have many fruits at once. Preserving them as marmalade or preserved lemons helps reduce potential food waste.

If you have an abundance of fresh herbs, you can dry them for when they are not in season to use in herbal teas, as seasonings and medicine.

I often make a ‘clean out the fridge’ soup with leftovers that are perfectly fine to eat. Download my Free Recipe. You’re welcome to adapt it to whatever ingredients you have on hand.

video
play-sharp-fill

These sustainable practices help minimise food waste and build a healthier garden that feeds you for longer.

Resources to Help you Grow Food

These are a few articles to dig into:

9 Foods You Can Regrow From Kitchen Scraps | The Micro Gardener



Affiliate Links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support of this site is appreciated!

What to Plant Now in Subtropical SE QLD

April is a time of transitioning from summer to autumn. We expect cooler days and nights, lower humidity (yay!) and fewer pest insects. Hopefully, perfect growing conditions if we get rain. Download your April Gardening Tips PDF. 

The Vegetables Growing Guide is a reference chart to help you grow 68 of the most popular vegetables in Australia and New Zealand climate zones. Includes information on companion planting, making compost, soil and moon planting. 

What to Plant Now in other Locations

Click here for what to plant and when. Or visit Gardenate.com (USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa)

Subtropical Planting Guide

PLANT PROFILE: Spring Onions

(Allium fistulosum) – this vegetable is one of the easiest, most compact and nutritious vegetables to grow. I have them tucked in tight spaces all over my garden. I treat them like chives when young but they can get as thick and tall as leeks as they mature. The flavour is mild and ideal for salads, stir fries, egg dishes and as an onion substitute. Sow regularly for a continuous harvest. Their pretty white pom pom flowers you can see here gift you free seeds.

Spring onions (Allium fistulosum) are a member of the onion family

Spring onions (Allium fistulosum) are a member of the onion family

Spring Onions Like:
  • Well-drained, humus-rich soil. Add compost and mulch.
  • Soil pH 6-7. Add lime if your soil is too acidic or sulphur if too alkaline.
  • Regular watering + a sunny position.
  • Liquid fertiliser 2-3 times while growing. To keep the leaves green, I feed mine diluted seaweed or a weak ‘tea’ made by soaking worm castings, comfrey or compost in water.
Spring Onions Dislike: 
  • Being planted near peas and beans.
  • Drying out and getting stressed.
  • Weed competition.
  • Feeling hungry!

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2023-05-02T11:16:19+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , , |0 Comments
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Sustainable Gardening Tips for March

Welcome to the March newsletter. To grow a sustainable garden, we need to make thoughtful informed choices in tune with our values, time, resources and energy. If we can’t sustain our garden, it won’t sustain us!

Sustainable Gardening Tips for March

This month I’m sharing ways to garden more sustainably with seeds. Within a seed is the gift of life. Every tiny seed gives birth to a new plant. Amazing! Food crop seeds have an especially high value. Every gardener has a role to play in preserving the biodiversity of their own home seed bank. If we are to have a resilient, healthy garden with plants that have the characteristics to survive climate challenges, it’s vital to select and save seeds wisely. What we sow, we reap!

“The seeds that bring forth life and food for our planet and its people are indispensable for the continuity of all living things. Thus our care for seeds is one of the most vital things we can do amid our many challenges of the present.” — Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-director, Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University and Emerging Earth Community

Sustainable Gardening Tips for March - Sowing and Saving Safe Seeds | The Micro Gardener

How to Choose Seeds for Sowing and Saving

One of the vital steps in growing a sustainable garden is choosing the types of seeds to plant. Biodiversity builds resilience. Certified organic, open-pollinated, heirloom seeds and these types that are grown in home gardens without chemicals are safe to grow and save seeds from. They will grow ‘true-to-type’, like their parent plants. Safe seeds have inbuilt DNA from generations past.

