Knowledge hub
Growing guides for Australian backyards
Soil, water, pests, the seasons and harvest, written for our climate. Start with a question, a plant or a topic.
Guides by topic
Getting started
- Getting started · 2 min readYour first veggie bed: where, how big and what to plantStart with one bed in full sun, fill it with good soil, and plant a few things you love to eat. A simple plan for your first season.
- Getting started · 4 min readGarden tools: the essential kit for a new gardenerYou don't need a shed full of gear. The handful of tools that do most of the work, what to spend on, and how to look after them so they last for years.
- Getting started · 5 min readStarting a veggie patch from scratch in AdelaideFrom choosing the spot to your first harvest. How to set up a veggie patch, what to plant in Adelaide's autumn and spring, and the mistakes most beginners make.
Soil and compost
- Soil and compost · 4 min readWorm castings and worm tea: how to use themWorm castings and the liquid from a worm farm are gentle, useful garden feeds. How to dilute and apply them, and what is known versus garden lore.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readComposting at home: hot, cold, bins and bokashiTurn kitchen scraps and garden waste into rich compost. Greens and browns, which system suits you, keeping it moist in a dry climate, and how to fix a smelly heap.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readThe soil microbiome: the living soil in plain wordsHealthy soil is alive with bacteria, fungi, tiny animals and earthworms. What they do for your plants, what harms them and how to keep them fed.
- Soil and compost · 4 min readSoil pH explained: what it is and how to change itSoil pH controls which nutrients plants can reach. How to test it cheaply, which plants like acid or alkaline soil, and how to shift it slowly and safely.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readKnow your soil: sand, clay, loam and how to tellTwo simple tests tell you whether you have sand, clay or loam. What that means for watering and feeding, plus a guide to Adelaide's soils and a drainage check.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readNo-dig or tilling: which is right for your garden?What digging does to soil life and structure, when a one-off dig still makes sense, and how to start a no-dig bed with cardboard, compost and mulch.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readFeeding veggies through the seasonDifferent veggies want different feeding. A practical plan for leafy greens, fruiting crops, root crops and legumes, from planting to harvest.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readFertilisers explained: NPK, labels and what to useWhat N, P and K actually do, organic versus synthetic, slow-release versus liquid, and how to feed without overdoing it, including for phosphorus-sensitive natives.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readFilling a new raised bed: layers, volume and what to buyHow to fill a raised bed from the bottom up, work out how much soil you need, buy a good mix in bulk, and avoid the fillings that cause trouble later.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readGreen manure crops: feed your soil while it restsGrow a quick cover crop, cut it at flowering and let it feed the soil. Good winter and summer mixes for Adelaide, and how to dig in or chop and drop.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readNurturing your soil year-round: an Adelaide seasonal planA season-by-season soil care plan for Adelaide gardens, from autumn compost and green manure to thick summer mulch, plus how to fix water-repellent sandy soil.
- Soil and compost · 2 min readMulch: what to use, how thick, and whenA good layer of mulch keeps soil cool and moist, feeds the soil life and keeps weeds down. Which mulch suits veggies, natives and fruit trees, and how to lay it.
- Soil and compost · 5 min readWorm farms: setting one up and keeping it happyA worm farm turns kitchen scraps into rich castings and liquid for the garden. How to set one up, what to feed, and how to keep worms alive through an Adelaide summer.
Water
Growing
- Growing · 4 min readCrop rotation made simple: a four-bed planMoving crop families around your beds each season helps break pest and disease cycles and balances soil nutrients. A simple four-group plan, plus tips for small gardens.
- Growing · 6 min readPruning basics: tools, cuts and when to pruneGood pruning starts with sharp, clean tools and a few simple cuts. Why we prune, how to cut, the three Ds, and how much is too much.
- Growing · 5 min readEspalier fruit trees: fruit on a fence in a small yardAn espalier is a tree trained flat against a wall or fence. Which plants suit, the main forms, how to set up wires, and how to train a tree year by year.
- Growing · 6 min readGrafting fruit trees: a beginner's guideGrafting joins a piece of one tree onto the roots of another. Why we graft, the main methods, when to do it in Adelaide, and a step-by-step cleft graft.
- Growing · 4 min readHardening off and transplanting seedlings without the shockSeedlings raised indoors need a week or two to toughen up before planting. A simple routine, when to plant in Adelaide's heat, and which crops to sow direct.
- Growing · 5 min readHow seeds germinate: warmth, water, air and timingSeeds need moisture, warmth and air, and soil temperature matters more than the weather forecast. How deep to sow, which seeds to soak, and a simple germination test.
- Growing · 5 min readPruning citrus, olives, feijoas and figsCitrus and most evergreen fruit need only light pruning. When and how to prune citrus, olives and feijoas, plus figs, which get a winter prune.
- Growing · 6 min readPruning fruit trees in Adelaide: winter, summer and what to cutWinter pruning shapes deciduous fruit trees and summer pruning keeps them small. How to prune stone fruit, apples and pears, and why apricots wait until late summer.
- Growing · 5 min readPruning roses, hedges, natives and soft shrubsRoses get a winter prune in July, hedges a regular trim, and most natives a light tip-prune after flowering. How to prune each without losing next season's flowers.
- Growing · 5 min readRaising seedlings: mix, light, water and avoiding damping offRaising your own seedlings is cheap and satisfying. The right mix, enough light and careful watering, plus how to prick out, pot on and avoid damping off.
Popular growing guides
When to plant, how far apart, what to watch for and when to pick, for each plant in the library.