Blog
Our blog features a variety of gardening and sustainablity articles on topics such as soil biology, composting, grafting, pruning, water-saving and irrigation clean energy, waste and biodiversity. Plus we regularly post recipes to help you make the most of the ‘seasonal glut’ and tips on how to live in a more sustainable way.
What to plant in June in Melbourne
Late in June begin planting seeds in punnets for early spring planting in late August/September. Succession plant some winter seedlings so that they will be available when your first crop finishes and carry you through to the time when spring vegetables are ready. It...
Meet the member: Catherine Haar
Catherine Haar has been a member of Sustainable Macleod for 8 years and is the current vice-president. She has a particular interest and expertise in good governance. Catherine is a geologist turned public servant. She spent a number of years working in the coal...
Manage your electricity use and save money
We all want to spend less on the electricity that powers our home. We can start by shopping around for the best deal from our electricity provider. Once we have done that there are a number of simple steps we can take to save on our energy. Changing our behaviour by...
8 cool things about mosses
Until recently I’ve never paid mosses much attention. I’m ashamed to admit I remember peeling blankets of moss off rocks as a kid and building imaginary fairy villages with them. Lately though, I’ve been appreciating their beauty as they reappear in the bush and...
Nutritional deficiencies in citrus
What is the Ideal pH for citrus? Citrus likes a close to neutral pH i.e. between 6 (lightly acid) and 7. High alkaline soil prevents the absorption of iron, magnesium and zinc which are necessary for the production of chlorophyll, the green substance of leaves....
Urgent jobs in the garden for June
Make compost. Collect autumn leaves to make leaf litter or to add to compost. Mow the leaves before using. Add sparingly to compost as too much in a layer causes matting. Mix leaves well with other ingredients to prevent this. Net brassicas and Asian greens with...
Queensland fruit fly alert – June
This is the time to put out Wild May to mop up any males young enough to survive over winter. Females will be dying as winter approaches. Mopping up young males will largely protect your early summer fruit from QFF attack as they will not be around to fertilise the...
June garlic hint
There is not much to do for garlic in June - it is now too late to plant it. Presuming you have weeded, mulched and watered your patch, you have done all you need to. Now it is time to wait until the shortest day after which garlic heads will develop. Garlic is...
Growing kohlrabi – king of the cabbage family
What is kohlrabi? It is hard to imagine why kohlrabi is not cultivated more often as it is easy to grow, crops twice a year and is delicious raw or cooked. There are two types of kohlrabi in Australia - white (or light green) and the princely purple. Both grow a bulb...
Growing perfect parsnips
Top tips for growing parsnips use fresh seed cultivate the soil to a fine tilth keep ground moist from seed sowing to emergence of seedlings thin seedlings at 5-6 weeks My survey this week (last week of May) revealed that parsnips on average are $12.50 per kilo and...
Revisiting civil discourse
Talking across the divide in 2026 This article is a rewriting of one I wrote in May 2024, prompted partly by listening to Laura Tingle (ABC 7.30), present the John Button Oration on uncivil discourse. The recent fracturing of social cohesion makes it worthwhile...
Weather versus climate. Do you know the difference?
(This is an edited version of an article published in the Sustainable Macleod newsletter in 2019) Weather is not the same as climate! Weather is a short term phenomenon referring to everyday atmospheric conditions. It works on a short-term day to day basis, varies...
Hardy & cheap local native plants for your garden
Autumn is the perfect time to be planting lots of indigenous plants, allowing them to develop roots and settle in before the spring and the growing season begins. Planting tube stock is the best option: they are extremely affordable (usually cheaper than a cup a...
Growing perfect peas
Top tips for growing peas water pea seed at planting and not again until they shoot plant in slightly alkaline soil (pH 7-7.5) support climbing peas with a trellis or frame With a little care, peas are very easy to grow. Autumn, winter and spring are ideal planting...
Join Sustainable Macleod
Become a member and get access to the community garden, the tool library and our seed library. We welcome all members of the community and have regular events and workshops to enjoy.