The seed banks we have today are the result of dedicated gardeners who carefully selected their best crops to save seeds from. The tallest. Strongest. Those that had superior size or flavour. I’m grateful to these past gardeners and farmers for the work they did on our behalf. What we eat today is a result of their efforts. Food for thought! Farmers and gardeners a hundred years ago had a significantly greater diversity of plant varieties than we do today. Sadly, we are losing vast numbers of crop varieties to genetically modified industrial monocultures. Every seed we save makes a difference.

Safe seeds are not the only options in the market. When I first started saving seeds in 2009, I had a LOT to learn! Hybrid, genetically modified (GMO) and chemically treated seeds have no place in my organic garden. Watching Genetic Roulette is a great summary of information. Whilst hybrids have their place, especially in ornamental gardens, they are not suitable for home gardeners to save seeds from. That’s because they have been bred from different plant parents so you won’t know what you’re getting.

Before purchasing seeds, if you want to be able to save them and avoid varieties that can be harmful to health, read the description carefully. Visit the ‘About Us’ or ‘About our Seed’ page to find out more about the philosophy and source of the seeds you intend to purchase. We can support seed sustainability by buying from companies that help preserve seed diversity. Look for those selling traditional varieties that have been handed down for generations. These heirloom open-pollinated seeds help to sustain our seed diversity and food security. Small decisions with a big impact. Here’s a list of companies around the world with heirloom, open-pollinated and organic seed production.

My goal as a seed steward is to source and save seed varieties that have robust flavours, aromas and colours, pest and disease resistance, high yields and are drought-hardy. I also look for varieties that are compact for small gardens, mature earlier or later to extend the harvest and those well adapted to my region. Why? So my garden is resilient, productive, easy to maintain and I have fewer problem plants.

Saving seeds saves money and helps to garden on a budget

Positive Seed Saving Steps

1. I encourage you to start saving seeds from your garden and swap them with other local gardeners. These varieties will adapt well to your local conditions. An easy-to-save crop like lettuce is an ideal variety to start with. At least you’ll be sustainable in one food crop! If you want to upskill with an easy-to-follow guide, check out the Seed Saving & Collecting Guide.

Seed Saving and Collecting Guide

2. Contribute your seeds to a local seed saving group or seed bank.

Download your FREE printable Seed Packet Template.

3. Join a seed library. Seed ‘libraries’ have recently started up in our local community. These are a great initiative. Library members can not only borrow books but also take locally grown seeds home to sow and save. At the end of the season, they return them to their library to share with others in the community. If you haven’t got a seed library in your community, why not get one started? From little things, BIG things grow!

Learn more about rekindling the lost art of seed saving.

“There is no more beautiful gift from nature than the seed — and its protection is vital to our survival.” – Vandana Shiva

Saving organically grown edible cosmos flower seeds from my garden

Saving organically grown edible cosmos flower seeds from my garden

Self-Sown Seeds

Annual crops may ‘bolt to seed’ or progress to the flowering stage of maturity, in hot or dry weather, or just at the end of their natural life. If you don’t get a chance to collect the seed, the plant may naturally disperse them by wind, animals or birds. When you move your compost into the garden, there may still be viable seeds in it with the perfect growing environment.

You may see seedlings popping up in places you never sowed them! These ‘volunteer’ seedlings often make the best plants. They have saved you the time and effort of seed raising. The resulting seedlings are often strong and healthy. What do you do with them? (more…)

2023-05-02T11:18:31+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments
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Sustainable Gardening Tips for February

Welcome to the February newsletter. This year, I’m focusing on helping you grow a sustainable garden. Plants and strategies that sustain you in food, health and medicine. Helping you design a garden you can manage with your unique time, energy, money and resources. A garden isn’t sustainable if you lose your joy, it costs too much and you don’t get the results from your investment.

Sustainable Gardening Tips for February

This month we are looking at ways to save and use water wisely to grow a healthy garden. I rely on rainwater tanks for our house/garden water supply. I’m very conscious of every drop. I intentionally capture, recycle and use water to help the garden thrive. Read on as I share some of my watering practices and principles with you.

