Growing from seed is fun and rewarding as well as being very cost effective. You can access a much broader variety of plants than those that are generally available as seedlings in nurseries. Commercial growers simply cannot afford to produce small volumes of a wide range plants profitably and so concentrate on the mass production of familiar and ‘safe’ options.
While the southern parts of Australia have donned winter pyjamas (and, in some cases, the misunderstood Ugg Boot), the northern states are still revelling in warm, and mostly sunny autumn days. Regardless of the conditions in your little patch of paradise, there’s still loads to do in your patch this month. Get into it… and ‘May the force be with you’!
Apr 152012
Access to an inner city rooftop provides a great opportunity to establish a garden haven to relax, to entertain or to grow produce. Typically rooftop gardens are set up in containers and raised beds.
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Warrien Reserve has become the latest public park to be given Eclips Accreditation. Maroondah City Council put 10 of their staff though a training program on environmental management, run onsite at the gardens by SGA. This accreditation identifies to the public that the gardens are maintained and managed with minimal use of water and minimal or no use of chemicals. On an ongoing basis and whenever they are redesigning sections of the gardens, Maroondah City Council is committed to enhancing biodiversity, avoiding invasive plants and avoiding disruption of natural systems.
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The perfect month for chocolate lovers and practical jokers alike, April is also a top time to get into the patch! There is a little bit of rain around, the weather is cooling down, and shed loads of stuff is ready to plant! So, don’t be a bunny, get into gardening this April! Hop to it!
Indigenous Design was established in 1987 in response to a growing community awareness of the natural environment’s intrinsic values and an obligation to protect and restore biodiversity. As demand for environmental services grew, so did Indigenous Design. Their team now works from offices in Melbourne, the Latrobe Valley and Leongatha, and on-ground across Victoria.
There has been a lot of ‘buzz’ lately regarding bee keeping at home, in community gardens and the inner city. Anyone who keeps one or more hives of bees is required to register with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) as a beekeeper. There is also an Apiary Code of Practice that can be downloaded which you should familiarise yourself with.
Please check with your state authority as each state will have different legal requirements. A couple of websites to help guide you are www.honeybee.com.au and www.honeybee.org.au.
With the heavy rain we have been having in most states, the importance of site planning, not just at a commercial level but also at a residential home handy person level to protect our waterways is crucial. Litter, cigarette butts, excess nutrient, chemicals and sediment wash from our roofs, roads and other non-permeable surfaces down stormwater drains and this affects the health of our rivers and creeks and ultimately polluting the bays and oceans.
Lemon Myrtle
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Feb 282012
Backousia citriodora is commonly known as the Lemon Myrtle. This Australia native tree has an amazing citrus fragrance when the leaves are crushed due to citral contained in the leaves. It originates from central to south-eastern Queensland in the sub-tropical rainforests.
Better yet… you can also use the leaves to make yummy cookies! Head to our Lemon Myrtle factsheet for all the info, and the recipe!
March, the month named after Mars, the Roman God of War, is an excellent month to wage war on your patch. Be it ripping out the weeds, mulching up a storm, or popping in a plethora of plants, March is the ultimate time to launch a full scale (but well planned) attack on you patch! So, all you weekend warriors… March into action! Continue reading »
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