| | | It's Springtime! Time to get out into the sunshine and plant some seeds... |
| |  | | Buzzing, foraging, blitzing and really clucking good times | You know it’s Spring when the chooks start getting broody and the bees begin to swarm… The snowpeas are starting to finally give out after providing good muchings for a fair while now, and the fennel, broad beans and celery have all been going gangbusters. And for gardeners, it’s now a time to think about what summer crops to put in! Of course, hold off on putting in your tomatoes for the moment – the ground may not be warm enough for those yet…. so you just have to ignore all those big green sheds that are selling them for now!
To celebrate the wonderful time of buzzin around with joy, we’ve selected the classic Wild Honey by The Beach Boys for your pleasure. Enjoy!
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| |  | | | Hero of the Month:
Avocados | The amazing avocado – delicious, nutrient dense and the source of last year’s millenials-vs-millionaire great smashed avo/mortgage debate! Still, what could be better than having a ready source of avos in your backyard?
Read all about this amazing berry here! (That’s right – it’s a BERRY!)
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Subtropical Garden Planning for Melbourne and Victoria | If you live in Melbourne, it is still possible to grow a range of tropical and subtropical fruit varieties. The key to success is creating the right micro-climate in your garden.
See what you can grow at home here!
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| | Beets and Pieces |  | | | Coffee sacks free to good homes | You’re probably all well aware of how useful a coffee sack can be – from kindling carryall to sheet mulch fabulousness, to cushion covers/pictures for coffee addicts/seat wraps… The VEG Wicking Beds crew are using them to send their orders in (as they’re both reusable & compostable), but will certainly have spares in any given week.
The resource has been redirected from landfill and is sourced from a local roaster. Furthermore in the spirit of making the world an (even) better place, they’re being offered gratis for causes and mobs such as community gardens, school kitchen gardens, & like-minded bods, and a suggested gold coin donation if for personal use – with 100% of the proceeds going to the Women In Coffee organisation offering business micro-loans to those at the coffee source for life-betterment.
If you want to get your hands on these for your home, garden or secret coffee sack collection, then check out the details here!
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|  | | | More than just drains: Recreating living streams through the suburbs | Lot sizes and backyards are shrinking in Australia at the same time as building density is increasing. So we cannot afford to overlook the potential of existing – but neglected – spaces in our suburbs, like drains.
In denser living environments, we will need new types of green and open space to meet the needs of residents.
Zoe Myers has written a compelling article about the benefits of utilising these spaces, and has studies supporting connections between the sounds of waterscapes and restorative emotional states and views. There are also obvious ecological and environmental benefits.
Potentially the most convincing reason for local governments to rehabilitate drains is that living streams increase neighbourhood property values. Research has shown the effect is significant. In the Perth suburb of Lynwood, for example, median home values within 200 metres of a wetland restoration site increased by A$17,000 to A$26,000 above the trend increase for the area.
Read the full article on Landscape Australia.
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|  | | Back in the Garden | October is a great time to be a gardener – it’s the last chance to remove dead winter growth, to dig up and divide perennial plants, and you can plant evergreen shrubs and trees – including citrus trees! There’s also a wealth of seeds and seedlings that the ground is now warming up for.
Seeds you can plant in October include:
| | ● | Amaranth | | ● | Marrow | | ● | Angelica | | ● | Mustard greens | | ● | Asparagus | | ● | NZ Spinach (Warrigal Greens) | | ● | Asparagus Pea | | ● | Okra | | ● | Beetroot | | ● | Oregano | | ● | Borage | | ● | Parsley | | ● | Burdock | | ● | Parsnip | | ● | Cape Gooseberry | | ● | Potato | | ● | Carrot | | ● | Pumpkin | | ● | Celeriac | | ● | Radish | | ● | Celery | | ● | Rhubarb | | ● | Chicory | | ● | Rocket | | ● | Chinese Cabbage | | ● | Rockmelon | | ● | Chives | | ● | Rosella | | ● | Climbing beans | | ● | Rosemary | | ● | Coriander | | ● | Sage | | ● | Cucumber | | ● | Salsify | | ● | Daikon | | ● | Silverbeet | | ● | Dill | | ● | Spinach | | ● | Dwarf beans | | ● | Spring Onions | | ● | Fennel | | ● | Summer savory | | ● | French Tarragon | | ● | Sunflower | | ● | Globe Artichokes | | ● | Sweet Corn | | ● | Horseradish | | ● | Sweet Marjoram | | ● | Jerusalem Artichokes | | ● | Turnip | | ● | Lemon Balm | | ● | Yacon | | ● | Lettuce | | ● | Yam/Oca |
| Remember: some seeds do better starting off in punnets, some in pots and some in the ground. To get the best from your seedlings be sure to check the best methods first!
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