Black Spot of Rose
Hi, my name is: Black Spot of Rose Describe yourself: Umm, my name pretty much says it all. I'm a black spot, kinda round with fringed margins and…
Snails & Slugs
Hi, my name is: Garden Snail Describe yourself: Like most of the snails in your garden I'm a foreigner to this land. I am a bit of a nomad,…
Pest Repellent Plants
Every garden is sometimes afflicted with pests - grasshoppers, cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, scale and aphids being very common. Is it…
Could manures, composts or mulch damage plants?
As sustainable gardeners we are probably relying quite a bit on commercially sourced compost, manures and mulch to help promote healthy plant growth.…
Plant Nutrients Explained
Although SGA recommends primarily using organic material such as compost and manures to promote fertility, it's worth thinking in more detail about…
Good Flies
Not all flies are bad! We are used to being concerned when we see a blowfly, thinking it carries disease, or being annoyed by those pesky common…
Tips for Starting an Organic Garden
Just beginning to garden on an empty piece of land? Or making over an existing one? It can be confusing if you consult magazines or websites to know…
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…
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…
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…