Search Results for: soil

How to Fill Raised Garden Beds with Premium Soil for $Cheap

High-raised garden beds are all the rage these days- and why not?! I’ve been using them for years for their many advantages. They’re fantastic to garden in, so convenient, easy to use and to water. But they’re not the quickest to fill, and they do take a lot of material. I’m going to show you

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3 Easy Ways to Fix Clay Soil

It’s no secret that clay soil is far from the gardeners friend. Poor drainage is a problem, and when the soil is waterlogged your plant roots become starved of oxygen. If the soil is too dry, it can be hard to dig and plant roots can’t grow through it. So how do we fix clay

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How to Test & Improve Your Garden Soil

Soil is a mixture of minerals, air, water, plus a variety of living and dead organic matter. The purpose of soil is as a growing medium for plants, a regulator of water supplies, recycler of raw materials, habitat for soil organisms, and as a landscaping and engineering medium. When it comes to gardening, we need

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Soil Minerals: What are they & how do I get the balance right?

Picture yourself standing in your garden. Looking around, right to left, up and down, admiring the results of all your hard work. Beautiful flowers, deep green leaves, fruit on the way to ripening….BUT WAIT! You spot one plant that is shrivelled, sick, and covered in bugs. Turn the other way, and there’s one with yellow

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How to Plant & Grow Avocado Trees in Clay Soil

I've learnt the hard way when it comes to growing avocado trees. Scroll to the end of this article to watch the VBlog (video).  Initially, back in 2006 when I planted several avos in our orchard, I thought that a foot of topsoil would be enough to grow a healthy avocado tree. All our other

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10 Best Vegetables for Small Container Gardens

While you might only be able to grow vegetables on a miniature scale, it is always worth doing. You might have a balcony or small courtyard, but as long as you have enough space for a few pots, you’ll definitely be able to grow some food. Essentially, no garden is too small. Your little garden

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How to Grow Cranberry Hibiscus

An African native that thrives in subtropical gardens, cranberry hibiscus is showy, edible, easy-care and quick to establish. A valuable plant in any type of garden, cranberry hibiscus will appeal to ornamental and food gardeners alike. What is Cranberry Hibiscus? Thought to be a hybrid of two wild species, the exact origin of cranberry hibiscus

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How to Grow Choko (Chayote)

What is Choko? Chokos (aka chayote) are amongst the most prolific, versatile and healthful vegetables you can grow. Uncommon in shops and stores, chokos are a traditional staple in many warm temperate and subtropical home gardens. The fruits’ crisp texture and mild flavour lends itself to roasting whole or adding to soups, stews and sweet dishes,

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Why You Need Nasturtiums in Your Veggie Garden

Nasturtiums are an easy delight in any type of garden. They suit a variety of climates, and are easy to grow. They make a lovely ground cover, sprawl out quickly, and look attractive. But there’s much more to nasturtiums than simply filling up space, and they’re definitely more than a basic ornamental. Read on to

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How to Make an IBC Wicking Bed – 2 Ways

What is a Wicking Bed? A wicking bed is a type of self-watering raised garden bed that is both water-saving and time-efficient. It has a water reservoir at the bottom and growing medium (soil) on the top, which are separated by a layer of fabric. This allows the plant roots to ‘wick’ water up as

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2024 Autumn/Winter Subtropical Planting Guide

Welcome to winter in the humid subtropics- all three weeks of it. Okay that’s a local joke where I live (Brisbane, Australia), but it’s not far from the truth. The subtropics give us a specialised climate- one unlike any other. Most gardening information found online and in books is written for cool or temperate climates,

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Why You Need to Grow Dogbane

Dogbane (Plectranthus caninus) is a semi-succulent perennial herb from the mint family which is native to South Africa. Despite not being edible, dogbane has numerous uses in a home food garden and is considered a valuable pioneer support plant by permaculturists. Tough, low-maintenance, fast-growing yet not invasive, dogbane might just be your newest garden go-to!

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Where can I Buy Seed From in Australia?

With the advent of online shopping, there is now a plethora of websites offering vegetable seed to the home gardener. So much so, that it can be difficult to choose what to buy & where to buy from. Buying seed from your own climate zone gives you the best chance of success. Many of the

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How to Grow Ube (Winged Yam)

What is Ube? Ube (dioscorea alata) is a perennial tropical vegetable that you may not have heard of. A specialty of south-east Asia, this purple winged yam is a low-GI, easy-to-grow staple that puts a lot of food on the table for minimal effort. Especially versatile in the kitchen, it can be used in both

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Repel Large Pests Organically in the Garden

There’s nothing more disheartening than seeing your carefully nurtured harvest fall prey to animal predators. After investing time in preparing the soil, growing from seed, nurturing plants to maturity, and witnessing the fruit’s development, it’s heart-breaking to have it all disappear overnight due to ‘unwanted visitors’. Combatting sizeable pests poses a significant challenge for home

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6 Beneficial Insects To Find in Se QLD Gardens

In subtropical south-east Queensland, a diverse array of beneficial insects are indispensable allies in the home vegetable garden. These industrious insects, ranging from ladybugs and hoverflies to native bees and damselflies, play a vital role in fostering a thriving garden ecosystem. Their significance lies in their capacity for natural pest control, diligently preying on harmful

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What Happens When You Mulch Your Garden?

Introducing mulching to your vegetable garden beds can be a game-changer for the health and productivity of your crops. Mulch, a protective layer of material spread over the soil surface, offers a myriad of benefits that extend beyond mere aesthetics. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, you’ll find that mulching serves as a

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