Gardening Australia

Tomorrow is Threatened Species Day. If you want to make your garden more wildlife friendly this little video (less than 8 mins) gives you ideas. Please pass it on to other people. The more of us are providing food, water and shelter for the smaller wildlife (including soil organisms) the more we are strengthening biodiversity all the way up the line.

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/36208499

The Invasive Species Council [has nominated] Polygala myrtifolia (also known as myrtle-leaf milkwort, as one of Australia's most significant weeds, even as potted examples continue to line shelves in retail stores.

This is just one of 32 invasive weeds of national significance which you can see here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-15/australian-noxious-invasive-weeds-of-national-significance/105035444

The house was exactly what they were looking for.

The backyard wasn't.

Like so many modern developments, it consisted of little more than a large expanse of lawn—a blank canvas with very little habitat for wildlife.

Three years later, that lawn has disappeared beneath one of the most impressive suburban wildlife gardens I have visited.

The transformation is remarkable.

These are also suitable indoors.

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/33402319

Ok, so this is not one for those of you who live in apartments. For those who tend to a garden, particularly one visited by local wildlife, please be tolerant. They are trying to survive on the land which for hundreds of thousands (millions) of years was theirs.

They may be a bit of a nuisance but more often than not they are providing what is now known as 'ecological services' (pity they're not unionised). For example, I get bandicoots where I live and they make parts of the garden look like swiss cheese as they make little holes in search for grubs. What's the service in this? They aerate the soil and create little craters which fill up when it rains so that there is less run-off and more moisture for plants over a longer period of time. Thank you bandies!

The article is from Sth Australia but the situations are similar in many parts of Oz. If you have any stories about your local wildlife and how you solved challenges without the use of harmful chemicals and so on, please share. If you live outside of Oz and have stories, please share them too.

I've had pretty lacklustre results with growing garlic but I'll take the tips from this article and hope I'll do better next time.

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/33304508

Gardening does wonders for me. But it's not just because I'm in my 'senior years'. Gardening is beneficial at any age. There's many articles around about why gardening is good for your health. This US article is a recent one that spells out the benefits.

Gardening adds meaningful weekly physical activity without requiring a formal workout, helping you build strength, balance, and endurance through real-world movement

Spending time in the garden lowers stress hormones and shifts your body into a calmer, recovery-focused state, improving mood and mental clarity

Regular gardening is linked to better memory, sharper thinking, and greater independence as you age by engaging multiple brain functions at once

Working with soil and plants supports your brain at a biological level, increasing blood flow and boosting compounds that strengthen memory and learning

Growing your own food naturally improves your diet by increasing how often you eat fresh, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2026/06/02/garden-therapy.aspx?sd=20221027&foDate=false&mid=DM1917780&rid=576950809

Planting anything over winter, or just preparing for spring?

The thread is yours

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/32835677

If you want to treat yourself to some amazing images and learn more about the complex world of plants, check this out.

This article explains why invasive plants can harm your garden and some plants you can grow instead. It also has a number of links to other articles and references that you might find useful.

I'm growing lots of snow pea again this season. What will you be growing this coming winter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ECxa7FfsJo

It’s coming into the cooler months. You still have options for winter veg.

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/30892893

https://npq.org.au/plants-markets/ First plant market for 2026 is in Samford in March.

There will be a huge range of native plants to suit any garden, plus many highly knowledgeable people to answer all your native plant questions.

Open to all (indoor event so no pets allowed). Details are as follows:

✅ Low prices direct from growers ✅ Tubestock to larger plants ✅ Fantastic range for all gardens (water-wise plants, bush foods, bird/bee/butterfly-attracting plants, PLUS rare and unusual plants) ✅ Food, drinks and snacks are available from the onsite cafe. ✅ Cash and EFTPOS available. Location: Samford Showgrounds, 38 Showgrounds Dr, Highvale Date: Saturday 28th March, 9am to 3pm Cost: Free entry & parking!!

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/30855171

This guide provides details of 80 species of native plants from SEQ suitable to grow indoors, on cool or hot balconies, in courtyards or cottage gardens. There is information for each species on how easy it is to grow, light and water requirements, colours of flowers and fruit, along with characteristics including size, optimal growing conditions, where the species occurs naturally and if rare or threatened. These plants can be sourced from Native Plants Queensland or other local community groups or nurseries. When purchasing plants, we need to keep in mind that the source is sustainable and plants were obtained ethically, particularly for rarer species, and we must not collect plants or seed from the wild. Further details regarding the species are often available online, as well as from the book Mangroves to Mountains.

https://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/1778219/Native-plants-for-pots-and-gardens-booklet-Final-low-resolution.pdf)

We were doing everything wrong. But it’s not too late for you. You can learn from our mistakes.

Making compost is a cornerstone of sustainable gardening, yet few of us understand the great science behind it.

cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/30415889

Here in Qld we are experiencing a lot of flooding, some places worse than others. For people with gardens, here's some advice of what to do to help your garden after flooding.

Aussie planting and Climate resilient tips by region.

With the state of the world getting more challenging it is inevitable that food prices will continue to grow. Let that also be a challenge for you to grow some of your own food. It is possible, even if you don't have much space or money.

Our 2024 crop, spoiled. And not just the apricots. It wasn’t like this before global warming arrived in our back yard.

For the past two seasons, as rising temperatures lead to Australia’s agricultural pests creeping south, fruit fly has struck our apricot tree. Nearby is a venerable jonathan apple tree – a once common variety, now rarely seen – planted in the 1940s. When we moved here 44 years ago it bore huge crops of large, unblemished fruit. But for at least a decade the apples have been burnt by rising UV levels and infected with codling moth. I’ve thrown everything at these sneaky beasts short of toxic chemicals: attractant traps, trunk barriers and all the usual natural repellents like garlic, chilli, citronella, Neem. No luck. And that’s just the insects.