There is so much instability in the world. Food producers are closing due to labour shortages and food facility sabotage. Here in Australia, we’re facing a potato shortage. You’re likely aware of accelerating inflation and food prices; fertiliser shortages; supply problems due to transport system disruptions; biosecurity threats; unnatural weather and climate impacts of floods, storms and droughts on crops and farms. Many factors are increasing the likelihood of global famines in the near future. Some countries may experience food riots and rationing. NOW is the time to be growing an edible survival garden with urgency. Find joy in taking empowering actions. Be prepared, upskill and network within your community with like-minded souls. I look forward to helping you grow.

"As I work on the garden the garden works on me" quote garden art sign

“As I work on the garden, the garden works on me.”

The clouds in our minds seem to disappear in connection with Nature. A garden gifts us that healing feeling. If you are experiencing stress and anxiety, especially related to health problems, the good news is that gardening provides us with a wealth of health and wellbeing benefits. 

“Swedish research studies (Stigsdotter and Grahn, 2004; Stigsdotter, 2005) found that people who had access to a garden had significantly fewer stress occasions per year. They found those living in apartments without a balcony or outdoor area had more stress annually than those with a patio or small garden. Those who had the least stress were people with a large leafy garden, and the more frequently people spent time there, the less stress they suffered.”

Read my article on ‘Growing a Garden for Health and Wellbeing.’ Food for thought!

10 Water Saving Tips for your Garden

Water is a precious resource we need for healthy plants. These easy practical water-saving tips help you save money and manage water wisely in hot, dry weather and drought. By re-evaluating your garden design and watering habits, you can eliminate inefficient practices that waste water and grow your garden more sustainably.

Hand watering with watering can



Affiliate Links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support of this site is appreciated!

14 Water Saving Tips for Container Gardens

Download this PRINTABLE PDF with easy ways to conserve water and grow more sustainable container gardens. It’s packed with simple steps you can take to minimise moisture loss and plant stress, choose plants and pots wisely, and make more informed decisions. Enjoy!

Water saving tips for container gardens

What to Plant Now in Subtropical SE QLD

It’s summer! Heat, humidity, dry spells, storms + rain, sometimes! A challenging growing season in our climate. Time to protect your crops from pests and a wide variety of weather conditions. Download your February Gardening Tips PDF. 

The Vegetables Growing Guide is a reference chart to help you grow 68 of the most popular vegetables in Australia and New Zealand climate zones. Includes information on companion planting, making compost, soil and moon planting.

What to Plant Now in other Locations

Click here for what to plant and when. Or visit Gardenate.com (USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa)

Subtropical Planting Guide

PLANT PROFILE: Aloe Vera – Living First Aid Plant

Aloe vera barbadensis is one of the lowest maintenance, easy-to-grow perennial herbs on the planet. Everyone should grow at least one plant! It’s a long-lasting evergreen herb with a compact habit, spiky leaves and attractive flowers. Perfectly suited to pots or garden beds. Aloe is an attractive indoor plant, especially in a well-lit bathroom where you can use it as an anti-aging moisturiser, after-shave balm and to promote collagen production. We cut ‘fillets’ from the leaf daily for this purpose. Aloe is an excellent healer for all skin ailments including rashes, bites, stings, sunburn, dry skin, grazes, infections, acne, blisters, scar tissue and burns (keep a few fillets in the freezer). There are numerous research studies that reveal it has anti-aging properties as well as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and six antiseptic agents to name a few. Dip cuttings into aloe vera gel to promote rooting hormones when propagating. If you only have room for one medicinal herb, this should be top of your list! Read More

Aloe vera herb fillets with healing gel

Aloe vera leaf fillets with healing gel

Shop Gardening Guides and Resources

Use Coupon Code: 10%OFF during checkout to save 10% on all gardening guides and books.

Grow Microgreens Chart and Booklet Bundle

If you are still taking potluck and sowing at any time, your results will likely vary! Some plants might thrive while others fail, bolt to seed, wither or seeds never germinate. Adjusting the timing can make the difference between a productive garden and a frustrating one. It may help to learn more about the benefits of moon gardening. You’ll wish you’d done it sooner!

