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Karen Sutherland

Cool climate & permaculture writer
Karen Sutherland is a garden designer, writer and teacher, sharing her love of organic gardening with as many people as possible. A lifetime of growing her own food informs her design and teaching work. She is th co-author of Tomato: know, sow, grow, feast one of her many specialties that also includes native plants. For Karen, home food growing is much more than replicating supermarket bought commerical crops. She believes it's all about heirloom vegetables, heritage fruits, native foods and learning to use every part of a plant.
Karen Sutherland

Recent articles by Karen Sutherland

Time to grow squash
Vegetables

Time to grow squash

There's a surprisingly diverse and super-productive range of squash – and you only need a few plants to feed a family.

Oca tubers have a pleasant lemony flavour.
Vegetables

Try your hand at yams

You can tap into the highly sustaining qualities of yams, whether you have a cool or warm climate garden, writes Karen Sutherland.

Bunch of celery in a basket.
Vegetables

How to grow tasty celery

The taste of your celery depends on many factors, including whether or not you blanch the stem of the plant during the growing process.

Hyssop is reasonably drought tolerant.
Herbs & spices

Herbs to grow and savour

Karen Sutherland suggests some perennial herbs that are strong on colour and flavour, including hyssop and French tarragon.

From garden to kitchen: celery
Vegetables

From garden to kitchen: celery

There's plenty of uses for your celery once it's ready to be harvested, writes Karen Sutherland.

Winter morning in Cosgrove, Victoria, Australia.
Troubleshooting

Protecting plants from winter cold & frost

If you have good house heating, it’s easy to forget that out in the garden some plants need protection from the cold. Here's some tips to help your plants through the winter months, from Karen Sutherland.

Close-up of purple Herbaceous perennials surrounded by green leaves
What to plant

Herbaceous perennials to plant in winter for spring

Plant herbaceous perennials now for flowers in spring and beyond. Try these suggestions from Karen Sutherland.

Podding peas fresh from the garden.
Vegetables

Planting peas from seed

Peas are one of the most obliging vegies to grow from seed, but a bit of planning helps to ensure they'll provide you with an abundant harvest.

The fruits have a good amount of sweet and tart flesh around a large seed.
Fruit & nuts

Quirky quandongs

Karen Sutherland has been trying to grow quandongs for years and can now report some success!

Freshly picked carrots of a variety of colours.
Vegetables

Grow your own root vegies for winter

Karen Sutherland suggests some super-nourishing root vegies for you to plant during this winter from carrots to sugar beets

Miner's lettuce leaves can be eaten fresh or lightly cooked as you would spinach.
Vegetables

Cool salad greens

These cold-loving salad greens can be planted now for a healthy harvest.

Growing plants that are indigenous to your area will help attract native bees.
Bees, poultry & livestock

Encouraging native bees

If you follow these basic principles in your garden, native bees and other beneficial insects will know they’re welcome, writes Karen Sutherland.

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About us

ABC Organic Gardener magazine is published eight times per year, delivering expert advice to gardeners of all skill levels for more than 25 years. Established by the late Peter Cundall OAM, the magazine aims to empower and inspire readers, giving them the knowledge to create productive gardens and live a greener life.

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For the latest from the Gardening Australia television program, watch on ABC iview or visit the program website.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live and work, and recognise their practices of care and cultivation that pass through generations.

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