Permaculture Plants – Tagasaste, the Nitrogen Fixing Tree for Large Sites
Photo credits for all images in this article – Narelle Dandy, https://simplyorganicmag.com.au/ Permaculture is all about energy-efficient design, and if you can add a single design element to a site...
View ArticlePermaculture Plants – Australian Indigo, the Nitrogen Fixing Tree for Small...
In permaculture, tagasaste (tree lucerne) is used as a nitrogen-fixing tree on large sites and rural properties, but it can grow around 5-7m tall and equally wide, which is way too large for smaller...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – January
Technorati Tags: gardening calendar,australia temperate,january It’s January, and we find ourselves right in the middle of the summer season. It’s in this month and the next that we experience the...
View ArticleChoosing a Disposable Dust Mask Respirator for Air Pollution and Smoke...
Disposable dust masks or respirators offer protection from fine particulate matter in the air such as dusts, aerosols and smoke. At the time of writing, respiratory protection has been in high demand...
View ArticleWinter Pest and Disease Control with Lime Sulphur
Winter is the traditional time to prune and spray deciduous fruit trees and vines. Spraying is carried out at this time to eliminate pests and diseases which can overwinter and emerge in spring. Two...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – February
February is the last month of summer, and it’s still a fairly dry time of the year in Melbourne, so water deeply and less often during dry periods to encourage roots to grow down, making plants less...
View ArticleCitizens’ Assemblies for the Climate Crisis – Free Events in Melbourne...
I’ve been asked to share the details of a series of community events being run by Coalition of Everyone which will be held over the month of February, 2020 in Melbourne Australia. Booking for the...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – March
March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. It’s also an ideal time to plant new trees, as the weather is milder and there is some time for the trees to...
View ArticleHow to Control Queensland Fruit Fly in the Home Garden, An Integrated Pest...
(Image credit – source image from NSW Department of Primary Industries, modified and edited by Deep Green Permaculture) Queensland fruit fly or Qfly (Bactrocera tryoni) is one of the most damaging...
View ArticleThe Coronavirus Panic and How To Prepare Properly, A Permaculture Prepper...
An insidious epidemic is sweeping across Australia, the UK and the US, and governments are unable to do anything to control it. No, I’m not talking about the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, but it’s...
View ArticleCOVID-19 Coronavirus Misinformation – Are Masks Protective?
Both the US and Australian governments are advising people that masks don’t work as protection against the COVID-19 coronavirus, but is this true? Half-truths are as bad as outright lies, and both...
View ArticleHow COVID-19 Coronavirus Spreads and What You Can Do to Control It
The general public can play a significant role in reducing the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, it’s everyone’s responsibility, not just the government’s, and everyone has a role to play. Epidemic...
View ArticleEmergency Survival Prepper Gardening – Part 1, Selecting a Location for a...
Sometimes governments do give sound advice to their nations… During World War I and World War II, in a an effort to reduce the public demand on food supplies and leave more food to send to the soldiers...
View ArticleEmergency Survival Prepper Gardening – Part 2, How to Prepare the Soil
Sometimes governments do give sound advice to their nations… During World War I and World War II, in a an effort to reduce the public demand on food supplies and leave more food to send to the soldiers...
View ArticleWhat Are The Best Rocks to Use for Building Wicking Beds
One of the questions that many people have when constructing wicking beds is what are the best rocks to use in the water reservoir section underneath. Coarse scoria is the recommended material, but are...
View ArticleEmergency Survival Prepper Gardening – Part 3, When to Sow Seeds and Plant...
Sometimes governments do give sound advice to their nations… During World War I and World War II, in a an effort to reduce the public demand on food supplies and leave more food to send to the soldiers...
View ArticleFact Check – Is Ibuprofen Safe? COVID-19 Coronavirus and Medications that...
Some medications are known to weaken the immune system, and would therefore compromise the body’s capacity to fight off diseases such as the COVID-19 Coronavirus. There has been a lot of concerns about...
