Blog
Our blog features a variety of gardening and growing tips on topics such as soil biology, wicking bed construction, composting, grafting, pruning, water-saving and irrigation. 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.
March garlic hint
March is the time to prepare your beds for planting in March or April depending on garlic varieties chosen. Choose a site with full sun which is well drained. If not well drained or the soil is heavy, build a raised bed. Do not grow garlic where you have previously...
What to plant in March in Melbourne
Planting in March March is the time to put all your effort into preparing your soil for heavy-feeding winter crops which are best planted in April. Once upon a time, March signalled the beginning of autumn, and cooler weather, but climate change has altered this and...
Take action now to prevent QFF in your garden next season
If you were hit by an outbreak of Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) this season, now is not the time to give up. In fact, now is the time to get busy and reduce your risk of an outbreak next season. The key task is to prevent QFF larvae from pupating in the soil. If no QFF...
The joy of thornless berries
Do you love berries but groan at the price, despair at how quickly they can become mouldy and dislike being pricked as you harvest them? The answer may be to grow a thornless variety - you'll have an abundance of berries at no cost and harvesting them will be a joy...
Getting to net zero with rooftop solar
The Australian government has a target of 82% renewable energy by 2030. In 2022, 32% of energy was renewable. Clearly, a very significant increase in renewable energy is needed if the 2030 target is to be met. Large scale projects, such as the 20 projects which are...
Green, green (fake) grass of nightmare proportions
Artificial turf looks good if you love neatness and a smooth green vista. On sporting fields, it is seen as a reliable way to guarantee a consistent surface. The convenience is a lure, too. No more mowing or watering! But there is much, much more to the story of...
The ‘devil bird’ has arrived
In the mid-2010s when I lived in Indonesia, I learnt the distinctive call of the Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis). The Eastern Koel (also sometimes known as the Common or Pacific Koel) migrates from eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to Australia’s...
Urgent jobs in the garden for February
Check Queensland Fruit Fly lures for fruit flies. Net your fruit trees including guava, feijoa, pear, apple, quince, loquat, persimmon, grape and olive plus tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums with fine net, tying tightly at the base to prevent Queensland Fruit Fly...
What to plant in February in Melbourne
February is the time to maintain your summer garden with good watering but also to begin preparations for your autumn/winter garden. It is a tricky month, often hot without much rainfall. Cool weather, autumn crops are best grown in punnets, potted on, kept well...
Planning your garlic crop – start in February!
Although it may be several months before we plant out garlic, preparations must start now. There are 2 reasons for this. Firstly, you may need to order in garlic heads, and secondly you may wish to give your garlic a false winter (vernalisation) by placing it in the...
Urgent jobs in the garden for January
Spray summer vegetables with seaweed solution. Spray eggplant fruit with Dipel to prevent caterpillar infestation. Water citrus trees once or twice a week especially in extreme heat as they are shallow rooted and need water near the surface. Water, weed, and mulch all...
What to plant in January in Melbourne
January is a month in which I sow very little and plant out very little. Instead I put my attention into watering, weeding, and mulching to support the vegies already planted. It is too late to plant out vegies that have a long growing season. By the time they fruit,...
The beetles bringing some Christmas bling
Christmas beetles are a delight to see. They usually appear close to Christmas time and their shimmery, shiny exoskeletons decorate flyscreen doors wide and far as they flock towards any light. Some are metallic green, others golden and bronze. All are incredibly...
Banyule Urban Food Strategy Launch
The Banyule Urban Food Strategy was officially launched on November 23, 2023, at the Bellfield Community Hub with an audience of community members and community organisation representatives. On the day, a tour of Bellfield Community Garden and the next door Farmraiser...
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.