Moon Calendar Gardening Guide

How to Make Potting Mix at Home Guide

(more…)

2023-05-02T11:21:04+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , , |0 Comments
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Sustainable Gardening Tips for January

Welcome to the January newsletter. A fresh opportunity to plan your gardening projects and grow your knowledge. What seeds of change will you sow, grow and nourish this year? Without intention, goals and action, nothing changes! I have spent time reflecting on what I achieved last year after moving to a new property and starting a garden from scratch. I put in the thought, time and effort and it has paid off. We eat out of our garden daily with significantly less reliance on outside sources. Now is a great time to think about your goals and plan this year’s garden. I encourage you to start small if you’re a beginner gardener to build your confidence and save money. If you already have a garden, perhaps set a goal to expand it with new plants or improve your harvests.

Container gardens with salad greens and herbs are easy, portable and affordable

Container gardens with salad greens and herbs are easy, portable and budget-friendly

Sustainable Gardening Tips for January

There is so much instability in the world. Food producers are closing due to labour shortages and food facility sabotage. You’re likely aware of accelerating inflation and food prices; fertiliser shortages; supply problems due to transport system disruptions; biosecurity threats; unnatural weather and climate impacts of floods, storms and droughts on crops and farms. Many factors are increasing the likelihood of global famines in the near future. Some countries may experience food riots and rationing. NOW is the time to be growing an edible garden with urgency. Find joy in taking empowering actions. Be prepared, upskill and network within your community with like-minded souls.

Time to focus on sustainability! It makes sense to consider how you will sustain your health, food supply, nutrition, and ability to maintain your garden long-term. A few tips:

Relying on supermarkets and long-distance food delivery systems won’t be sustainable when prices are too high, supplies are short or unavailable. When health is compromised, energy levels are low. It’s all in the ‘too-hard basket’ to feel like gardening or growing food. It’s wise to have a plan to hedge against threats like ill health and the unavailability of seeds or garden materials. Remember in 2020 how there was a run on seeds and they sold out?

Do you feel confident your garden can meet your needs with herbal and natural remedies and survival food and medicinal plants? It’s a thought worth pondering. Self-reliance is empowering. Self-sufficiency gives you a level of control over your life, food, emotional wellbeing and ability to thrive rather than just survive. I never underestimate how vital nutritious food is to sustain health. It’s wise to keep in mind Hippocrates’ words: “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.”

Tips for Sustainable Gardening from my Garden

The Micro Gardener's kitchen garden and harvests

One of my raised beds with vegetables, herbs and edible flowers and some of my harvests this week. 4kg of cherry tomatoes and 18 pumpkins!

I’m designing my kitchen garden for optimum production with minimal inputs of time, water and energy. I am intentionally planting low-maintenance species that provide multi-functional benefits. If you choose plants wisely, they can play many useful roles. My biodiverse garden includes edibles and flowers for food, colour and beneficial insects; compact early maturing species that provide quick harvests in tight spaces; herbs for flavour and medicine; and companion plants that minimise pests and diseases or create useful microclimates. Even after a short time, I am seeing the benefits of implementing these design features in my garden. Consistently abundant harvests, vibrant resilient plants, a balanced ecosystem and living nutrient-rich soil. Reach out if you need personalised advice or help.

Getting the principles right and growing strong healthy plants is like giving your children that vital support before you send them off to school. You give them a good grounding so they will survive on their own for periods of time without you! That’s what designing a sustainable garden is all about. Providing the foundations for resilient plants. It’s incredibly satisfying.

Encourage Fast Plant Growth by Getting your Timing Right

I grow plants such as Queensland Arrowroot (Canna edulis) and Comfrey (Symphytum spp.) as ‘chop and drop’ mulch and compost ingredients. They help build bulk organic matter in the soil quickly and add vital nutrients. In this video, I show you how pruning your plants back and taking cuttings at the right time of the monthly moon cycle can make a massive difference to your results. Timing is everything in gardening! You might be surprised at just how fast plants grow when sap flow is running high. I hope you enjoy it. Plus you get a peek into my compact home pharmacy garden next to the house for quick remedies.

