Recent articles by Jian Liu
Grow your own fruit: babaco and rockmelon
Fresh fruit is the best on a hot summer's day and these two will add a sweetness to a fruit salad that everyone will love.
Pumpkins: the all-season survival food
Jian Liu grows pumpkins in all sorts of places in her suburban garden, and not just because of their taste - they look great, too. They adorn her garden beds and arches, providing abundant harvests through summer and autumn. What's even better is that they store well for eating over winter.
Building your own raised beds
There are many ways we can save money within our gardens, here Jian Liu shares her tips for making your own raised beds using locally sourced ‘waste’ products.
Managing your greenhouse microclimate
Adding a greenhouse to your garden can take your food growing to another level, especially as they protect plants from the elements and extreme temperatures.
What is a food forest?
A permaculture concept, a food forest promises a self-sustaining system that produces an abundance of food if designed well. Here's why Jian Liu created one in her Melbourne backyard.
Top 5 tips for gardening success in a small space
Small gardens can be incredibly productive and Jian Liu has 5 tips to help you get more out of your limited space.
Backyard gardening success in Melbourne
Learn how a concrete backyard in urban Melbourne was turned into a wonderful food forest, filled with fresh produce.
Grow your own luffa
A multitasking veg you can eat and turn into a sponge? Growing luffas will give you both!
Smart composting
Jian Liu has discovered a few tricks for harnessing all the benefits of compost, with minimal effort.
Pepino: a year-round rockmelon
Pepinos are not very fussy plants, they even flourish in poor sandy soil, and produce well in a mostly shaded part of our garden.
Choosing a chook house
Life is much richer in this Melbourne household with a few chooks added to the mix – here's some tips to help make a home for chickens so everyone is happy.