Soil & Compost

July is for bed building

June 2015

JUSTIN RUSSELL says, “now is the hour for all good gardeners to build a bed”!

Worm warriors

May 2015

Diverse soil communities can limit the effects of climate change, explains PENNY WOODWARD.

Grow like a boss

May 2015

JUSTIN RUSSELL celebrates 16 years of food growing by sharing his one fundamental principle for gardening success.

Testing times

February 2015

Soil testing in the Patch from Scratch backyard revealed the extent of environmental contamination in our cities, writes JACQUELINE FORSTER.

Fungi facts

January 2015

PENNY WOODWARD says it is good to look after most of the fungi growing in your garden.

What lies beneath

November 2014

Curious about what's beneath your feet? JUSTIN RUSSELL excavates a brilliant new CSIRO soil mapping tool.

What is biochar?

October 2014

PENNY WOODWARD explains biochar and how it can be used.

Keep it clean

July 2014

A move from New South Wales to Tasmania focused JENNIFER STACKHOUSE'S mind on quarantine issues.

Shortcuts to better soil

October 2013

PHIL DUDMAN outlines a simple time-saving technique for improving soil.

Ever heard a gardener talk about something called “tilth” and wondered what on earth they were on about. JUSTIN RUSSELL offers a definition and explains how to create soil that's ready for spring seed sowing.