ABC Organic Gardener Magazine

How to start an urban permaculture garden

Originally developed for farms and larger properties, permaculture has since been adapted for urban living, and these four simple habits will help you create your own.

Natives

Potting up natives

Edible natives grown in pots are a great growing choice if you have a small space or balcony.

In This Issue

Your essential tool box for growing fruit

The Autumn 2026 issue of ABC Organic Gardener is filled with growing ideas to help you add fruits, alliums and more to your patch!

Radishes chopped in half ready for cooking.

Your garden harvest

Make your own radish kimchi

With a garden overflowing with radishes, a recipe that makes the most of this crunchy root is a must.

Organic Gardener magazine Early Autumn 2023 issue

What's happening

Reclaimed, reloved, recycled: How to create a sustainable garden

We invite you to rethink, reuse and reimagine, with clever food gardens, examples of the creative use of reclaimed materials and eco-travel stories that celebrate sustainable ways of growing and living.

Organic solutions

Tasmania

Find out what's on the sustainable menu when you travel to the Apple Isle.

Organic solutions

5 shower water catchers to be won!

Stop that excess water going down the shower drain - catch and carry to your garden instead!

Mix together dried herbs and salts for gifts.

Organic homes

Make your own salts and scrubs

Drying summer herbs will give you a supply of flavourful ingredients to make salts and scrubs for use around the house and special gifts.

Wondering what to plant when? Use our guide to create your own planting calendar based on your climate zone. Plus, tips to get you started.

View Planting Guide

Build your garden

The benefits of summer pruning

Summer is the perfect time to grab your secateurs and bring a little order to the chaos, maintaining the health of your trees so they are ready for next season.

Red wriggler worms in a pile of compost, held in a pair of gloved hands.

Soil

The best compost worms

Soil needs compost, and worm farming helps keep a supply ready to go. Learn which are the best compost worms to use.

A natural pool surrounded by green plants.

Inspirational gardeners

Natural pools: expert tips to get you started

Natural pools are a beautiful and sustainable way to bring water into the garden, creating a tranquil focal point that supports both people and wildlife.

'Casper' variety of eggplant growing on the vine.

What to plant

Connie Cao’s tips for growing eggplants

Baked, grilled or pickled, stewed or steamed – there’s a multitude of ways to enjoy eggplants, and they will add gorgeous colours to cottage flower gardens or mixed edible garden beds.

Pests & diseases

Pest control: Bronze orange bugs

Learn how to control this common citrus pest, which sucks sap from new shoots and stems.

What to plant

Grow: shiso

Shiso is a low maintenance, productive Asian leafy herb with a unique citrusy, aniseed flavour. Learn how to grow it here.

Cabbages come into their own when preserved or fermented.

Preserving & fermented

Fermenting cabbage

Cabbages are wonderful raw or cooked, but they really come into their own when fermented and preserved.

Growing in pots

Native plants for indoors

There’s a stack of Australian native plants from rainforest areas that are naturally suited to low light, so are perfect for growing indoors, writes Karen Sutherland.