Explore Gardening

Should you sow seeds or seedlings? That depends! Does your vegetable or herb have a long seed germination period? If it’s quick (<7 days) and a fast-to-mature crop like lettuce, you can sow seeds, raise seedlings and harvest your crop while the weather is still cool.

April and May are prime planting times for our autumn and winter crops. We only have short seasons during autumn and winter (June/July) so it’s best to make the most of them.

Food Waste Loop, a Yandina Community Gardens (YCG) pilot program, is collecting food waste from local businesses and turning it into compost which is already in high demand.

See Permaculture principles and design ideas in action. Come along for an inspiring & informative tour of our gardens on the first Saturday of each month.

PLEASE NOTE: Parents are welcome to attend, but parent involvement is not necessary as teachers are qualified and numbers are restricted to cater for this.

Our Worm Lasagne method is energy efficient, blocks weeds and generates healthy organic produce. Then we will mix up a batch of “Magic Potion” that will enchant your soil with E.

The road verge is the area of land between your property boundary and the road. The typical road verge within our region consists of grass, footpath and a council provided street tree.

From adorning cakes to transforming a bowl of leafy greens, edible blooms are easy to grow and full of goodness. You may be surprised by just how many types of flowers can safely make the transition from garden to table.

The lawn may not be growing as fast as in summer, but make the most of grass clippings by using as mulch or adding to your compost.

Potter about your patio Anne Gibson, the Micro Gardener - introduction to growing microgreens It’s the perfect time to get dirty. Dirty hands that is, by digging deep into some micro gardening on your patio, veranda, landing, balcony, courtyard or deck.

Permaculture is the skill we all need to learn how to help us through this challenging period. The world urgently needs more permaculture gardens, designers and teachers everywhere.

Learn how to grow nutrient-dense organic food gardens in urban spaces. Dig in with quick, easy DIY tips and lessons by expert organic gardener, author and speaker, Anne Gibson.

April and May are prime planting times for our autumn and winter crops. We only have short seasons during autumn and winter (June/July) so it’s best to make the most of them.

This is the week, traditionally, when we pause to remember the 1,138 fast fashion workers who tragically lost their lives, with many more who were injured, at the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh on 24th April 2013.

With a routine that’s been thrown out of the norm and greater inconsistency between days working and getting that all-important paycheck, it’s a great idea to have some healthy home-made meals on hand when you need them.

The fashion industry is responsible for up to 10 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Watch this video for three ways you can reduce your fashion footprint and still dress to impress.

The Horizon Festival has curated some great creative online home activities for kids KINDY + PRE-SCHOOL Zdoodle Drawing App A simple, no-nonsense drawing app for iOS, perfect for entertaining little humans.

Morgan Gamble has created a free masterclass about COVID-19 and permaculture, 10 practical how-to films and 12 blogs about no-dig gardening, simple composting, worm towers, quick vegetables, growing medicinals, creating a thriving edible garden, community food systems creating a small scale garden, some recipes and more.

Headspace are offering free meditations, sleep, and movement exercises to help you out in your time of isolation. You can listen to these anytime, anywhere to help you feel calm and grounded in these uncertain times.

Now is an ideal time to experience the joy of sharing. Never before in our recent history has the need to come together and support each other been so important.

Microgreens are the “saucer on a windowsill” herbs and leafy greens that have risen to fame as petite garnishes on the plates of celebrity chefs like Curtis Stone.

Vibrant, tasty and nutritious, microgreens can bring salads, smoothies and main meals to life. Their rich green and fuchsia hues are an ideal way to enliven a boring salad, garnish your favourite chargrilled meat or add verve to school lunchboxes.

Free help aimed at saving on professional services energy costs. Tailored advice and tips to help cut energy costs for small businesses in the professional services industry.

With the outbreak of the serious virus COVID-19, known as coronavirus, we are naturally concerned about whether natural hand sanitisers will be as effective as synthetic chemicals.

February is typically the time of year when we get the most rainfall in our climate. Heatwaves, hail and even cyclones. Based on past patterns, we often get heavy downpours and thunderstorms, creating hot humid conditions and temperatures can be very uncomfortable.

Original article found at: theconversation.com Summer in Australia is getting hotter. Extreme heat events, with daytime temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius, are becoming more common and we are getting more of these days in a row.

From the gym to Pilates to school drop-offs and coffee with friends, activewear is everywhere. Comfortable, relaxed and the perfect accessory to a laidback Queensland lifestyle, our obsession with taking gym wear to the streets shows no sign of slowing.

At least eight new electric vehicle models will hit Australian shores in 2020, opening up further choice for drivers wanting to reduce private transport emissions or simply have the latest in automotive technology.

It’s been a stressful time for many normally enthusiastic gardeners to sustain their garden, even without water restrictions. Whether you’re on town water, with the moisture available to keep gardens growing or relying solely on tank water, it’s a good time to reflect on your water management and consider implementing sustainable practices.

Whether you are new to op shopping for clothes or a regular, we thought we would share some useful tips from Emma Willmann, Statement Styling and Katie Roberts, Sustainability in Style who were facilitators for our recent fabric program Op Shop rambles in Maroochydore and Nambour.

Multigenerational housing has the potential to offer creative solutions to some of the social and environmental challenges of our time. A panel of experienced and emerging architects, along with community members with lived experience discussed the role multigenerational housing could play in shaping our communities of the future at the recent Sunshine Coast Open House forum held at the Innovation Centre.

In October, we move into our fifth season here in SE QLD. ‘Sprummer’ is a highly changeable period during October/November, where we transition from spring into summer!

This year, we had a wetter than normal June (which was very welcome!) but warmer than average temperatures during July - and a very short winter.

