How to Use Compost and 7 Benefits of Composting

Do you have problems with your plant and soil health? If so, compost may be one of your greatest ‘assets’ to help you resolve these issues.

In this article, discover:

What compost and composting are;
7 benefits of using compost;
Why composting is vital for every garden; and
4 easy ways you can use compost to grow healthier plants and more nutrient-dense food.

What IS Compost?

Compost is simply decomposed or decayed organic matter, created during the process of composting.

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Anne Gibson2019-02-25T16:30:58+10:00Categories: Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design, Mini Compost Systems|Tags: Compost, Fertilisers, Mulch, Problem Solving, Soil|12 Comments

Organic Gardening Tips for an Abundant Harvest

Hi and welcome to this issue of The Micro Gardener Newsletter. There are lots of tips and inspiration for your garden this month:

9 Ways to Solve Common Nasturtium Problems
Garden Design Ideas (photos to inspire you!)
Herb Tea Garden Tips
4 Ways to Reuse Corn Husks to Feed your Garden
How to Preserve Nutrients when Storing Leafy Greens
Potting Mix Guide + Moon Calendar SPECIAL OFFER
Upcoming Events
Blog articles

So tuck in! If you missed the tips in my last newsletter, CLICK HERE.

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Anne Gibson2022-10-22T11:28:21+10:00Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, Corn, Fertilisers, Leafy Greens, Nasturtiums, Nutrient-dense Food, Problem Solving, small garden design ideas|5 Comments

3 Steps to Prepare Your Garden for Planting

Do you ever wonder why your plants don’t grow well? Or just survive instead of thrive? Sowing seeds or plants into ‘dead dirt’ just won’t cut it if you want to grow a healthy garden! If you’re a beginner gardener, there are some basic principles to learn so you succeed every time.

You don’t need to spend much time, but a little effort every season to revive your soil in pots and garden beds will reap BIG rewards.

Just like we thrive on a nutrient-dense diet in a stress-free environment, healthy plants need food and a happy home to live in too!

“If you meet the ‘needs’ of your plants, they will flourish, blossom and produce a bountiful harvest.” – Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener

Are you:

Getting ready to plant new season crops in an established garden?
Planning to sow seeds in new soil?
Trying to revitalize tired container gardens?
Building a garden bed from scratch?

If so, then follow my three steps to boost your soil and help your garden thrive:

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Anne Gibson2020-01-26T08:09:44+10:00Categories: Container Gardening, Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design, How to Grow, Tips & Tricks|Tags: Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, Fertilisers, garden maintenance, Getting started, Healthy soil, how to grow, planting|12 Comments

Top Tips for Wet Weather Gardening

Don’t you love it when it rains?

… and hate it when it rains TOO MUCH!

All gardens need adequate moisture but periods of heavy rainfall, storms and runoff can bring you a truckload of challenges. These include:

waterlogged plants;
leaching of soil nutrients;
erosion; and
pest and disease problems.

11 Wet Weather Gardening Tips

Want to minimise these common issues? Dig into these wet weather gardening tips to learn how.

I’m into ‘designing out’ problems whenever I can – both in my own garden and for my clients.

Good observation, a bit of thought and planning can help reduce the impact of water-based problems. These are some of the strategies I use to help avoid these issues. (more…)

Anne Gibson2021-03-22T11:04:26+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design, Problem Solving, Tips & Tricks|Tags: Anaerobic soil, Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, Drainage, Fertilisers, Mulch, Pest & disease, Problem Solving, Rain, watering, Waterlogged pots, Weather|7 Comments

DIY Fertilisers – How to Use Banana Peels

Want to save money in your garden and grow healthier plants? One of the easiest ways to do this is to make your own free DIY fertilisers with organic materials and household food waste, including banana peels. A sustainable solution!

DIY Fertilisers – How to Use Banana Peels to Feed your Plants for Free

Tips for How You Can Reuse Bananas

Like all plants, bananas contain important nutrients. You can recycle these back into your garden to build plant and soil health.

Bananas are rich in minerals including:

Potassium

This mineral helps:

promote general plant vigour.
build up resistance to pest and disease.
fruit develop.
regulate around 50 enzymes in a plant.
build turgor (or uprightness of stems and the thickness of cell walls) i.e. plant strength! This is extremely important for plants like staghorns which literally hang onto tree trunks in nature and vertical vegetables like spring onions, leeks and fruiting crops.

Bananas are mineral rich and recycling the peels back into your garden saves money and returns these nutrients to the soil where they can benefit other plants. This is NO WASTE gardening!

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Anne Gibson2019-02-02T12:09:25+10:00Categories: Frugal Gardening, Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design, How To DIY Projects & Recipes|Tags: Fertilisers, Frugal gardening, tips & tricks|40 Comments

How to Use Compost and 7 Benefits of Composting

What IS Compost?

October 2016 Newsletter

Organic Gardening Tips for an Abundant Harvest

3 Steps to Prepare Your Garden for Planting

Top Tips for Wet Weather Gardening

11 Wet Weather Gardening Tips

DIY Fertilisers – How to Use Banana Peels

Tips for How You Can Reuse Bananas

Potassium

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