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.
Urgent jobs in the garden for October
Important tips for October! Add potash or wood ash (both potassium) to soil to increase flower and fruit set. Tie hessian or cardboard around apple, pear and quince tree trunks for codling moth to lay in (remove and burn in 4 weeks time, then replace). Sow seeds in...
Indigenous Plant Nursery Map released
Nature Strip Planting Guide released for Banyule – supported by Indigenous Plant Nursery map The recent release of the Nature Strip Planting Guide for Banyule has been met with great enthusiasm—and it comes at a perfect time with the availability of a valuable new...
Growing exceptional corn
Let's start with terminology. Are maize and corn the same? In the paddock, the crop is called maize but when it is harvested it is called corn. Maize comes in soft and hard varieties and this results in some corn being harvested at the soft (or milk) stage, and this...
Sustainable Travel
Can travel be truly sustainable? One Australian company is attempting to prove that it can. Based locally in Alphington, Intrepid Travel run tours with the goal of achieving sustainable travel through small group tours. With a stated purpose that seeks to 'create...
Which wattlebird is that?
It’s always a sign of spring being just around the corner when you hear the raucous calls of wattlebirds. The reason for the carry-on is that they are breeding which coincides with the flowering of grevilleas and bottlebrushes. These large honeyeaters are common...
Tackling our energy dependence nationally and individually
Dependence on imported oil Australia relies on imported oil products for much of our energy needs. Electrification to replace the consumption of oil can reduce this dependence substantially. In 2023 there was an estimated 56 billion litres of transport petroleum used...
Prime time to plant a bed of asparagus
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that's well worth growing. July is the perfect time to visit your local nursery and buy 2 year-old crowns. The bed you plant out now will produce fresh, succulent asparagus spears for the next 20 years. Asparagus grows extremely well...
Double danger of modern food packaging
Do you ever wonder which is the correct bin for food wrappers and resealable food packets? And have you ever considered that food within these may be contaminated with micro-plastics? Which bin? Most food packets and wrappers are made of polymers (plastics). The most...
Inspirational visit to Coranderrk
Courtesy of Banyule City Council's Community Garden Network, 30 people (including about a dozen Sustainable Macleod members) were privileged to visit Coranderrk in the Yarra Valley and spend 5 hours on country with Uncle Dave Wandin, in NAIDOC week. Coranderrk...
Juvenile Foliage
What’s the point of different juvenile foliage? Walk through any patch of bushland Melbourne and you might notice that some young plants look surprisingly different from their mature counterparts. This is especially noticeable in eucalypts and wattles, where juvenile...
Captivating Kale
Did you know that there are over 150 known cultivars of kale, with an array of colours, tastes and textures? Kale is easy to grow as long as it is protected from insect attack. An ideal winter plant Kale thrives in the cold, doing well in frosts and below zero...
Trump’s tariffs impact fashion waste in Australia
An outcome of Donald Trump's tariffs is likely to be the dumping or perhaps aggressive marketing of ultra-fast fashion in Australia. Ultra-fast fashion is clothing intended to be worn once or twice and discarded. Chinese companies such as Temu and Shein, known for...
A glut of cumquats
Cumquats* resemble small oranges about the size of large olives. The skin of the fruit is sweet but the pulp is tart, making an interesting juxtaposition of flavour. They are often underrated as a fruit because of their tartness.
Virtual fencing to prevent wildlife roadkill: promising technology?
Virtual fencing to prevent wildlife roadkill: promising technology? Every year, countless native animals are killed on Victorian roads, including wallabies, wombats, echidnas, koalas and kangaroos. Roadkill is not only a tragic loss for biodiversity, it can be a...
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.