View ArticleEmergency Survival Prepper Gardening – Part 4, How to Sow Seeds Directly Into...
Sometimes governments do give sound advice to their nations… During World War I and World War II, in a an effort to reduce the public demand on food supplies and leave more food to send to the soldiers...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – April
April brings us well into autumn, and the days are now getting shorter. While the soil is still warm, it’s a good time to plant trees, shrubs, and herbs, as their roots will have a chance to take hold...
View ArticleWhy You Should Wear a Mask for COVID-19 Coronavirus, Debunking The Bad Science!
There has been a lot of bad advice coming from government authorities and ‘experts’ during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and it usually starts with the ominous words “there is still no evidence...
View ArticleHow To Safely Put on, Use and Remove a Face Mask to Protect Against COVID-19...
Now that more people are beginning to wear protective face masks, either P2/N95 rated masks, surgical masks or even homemade masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus transmission, it’s...
View ArticleWhy Is My Aloe Vera Plant Turning Yellow and Brown?
Aloe vera is a hardy, succulent, semi-tropical plant native to North Africa and the SW Arabian Peninsula, which can tolerate quite harsh conditions. It will grow in poor soils in hot, dry sunny...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – May
May is the last month of autumn, when the weather starts cooling down. This is a time for pruning, taking cuttings for propagation, divide perennials, and t put in new trees, shrubs and vines. The soil...
View ArticleCitrus Problems – Citrus Fruit Has Thick Peel and Hollow Core
Nutrient imbalances and deficiencies can adversely affect the quality of citrus fruit. Excess nitrogen combined with low phosphorus will cause citrus fruit to be misshapen, with thick peel, a coarse...
View ArticleWhich Variety of Grape Vine Has Edible Leaves for Making Dolmades?
Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) are a popular dish in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. These appetisers are made of meat, rice, various herbs and spices, all of which are wrapped in grape vine...
View ArticleHow to Use Replaceable Filter Face Masks for COVID-19 Coronavirus Protection
For protection against COVID-19 Coronavirus, people have been using disposable surgical masks or N95 /P2 respirators. With the shortage of these protective masks, people have been advised to sew their...
View ArticleWhat Materials Can You Put Into Your Compost Bin and What Not to Compost
Composting is Mother Nature’s ultimate recycling process which converts everything that was once living back into soil. We can compost a lot of organic matter in our homes and gardens, and use it to...
View ArticleSoil Chemistry Fundamentals, Part 1 – Understanding Soil pH and How it...
What is soil pH? How does it affect soil microorganisms and nutrient availability to plants? What is the optimum soil pH for plants? In this article we’ll answer all those questions and more,...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – June
June brings us the start of winter, with colder, wetter weather, but there are still some sunny days to be had, winter vegies to harvest, and some tidying up to do around the garden. As deciduous trees...
View ArticleHow to Make Aloe Vera Gel from Fresh Aloe Vera Leaves
Aloe vera leaves contain a gel which is used externally to treat skin irritation, minor burns, sunburn, itching due to allergies and insect bites, sores, skin ulcers and many other conditions. The...
View ArticleThe Difference Between Nightingale and Hachiya Persimmons
Nightingale persimmon pictured, and Hachiya persimmon both have stunning autumn foliage, making them excellent fruiting and ornamental trees There tends to be some confusion about Nightingale and...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – July
It’s July, Midwinter has arrived! As all of Nature’s energies turn inwards, and life comes to a standstill, we finally have a chance to rest and reflect too. This month temperatures will hit their...
View ArticleSoil Chemistry Fundamentals, Part 2 – How to Change Soil pH in Organic Gardening
Most plants prefer a neutral soil around pH 6.5 to 7.5, but many will grow favourably in the broader pH range of 5.5 to 8. When soils become too acidic or too alkaline, some essential plant nutrient...
View ArticlePlant Diseases – White or Tan Spots on Brassica Leaves
White leaf spot is a fungal disease of cruciferous vegetables (brassicas) caused by the pathogen Mycosphaerella capsellae, which is also known as Pseudocercosporella capsellae. The distribution of this...
