To Chop’n’Drop or Not
If you haven’t heard about “chop’n’drop” you can probably work out roughly what it means i.e. when pruning shrubs, trees or pretty much any plant,…
Seaweed Extracts for the Garden
The term “seaweeds” here to refers to macroalgae – the kind you see clinging to rocks at low tide, or in beautiful subtidal gardens (these can also…
Carbon Emissions from Gardening
In a previous article we explored ways that gardeners can lock up carbon in the soil. Although increasing soil carbon is important, it doesn’t…
Pear and Cherry Slug
While most babies are cute, cuddly and adorable, this is definitely not the case for the offspring of the Black Sawfly Caliroa cerasi. The larvae,…
Roses, Salvias and Sustainability
In Glen Waverley, Melbourne, a committed gardener has created what many might view as a fairly traditional garden – white picket fence and roses –…
Reducing Weed Spread
"Garden plants are the biggest source of weeds in this country totalling 70% of Australia’s combined agricultural, noxious and natural ecosystem…
Why Sustainable Gardening?
Some people might ask why SGA talks about sustainable gardening rather than just gardening. The fact is that horticulture in the hands of home…
Pesticides in Fruit and Vegetables
We are all aware that fruit and veggies produced commercially, unless they are certified organic, have been exposed to pesticides at some stage in…
Compost, Worm and Weed Teas
If you are a gardener who tries to reduce your impacts on the natural environment, you will be using methods which avoid manufactured fertilisers,…
Is Biochar “Wonderstuff”?
Biochar has been hailed as a useful contributor to reducing the world’s increasing carbon emissions since it stores carbon in the soil1 . It has also…
Why does SGA rate so few Weedicides as Low Environmental Impact?
Weeds seem to grow anywhere and everywhere. When they turn up in our gardens, competing for nutrients in soil and filling all available gaps, it is…
Citrus Gall Wasp
Citrus Gall Wasp Many of our more persistent garden pests are not native to Australia but citrus gall wasp is definitely an Aussie grown garden…
Worm Wicking – One Year On
Last August, I wrote an article for SGA about my first attempt at a Sustainable Wicking Worm Bed. For details see…
Peach Leaf Curl
Peach leaf curl is a virulent and resistant fungal disease that appears on the leaves of fruit trees in early spring. As the fungus Taphrina…
Powdery Mildew
A warm summer evening, a little bit of moisture, a shady spot in the garden – sounds like a recipe for powdery mildew! Powdery Mildew is a warm…
Worms and Worm Farms
So, most of us have had a pet of some sort over the course of our lives, our pets bring us joy, love, laughter, and good times. But imagine owning…