During the new moon to full moon phase, it’s an ideal time to sow and transplant all above-ground plants. The moon influences the movement of all water on earth. Not just the tides, but also the water table, soil moisture and plant sap. Seasonal leafy greens, fruiting crops, shrubs, herbs and trees are best planted at this time. I take advantage of this cycle each month to maximise new growth, encourage flowering and fruiting, germinate seeds and propagate from cuttings. With more nutrients available in the plant sap, they ‘strike’ much faster.

If you are still taking potluck and sowing at any time, your results will likely vary! Some plants might thrive while others fail, bolt to seed, wither or seeds never germinate. Adjusting the timing can make the difference between a productive garden and a frustrating one. It may help to learn more about the benefits of moon gardening. You’ll wish you’d done it sooner!

Moon Calendar Gardening Guide

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2023-01-16T11:12:21+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , |2 Comments
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Garden Tips for October


Welcome to the October newsletter. The cost of food is on the rise, especially fresh produce. Growing even a few foods at home saves money and can help improve your health and well-being on many levels. I started our new compact kitchen garden around nine months ago. Now, a lot of our fresh produce comes out of our garden and it’s increasing all the time. For every edible you grow, it’s one less you need to buy!

Garden Tips for October

What’s on the menu this month?

  • Tips for growing food in challenging weather conditions and building healthy soil;
  • Growing delicious blueberries, strawberries and raspberries;
  • Need inspiration? Peek over the virtual fence into my new garden and what I’ve been up to;
  • Get your timing right with moon planting this month for better success;
  • Coupon Code for all guides and books!

Growing Food in Challenging Climate Conditions

Weather conditions have been tough for many gardeners around the world. Read on to dig into tips for working with climate challenges. These articles offer you a barrowload of strategies to optimise planting wherever you live.

Healthy Soil Tips

With a little soil preparation, your plants will produce an abundant crop, resist pest and disease attacks and support your health. Check out the articles below to help you grow, restore and rebalance your garden.



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support of this site is appreciated!

Gardening Tips for October

Apply compost, feed your soil, top up with a layer of mulch and observe your plants daily. Look for clues your plants may need a little help. Are they wilting, being attacked or leaves changing colour? Look closer for pests or disease symptoms. Check the soil moisture. Refer to your garden journal for when you last added nutrients to the pot or garden bed.

If the weather conditions are changing, it may be time to remove annual crops. Add the plant material to your compost. Get seasonal seeds started and crop rotate annual plants to minimise pest and disease problems.

The new moon growth phase in the last week of October into November is an ideal time to sow all above-ground plants. The strong upward sap flow into stems, branches, flowers, seeds and fruit makes this phase a good time to liquid fertilise as nutrients are transported quickly. Sow seeds and seedlings or transplant potted plants. Plant flowers, herbs, fruit trees, and vegetables that you harvest for their fruit or leaves above ground.

Spend a few minutes pottering around your plants. What stage of growth are they? If they are just getting started or fruiting and flowering, keep up liquid feeding to support strong growth. Soak up vitamin D in the sun, walk barefoot to connect with the earth and listen to the sounds of nature. Pick a few herbs and enjoy a herbal tea.

Note other observations such as seeds starting to form or flowers being pollinated and setting fruit. Are any crops ready to harvest? Which ones need support with a stake or trellis?

When annual herbs reach maturity, they will flower and produce seed pods. Watch as they turn brown and are ready to gift you a rich bounty of free seeds. Collect and save your own seeds and start propagating plants to grow them for free. Take cuttings from your best plants this season. These skills save you money and help you become a sustainable gardener. If you have a surplus of seeds or cuttings, swap or sell them or plants you propagate to earn an income.