View ArticleTomato Lower Leaves Yellowing and Dropping with Leaf Loss Moving Upwards
Tomatoes grow well during warmer weather, and that is expected since they are subtropical plants native to western South America and Central America. In cool to temperate climates tomatoes are grown as...
View ArticleIs Rabbit Manure Good to Use in the Garden?
Can you use rabbit manure as a fertiliser in the garden? Rabbit manure is an excellent manure to use in the garden. It can be used fresh, has higher nutrient levels than other manures, and does not...
View ArticleEmergency Survival Prepper Gardening – Part 5, How to Plant Seedlings
Sometimes governments do give sound advice to their nations… During World War I and World War II, in a an effort to reduce the public demand on food supplies and leave more food to send to the soldiers...
View ArticleThree Simple Soil Tests to Determine What Type of Soil You Have
Healthy plants only grow in healthy soils, and if you know what type of soil you’re working with, you’re better able to improve it to get the best results from your garden. In this article, we’ll...
View ArticleHow to Grow, Prune and Propagate Raspberries
Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) belong to the genus Rubus, along with other cane berries such as blackberries, boysenberries, lawtonberries, loganberries, marionberries, silvanberries and tayberries. What’s...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – August
It’s August, the weather is still cold and windy, but the end of winter is draws near, the days begin to grow noticeably longer and the change of season is not too far away. This month is the last...
View ArticleBook Review – Growing Good Food, A Citizen’s Guide to Backyard Carbon Farming...
Growing Good Food: A Citizen’s Guide to Backyard Carbon Farming (You can click the image or link above to view product details or purchase this book from Amazon and support Deep Green Permaculture!)...
View ArticleHow to Grow the Medicinal Aloe arborescens
Aloe arborescens, also know as the tree aloe, torch aloe, candelabra aloe or krantz aloe, is a hardy succulent perennial plant from the Aloe family Asphodelaceae, which is native to the south-eastern...
View ArticleWhat Are the Small Flies in Compost Bins and Are They a Problem?
Many gardeners are familiar with the experience of lifting the lid off a compost bin and seeing a cloud of small flies rise into the air in front of them. These little flies are vinegar flies or...
View ArticleCompanion Planting with Land Cress for Natural Caterpillar Control
Land Cress (Barbarea vulgaris) and American Upland Cress (Barbarea verna) are biennial, edible leafy-green vegetables from the Brassicaceae (cabbage) family. The young leaves, which are spicy in...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – September
It’s September, the beginning of spring, the time of new life and renewal! The weather is starting to warm up, but there are still cold days, rainy weather and winds to contend with. Early spring is...
View ArticleBook Review – How Can I Use Herbs in My Daily Life? by Isabell Shipard
How Can I Use Herbs in My Daily Life?: Over 500 Herbs, Spices and Edible Plants: an Australian Practical Guide to Growing Culinary and Medicinal Herbs (You can click the image or link above to view...
View ArticleThe Fastest Way to Transplant Volunteer Seedlings with Minimum Root Disturbance
It’s always a great idea to let vegetables such as lettuce to go to seed, because a single plant can produce hundreds of seeds, resulting in lettuce seedlings popping up all around the garden. Plants...
View ArticleGardening Calendar (Australian Temperate Climate) – October
October is the mid-spring period, flowers bloom in abundance, the warmer weather with rain bringing ideal conditions for lush plant growth. The cold weather hasn’t quite finished yet, cold nights and...
View ArticleWhat Age Wood Do Fruit Trees Flower and Fruit On?
Fruit trees flower and fruit each year, but some of them do so only on new branches, or specific parts of older branches. Why does this matter? If we prune off the wrong branches, we might lose our...
View ArticleHow to Improve Drainage in Plant Pots, The Proper Way to Do It!
When growing plants in pots, it’s sometimes necessary to increase drainage because some plants are sensitive to excessive moisture around their root zone, and stagnant water at the bottom of the pot...
View Article
