Good Organic Gardening

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Each year in northern Tasmania, a farmer plants a field of maize (corn to you and me) then, in late summer, mows it into a maze. This year, the 3.5ha maze took the form of a map of Tasmania and required two days of mowing to

Words Kerry Boyne Even though pears are one of the longest-enjoyed fruits, they can tend to divide people. Some people object to their grainy texture, though they often enjoy it more when the fruit is cooked, while others love them raw or cooked. App

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Carrot growing has had a real shot in the arm in recent years, with the availability of carrots in many colours. While there’s nothing wrong with traditional orange carrots — indeed, there’s lots of good in a carrot — adding

Words Claire Bickle Horseradish tree, drumstick tree, muringa, jacinto, West Indian bean, wonder tree and miracle tree are just a few of the common names this useful and very versatile tree goes by. Moringa oleifera, which originated in the sub-Himal

Our visit to the marvellous Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show back in late March, when we were beginning work on this issue, got us wildly excited about ornamentals all over again. The floral and foliage displays, which were gorgeous as us

Words Melissa King The small bright-orange citrus fruits with thin peel that we know as mandarins are thought to have originated in China and have been grown for centuries in places like India, China and Japan. But Australia’s love affair with this s

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Tomatoes are the most popular backyard vegetable crop. The number-one reason people give for growing their own tomatoes is flavour. Most agree that no tomato tastes better than one picked from a homegrown plant. It can be ve

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS AND UPDATES COMPILED BY JO IMMIG Oceans play a crucial role in mitigating climate change as they absorb the bulk of human-generated carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Increasing carbon dioxide levels and nitrogen run-off from farm

Words Carrol Baker “So what is a rill?” you ask. A rill is basically a manmade water feature comprising a narrow body of water that is usually uniform and shallow in depth. Patrick Handley from Waterscapes Australia says a rill is made up of several

Words & photos Jo Immig In a quiet street in Mittagong, NSW, there’s an ordinary red-brick house on a quarter-acre block. From the front it looks much like every other house, but exit out the back door and you’re drawn into a labyrinth of green. Wigg

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Kohlrabi is an odd-looking vegetable. It could never be described as attractive — perhaps “curious” is better. Stripped of its leaves, it looks like a space oddity. It’s part of the huge brassica family and, unlike its close

Words and photos Sandra Tuszynska Graham Sutherland has a passion for growing things and creating ecosystems. This is not an easy task in Wilkesdale in Queensland’s South Burnett region, which has been devastated by cattle grazing and other farming p

Photos GAP Photos It seems like a silly question, but why attract birds by creating “facilities” for them? Well, apart from the visual delights of birds in your garden, the sound of birdsong and their mere presence are good for your own wellbeing, as

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Elderberry is native to Europe but has naturalised in many parts of Australia, where it is considered a useful weed. It’s valued for its dainty, fragrant white spring flowers and its clusters of small black berries that ripe

Words Melissa King Cranberry plants can be harder to come by than other berries, but they’re well worth growing for their petite pretty red fruit, which is delicious dried or made into jam, sauce or juice. Cranberries are also packed with antioxidant

Words Jennifer Stackhouse If you’ve travelled or gardened in different climates, you may have noticed an intriguing thing about the flowers of the ubiquitous weed, scarlet pimpernel. Its flowers can be red (scarlet) or blue. Recent studies have revea

Words & photos Jana Holmer The township of Wallington, established 150 years ago on Victoria’s beautiful Bellarine Peninsula, is renowned for its annual strawberry festival and aquaticthemed Adventure Park. As for Ben Keon-Cohen, his latest adventure

Words & photos Megg Miller We all know the modern super hen: the red-brown and silver-plumaged hens that are ubiquitous in backyards and commercial operations. Some go by the name ISA Brown, others Hy-Line Brown or Lohmann Brown. They’re friendly hen

Winter is all about nourishing, warming brassicas and root vegetables, along with rich herbed tomato sauces. Lighten up your dishes with peas and winter greens. Moving towards the end of our official winter, it’s time to start thinking about preparin

Words Erina Starkey In the world of interior decorating, the houseplant has become the latest must-have home accessory. However, if your prize fiddle-leaf fig decides to turn brown and leggy, it might end up looking worse than no plant at all. Alongs

Words & photos Linda Brennan Apond can be an attractive addition to any outdoor space. The trickle of a tiny fountain is peaceful and calming, so why not add a small water feature, complete with plants, to your garden or balcony? An extra bonus of a

By Jennifer Stackhouse Apply liquid fertiliser to stimulate growth on leafy winter crops, including cabbages and tasty greens such as rocket and soft-hearted lettuce. Apply the liquid fertiliser every 7–10 days. Keep the greens coming by sowing seeds

Artichoke, asparagus, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, endive, fennel, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, mustard greens, onion, peas, radish, shallots, snow peas, spinach Artichoke, asparagus, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, celeriac, celery, endive, garl

By Jennifer Stackhouse It’s important to know whether you’re gardening in a warm temperate or cold temperate part of the country as planting times vary considerably. Where late winter is warm and frostfree (warm temperate and coastal zones), it’s saf

Words & recipes Claire Bickle Cold winter nights and crisp days stir our appetites into longing for something warming and delicious to eat, especially after a day’s hard work out in the garden. Stews, soups, roasts and casseroles are all warming com