Your cool season gardening tool box
Welcome to the beginning of the cool season – and our Early Winter issue for 2026!
As the days shorten and the mornings turn crisp, your garden may begin to slow but this doesn’t mean you have to. Like me, you are likely to head out into the garden with many layers to keep warm, which are soon scattered as you start moving around and ticking items off your to-do list.
And our latest issue is filled with ideas to keep you very busy this season. From interesting winter greens to add to your harvest and why now is the time to grow tomatoes in the tropics to how you can get free plants with propagation. Plus practical tips on boosting your gardens’ biodiversity and making the most of your pumpkin harvest.
There’s heap more inside this issue, with our full guide to growing success for the cool season.
Happy gardening! 🌱
Chloe
Strike it rich with Phil Dudman’s propagating tips to help fill gaps in your garden
Then Cass Hooke shares how to make the most of the space beneath trees to grow a living mulch and boost diversity
You can also read up on how we can help protect four threatened native birds
And for those of you in the tropics, it’s time to get your tomatoes growing!
There’s heaps more ideas sprouting in this issue:
Adding new plants to your garden every season is a fabulous way to grow your patch-parenting skills, writes Connie Cao. Start with these winter vegies: choy sum, Chinese celery, snow pea shoots, chrysanthemum greens and swollen stem mustard.
Basics & beyond: Learn why the seasonal retreat that happens at this time of year is one of the cleverest survival strategies in the plant kingdom.
The growing trio for this season from Jian Liu’s garden: broccoli ‘Spigariello’, snapdragon, babaco.
Kat Pearson gives a local’s take on a feel-good tropical getaway in Cairns and surrounds.
Who’s eating what? Steve Falcioni talks about the most common chewing pests so you can protect your patch.
Steve Falcioni chats with Stami Donovan about his family business that produces organic, open pollinated heirloom seeds.
Eco ideas in full bloom: The lastes sustainable ideas that were on display at this year’s Melbourne International Flower & GardenShow.
Our chook expert, Jessamy Miller, explains why rocks and pebbles are an important part of chook health.
Plus our regular articles:
- Harvest: Henry Firth and Ian Theasby have a new book that’s all about cooking with plants – these recipes will help make the most of your winter harvest.
- Pumpkin patch favourites from Dan Pasquali’s kitchen.
- Action: From digging and weeding to pruning and planting, there’s heaps to do in your cool-season garden.
- Matters: News and events
- Book reviews: Chloe’s favourite new books for kids & younger people.
- The best of your ABC
- Dig, Discover, Grow: Kids share what they love about gardening.
- That’s a good idea: A unique way to reduce landfill.
Subscribe today!
It’s easy to get a copy of the Early Winter 2026 issue: just look for the colourful cover by Emily Weaving that captures the warmth of Natasha Morgan’s gardeni inVictoria. You’ll find it in newsagents and selected supermarkets, or you can subscribe here to get an issue delivered to your door!
