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 would nuclear policy mean for your solar panels?
What would nuclear policy mean for your solar panels? Have you considered what the introduction of nuclear energy would mean for your solar panels? You have, no doubt, installed solar or are considering doing so, to lower your energy costs, to reduce cost-of-living...
Electrifying my home with Goodbye Gas
It’s been an interesting journey to make my 25-year-old home more sustainable. Originally, I installed a 1 kW solar system, and solar boost for my original gas hot water system. I added a thermal assessment of my home, draught proofing, and extra insulation. More...
Urgent jobs in the garden for March
Save seeds from the garden. Net fruit trees including citrus, guava, feijoa, pear, apple, quince, loquat, persimmon, grape and olive. Also net tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums and chillies. Use fine net, tying tightly at the base to prevent Queensland Fruit Fly entry...
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...
Harvesting, curing and storing pumpkins
Pumpkins are planted in spring and harvested in autumn. That means they take up space for anything from 4-6 months so harvesting, curing and storing them carefully is a must if we are not to waste that long growing period and have our own supply throughout winter. How...
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,...
Batteries on wheels, when cities become power plants
A key question for those who have solar panels installed is how to make the best use of the power they generate. The typical household uses most power later in the day, when the sun is lower (or set), and less (or no), energy is being produced by the solar panels. The...
Affordable new and vintage fabrics await!
The Resource Recovery Centre is a social enterprise founded by Katrina Naish, whose journey began when she was asked to clear fabric and sewing items from three estates within two months. Katrina was already running textile upcycling workshops, however, the fabric was...
English gooseberries – rare and underrated!
Top tips: incorporate organic material into the soil water deeply twice weekly in summer prune to a single stem or develop a vase shape prune every winter. Have you ever considered growing English gooseberries (Riba uva-crispa)? These delicious berries come in green,...
What does the term ‘nature positive’ mean?
If you follow federal politics, you'll have heard that the Greens and Labor are negotiating the government’s Nature Positive legislation. Do you know what that term means though? Nature positive refers to an apporach to environmental conservation and sustainable...
Native mint bush: A beautiful native alternative to a polygala
Native mint bush: A beautiful native alternative to a polygala Polygalas are flowering at the moment. With its purple pea flowers, they are a lovely looking large shrub often known as Sweet Pea Shrub (but not to be confused with annual Sweet Peas), Butterfly Bush or...
Everyone on board to save UK pollinators
In the UK in the last 80 years, lowland meadows which are the prime source of wildflowers for pollinators, have decreased by 97%. In actual terms that is a reduction from 13 million hectares to just 100,000 hectares. Almost too late, people have realised how serious...
Ditch the car and plane – take the train
High-speed train travel Imagine travelling between Melbourne and Sydney without having to spend more than 8 hours (plus rest breaks and perhaps an overnight stop), in a car, or catching a plane, with all the inconvenience and cost involved. What if the journey took...
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.