The Energy Efficient Communities Program will deliver $50 million of grants to assist businesses and community organisations to improve energy efficiency practices and technologies and better manage energy consumption to reduce their power bills.

“We are definitely coming back again next year” was the phrase heard repeatedly at Sunshine Coast Council’s National Tree Day celebrations. Families from across the Sunshine Coast had a fun morning at the tree planting event, with 196 adults and 159 children contributing their efforts.

With a number of the 50 events on offer already sold out, and registrations for The Food Fair increasing by the day, the event is proving popular with locals, and visitors to the Sunshine Coast.

Council is developing a Design Strategy for the Sunshine Coast Council area to INSPIRE and ENCOURAGE GOOD DESIGN of new communities, buildings, streets and spaces.

Channelling her passion for art, fashion and sustainability, Heidi Middleton is redefining what a small, ethical creative fashion business can look like today. Heidi’s latest project, ArtClub was born from a desire to make things of beauty, with purpose and meaning.

The impact of changes in Australian electricity markets and a growing community desire to embrace environmentally sustainable practices is leading schools to consider how they meet their future energy needs.

Easter is just around the corner and there’s one question on everyone’s lips: What Fairtrade Easter eggs and other treats are available, and where can I get them?

Many of us love to travel, but how do we avoid all the single use plastic that can often go with it? Beyond your reusable drink bottle and reusable bag, Lonely Planet share some tips on how to reduce your throw away plastic and how to be a more conscientious traveller.

One of the easiest ways to save money, reduce waste, grow a healthier garden and tread lighter on our beautiful planet is to make your own compost.

Eating an ice cream cone can save a turtle! Who would have thought that choosing to eat an ice cream cone could save a turtle?

Paper pots are a fun, eco-friendly alternative to plastic pots for anyone who grows vegetables, herbs or flowers from seeds. Paper pots degrade naturally once plants seedlings mature and are an ideal way to use up excess newspaper.

When we think of electric cars, most of us think of Elon Musk, or his electric car company Tesla.When we imagine the setting for this Tesla car we’ve just conjured, we generally think of city surrounds, with perhaps a young hipster, or business tycoon behind the wheel.

The new CSIRO Energise App gives each of us the opportunity to be a ‘citizen scientist’ by contributing information about energy consumption in our own households to a major research project.

Succulent plants are everywhere right now. You’ll find these quirky, fun splashes of greenery adorning tables in cafe’s and bringing colour to interior and exterior spaces.

In our fast-paced world, there’s something indulgent about drinking coffee or tea from a real ceramic cup, an experience which many reusable coffee cups don’t quite capture.

Food saving habits start when you LOOK.BUY.STORE.COOK. Here are some quick tip to start reducing your food waste. LOOK So many of us forget to LOOK at what we already have in our fridge, pantry and freezer before shopping.

Google “craft for kids” and you’ll find thousands of ideas to get you started including painting, drawing, sewing, needlework, pottery, paper crafts and card making.

Indoor plants are one of the cheapest and most effective ways to transform your home, and generally require very little care or love to thrive.

It is generally understood that the addition of organic matter (mulch or compost) to the garden is for the improvement of soil health, which in turn improves plant health.

The wondrous diversity of the Redlands is ripe for exploration. Whether you’re out for a short walk in nature, or a more adventurous day trip, the region boasts large tracts of bushland and islands with distinctive places that are relatively unknown.

It only takes a walk down any supermarket cleaning aisle to comprehend the abundance of products for home cleaning. The underlying message from manufacturers of detergents, disinfectants, bleaches, crèmes, powders and pastes for household cleaning is that we need to use chemicals to keep our homes fresh, clean and hygienic.

This article is part of a series that draws on the latest research on back to school transitions. In it, experts explain how best to prepare children for school, and counter difficulties such as stress or bad behaviour.

If you watch a garden intently for long enough, you will notice a buzz of insect activity - in the air, on plants, in flowers, and within the soil.

It’s a perfect activity to get the kids interested in producing their own food as they can watch progress each day. Minimal equipment is needed and supplies are readily available at health food stores or online (see notes at the end of the article).

The 12 DOs of Christmas are twelve simple positive actions that everyone can use to help fight the festive war on waste. From green gifts, food and tech waste tips to sustainable summer holiday renovations and decluttering we’ve got it covered!

Living Smart speaks with The Micro Gardener, Anne Gibson on gardening for the seasons in our region. How would you describe our south-east Queensland climate?

The average Australian household produces approximately 1.5 tonnes of waste per year. Reducing the amount of waste your household sends to landfill is easy with these tips on recycling everyday items.

The problem is once in a while has become too often, with the average NZ household eating takeaways 2-3 times a week (compared to the once a fortnight recommendation).

Here are a few pointers taken from my book Fresh Start (there are more in the book!), and some super fresh, healthy recipes that will fuel you with lots of goodness, and make you feel great!

Presenter: Gardening Australia, 08/04/2017 SERIES 28 Episode 06 - Turn your excess chillies into powder to warm up any dish! Pre-heat oven to 120 degrees Celsius (fan-forced oven)

There’s nothing like a pamper session to set your zen to ten. The sounds, the scents, the special stuff they apply to your skin to make it feel extra smooth, soft, and supple - you wish you could do it yourself at home.

OzHarvest is passionate about minimising food waste and protecting our environment for future generations. Here’s why…Local food facts Australians throw out $8-10 billion of food every year.

Have you ever… put leftovers in the fridge only to rediscover them a week later with some fuzz growing on them? bought some fresh fruit only to see its passed over until it’s shrivelled and unappetizing?