The most widespread recorded drought in Queensland’s history has meant most of my gardening effort continues to be spent on watering and soil improvement. At least I’m able to keep fruit trees productive and perennials alive. Beds which would normally be filled with seasonal annuals can remain dug, mulched and bare until useful rain arrives. But…
Category: Bees
Kew Guild Grand Reunion Garden Party
Thirty four years ago, I graduated at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Nicotine And Old Roses
Food security alert: Neonicotinoid pesticides, like Confidor, are creating a dangerous world where caterpillars are becoming poison bird bait, where bees and migratory birds ‘forget’ how to navigate and bees and other pollinators are becoming suicide junkies.
Want Safer Streets, More Bees and Good Food? Grow Tamarind Trees, not African Tulip Trees
I’ve just made Dulce de Tamarindo from tamarind pods, a mouthwatering Mexican sweet that’s guaranteed to stimulate your tastebuds. What could link safer streets, more bees and good food? Here’s a blog on sustainable urban forest management. Let’s start with an end product before making the case to ‘grow me instead’. There is a greater demand…
Towards Valentine’s Day
For a more sustainable Valentine’s Day, buy your loved one a potted plant. Like love, you can watch your gift grow.
South American Biocontrol Calls Wynnum Food Garden Home
Being eaten alive, from the inside out, is not the kindest death. But it’s ruthlessly efficient.
In Production Today – November
Food production is quickly changing since summer arrived two weeks early…
In Production Today – October
In Brisbane, winter crops have finished flowering. Their seed is ripe and ready for harvest.
Predator Attracting Plants
Organic gardening isn’t conventional gardening, so why not enjoy some unconventional pest control?
In Flower Today
Brisbane‘s subtropical winter comes to a happy, floriferous end in mid-August. Today there’s around a hundred different plants flowering, two weeks before Australia’s official first day of spring.
How Do I Grow Sword Beans?
Or more importantly, what are sword beans? Think of sword beans (Canavalia gladiata) as haricot bean alternative. Both are vines and sword bean needs a garden in a frost-free climate to grow really well. Fancy something different for dinner? I grow sword beans in a sunny spot in compost rich, freely draining soil. I train…
Towards A National Food Plan
Draft notes for Queensland Conservation’s submission to aid in the development of a National Food Plan. The final draft was submitted by QC on 2.9.11… Introduction A National Food Plan is vital for Australia’s ongoing food sovereignty. Food Sovereignty may be defined as a nation’s self-sufficiency in food, where affordable staples are made available to…
Jerry Coleby-Williams 