Seed Saving and Collecting Guide

Plant Propagating Guide

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2022-10-25T09:46:17+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments
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Garden Tips for August


Hi and welcome to the latest newsletter. I’ve been busy presenting 7 workshops on Incredible Edibles – Small Space Gardening over the last 10 days. With rising inflation especially food and the cost of living increasing, it makes sense to grow your own groceries. In these challenging times, feeding ourselves nutritious healing foods and growing plants for medicine is vital for a strong immune system and to live more sustainably.

I’ve also been establishing my new kitchen garden and helping people grow nutrient-dense food to support good health. I have a barrowload of tips to help you grow a healing productive garden.

Garden Tips for August - What to do in the garden this month

What’s on the menu this month?



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Gardening Tips for August

Continue planting above ground edibles with the new moon growth phase. Spend just five minutes to spend time around your plants, pots, walk barefoot, breath fresh air, feel the sun on your skin and relax. Gardening is incredibly good for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Nature therapy does wonders for the mind, body and soul!

Observe your plants. Are they flowering before producing seed? I encourage you to collect and save your own seeds and start propagating plants to grow them for free. Not only does this save money but helps you grow a sustainable resilient garden. You can share what you grow with others or sell your surplus for an income.

Seed Saving and Collecting Guide

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2022-11-25T11:07:53+10:00Categories: Newsletters|0 Comments
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June Garden Tips

With weather challenges, food shortages, rising prices for fresh produce, escalating living costs and food security concerns, it makes sense to grow your own groceries. Even just a few basic homegrown vegetables and herbs can make a positive impact on your budget. I’ve got lots of creative, practical and super easy money-saving ideas to help you in my latest article.

10 Smart Tips to Garden on a Budget

Saving seeds, simple propagation skills, growing food from kitchen scraps, making healthy soil, growing mulch plants and DIY fertilisers are a few of the cost-effective tips in this article. Dig in with quick how-to video lessons.



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Budget-Friendly Ways to Grow Food from your Kitchen

Are your grocery bills costing you more? You’re not alone. Global food prices are on the rise as producers continue facing ingredient and labour shortages, as well as increased transport and fuel costs. Consumers are paying the price. With no relief in sight, it’s time to get our kitchen gardens producing. I share budget-friendly ideas to help you in this Garden Culture Magazine article.

 

Lettuce Sow!

At $10+ a lettuce in many shops, it’s essential to grow your own. Lettuce is one of the easiest and fastest foods to grow in a pot or garden bed. From seed to feed in just a few weeks! Lettuce seeds need light to germinate which makes sense because the dried flowers with tiny seedheads are blown by the wind with little parachutes! They easily self-sow where they land on the surface. I often dig them out of the grass with a fork from the kitchen and gently transplant them. Lettuce will gift you so many free seeds you can save and keep growing. Learn how in my short video. I’d really appreciate a Like and Share if you find the tips helpful.

NEW Sustainable Gardening Guides

Two of the best ways to save money in your garden are to:

  1. Save your own seeds and create a home seed bank. You won’t have to buy seeds year after year.
  2. Learn how to propagate new plants. There are many techniques to save you from getting your purse out at the nursery!

Both these strategies involve learning new skills that will be invaluable to you. Not only to save money and be self-reliant but potentially to earn an income by selling new plants and seeds. Food for thought!

To help you get started, I now have two new laminated 8-page gardening guides on Seed Collecting and Saving and Plant Propagating.

For a 10% Discount, enter Coupon Code: 10%OFF during checkout and click Apply. Enjoy!

Seed Saving and Collecting Guide

Plant Propagating Guide

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2022-08-08T13:18:49+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: , , , |1 Comment
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July in the Garden

Are Insect Pests Bugging You?

If you’re frustrated with pest problems, you’re not alone. In my latest article, How to Control Pest Insects Naturally, you’ll discover WHY plants attract pest insects so you can address the cause. It’s packed with loads of practical strategies to prevent damage without resorting to toxic chemicals. I share methods I use to control pest insects by working with Nature for a healthy productive garden. I think you’ll find some useful tips to dig into.

