Cool fire escape garden

I’m a big fan of Gardening Australia. I love learning about plants I’ve never even seen before, let alone attempted to grow. Jerry provides great insight into how to create a workable organic garden (I know we were doing ok up until the snail infestation!). I also like the step by step projects suitable even for the blackest thumb, all presented in a factual interesting format without the condescension of some television presenters.

The ABC Gardening Expo is a great chance to learn and enjoy all things gardening. Lots of things to buy, people to talk to and information to gather.

I really like the idea of the  Ask It, Solve It Stage – An informal, intimate Q&A panel format featuring ABC TV’s Gardening Australia presenters as well as other industry experts talking on specific plant care and answering all gardening related questions.

As as far as workshops go, we’d be particularly interested in attending Sally Wise’s workshops on making your own jams and preserves from garden produce.

When: October 2-4, 2009
Where: Caulfield Racecourse
Time: 10:00am – 4:30pm daily

I found these cheap gardening tips in the Simple Savings Newsletter for September. It provides lots of tips on living cheaply and sustainably rather than consumer driven.

(more…)

I’m sure we’re not the only renters with quite a lot of concrete and ugly brown fencing. I was excited to find this tutorial on Instructables.  Good for smaller plants that don’t require a really deep root system. As they comment, it’s also a great way to keep the cat poo of the neighbours off your garden!

Green Planet has published an article today on the best edible plants for container gardens. What are your favourites or successes? I find mine depend on the amount of watering, the heat and whether they are visited by neighbourhood cats!

Cate’s successes:

• Parsley
• Pansies
• Baby Tomatoes
• Chillies
• Chives
• Mint
• Lettuces

Cate’s dismal failures:

• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Basil

(I have had a bit more success planting these directly into garden beds however)…

I really like these book plant holders, a great way to recycle old books as they can rot down into theearth. I’m totally making some of these!

I decided to move some of my cuttings (mint, parsley, nasturtiums) to a sunny window sill.  It’s a small window but it gets the most lovely warming afternoon sun.  I’ve re-purposed an old blender and a cracked flour container and I pot I was given as a gift. I’m waiting to get a punnet of pansies to plant in the olive oil tin.