How to Control Garden Pest Insects Naturally - why they attack plants + organic and natural strategies to prevent and control damage

SHOW ME HOW TO PROTECT MY GARDEN FROM PEST INSECTS



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Fight Pests, Diseases, and Improve Soil Health with Vermicast

Have you discovered the joys and benefits of employing worms in your garden? I’ve been utilising these soil workers to create healthy soil and produce rich fertilisers for my plants for years. Worm manure (also known as vermicast or worm castings) is a valuable product they provide for free!

Did you know worm castings boost pest-resistant enzyme production in plants? This increases their resistance to insect attack and helps fight soil-borne plant diseases like root rot.

Liquid worm leachate and vermicast from my worm farm are free products to build soil and plant health

Liquid worm leachate and vermicast from my worm farm are valuable products to build soil and plant health

In a 2004 study (Edwards and Arancon), 20% and 40% vermicompost was added to growing media for a variety of vegetables. The results showed statistically significant reductions in arthropod (aphid, mealybug, spider mite) numbers! There were also subsequent decreases in plant damage compared to the control.

In field trials, researchers also observed the suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes. The numbers of spider mites and aphids were significantly reduced when they applied worm tea. These results are especially encouraging for home gardeners.

“Earthworms are the intestines of the soil.” – Aristotle

Want to learn more about worms? I invite you to read my recent article in Garden Culture Magazine. I explain the difference between vermicast, vermicompost and vermicomposting. I also share the advantages of these amazing fertiliser factories.

Worm Farming Secrets: The Business & Biology of Raising Composting Worms eBook by Duncan CarverSome interesting findings from the article. “When liquid vermicast leachate is applied as a foliar spray, it provides natural resistance to certain plant diseases without the need for chemical alternatives. Various studies confirm vermicast plays a beneficial role in stimulating seed germination, shoot and root development, and vegetative growth.”

Looking for a way to feed your garden and earn an income?

Learn how with the Worm Farming Secrets eBook.

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2023-01-14T17:50:58+10:00Categories: Newsletters|0 Comments
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June in the Garden

Dead Seedlings and Seed Germination Problems

Have you ever experienced sickly, wilted or dying seedlings? Seed germination problems? It’s frustrating and disheartening when plant babies die. Maybe you blamed the seed company or yourself and felt helpless! However, the culprit could be Damping Off disease caused by soil pathogens that destroy young seedlings or seeds before germination. In my new article What is Damping Off and How to Prevent It, I introduce you to the little rotters! You’ll discover the symptoms to look for and easy preventative strategies to avoid this common problem. I hope you find it an enlightening read.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT DAMPING OFF

What is Damping Off and How to Prevent It - Symtoms, Causes & Treatment



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Growing a Garden for Health and Wellbeing

Many are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, especially related to health problems. The good news is that gardening provides us with a wealth of health and wellbeing benefits.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in tune once more.” – John Burroughs, American naturalist

Happy healthy senior couple harvesting vegetables in their garden.

Do you want to improve your health and wellbeing? If so, I invite you to read my recent article in Garden Culture Magazine. I share the physical, emotional and mental health benefits of gardening as well as specific medicinal plants you can use for simple remedies. Read online from p56-63.

Here’s an interesting finding mentioned in the article. “Swedish research studies (Stigsdotter and Grahn, 2004; Stigsdotter, 2005) found that people who had access to a garden had significantly fewer stress occasions per year. They found those living in apartments without a balcony or outdoor area had more stress annually than those with a patio or small garden. Those who had the least stress were people with a large leafy garden, and the more frequently people spent time there, the less stress they suffered.”

‘Growing a Garden for Health and Wellbeing’ p56-63, Garden Culture Magazine

‘Growing a Garden for Health and Wellbeing’ p56-63, Garden Culture Magazine

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2021-05-31T13:58:34+10:00Categories: Newsletters|1 Comment
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