Healthy harvests, healthy you!
As home gardeners, we have ultimate control over our soils, how we garden and the quality of the food we grow. We can build carbon, add organic fertilisers and amendments and choose heirlooms over hybrids. The result? The healthy food that Justin Russell writes about in his feature in this issue, 'The Way to Magnificent Food' - a read that will make you treasure your vegie patch and the food you get from it even more than ever.
After you've read up on soils, heirlooms and building carbon, turn to our features on growing capsicum, fennel and limes. Plus, learn about baking with artisan flour and how to coax the best eggs from your chooks. Then all you have to do is get out in your garden and have a go!
ABC Organic Gardener magazine available online.
Plant: Seeds for spring
Karen Sutherland finds some vegies and herbs good to grow from seed this time of year.
Grow: Crunchy capsicums
Helen McKerral tells you how you can get these colourful beauties to be an essential part of your summer vegie patch.
Grow: Putting it all on the lime
Justin Russell explores the tangy world of limes and how to grow them, from Tahitian to native finger limes.
Grow: Fantastic fennel
Fennel can soothe, freshen and add flavour, but there’s much more to this versatile plant, writes Penny Woodward.
Planet: The way to magnificent food
Industrial agriculture, use of hybrids and climate change are all eating away at the nutritional value of our food − Justin Russell tells how we can turn this around.
Planet: Chemical watch
How to grow chemical-free strawberries.
Basics: A weedy business
With warmer weather encouraging growth, Justin Russell explains the key strategies for dealing with weeds.
Nature: Flies − the good, the bad
Denis Crawford investigates the world of flies − the ones that will help in the garden and the ones that will drive you crazy.
Action: Get cracking
The jobs are piling up and productivity booming as the heat of summer approaches.
Harvest: From all corners
A new cookbook combines delicious recipes with a practical guide to reducing food waste.
Life: Beautiful baking
Sophie Hansen introduces some nutritious and flavoursome flours with a difference.
Conversation: Max Allen
Max Allen has been writing about organic and biodynamic food and drinks for almost 30 years. Here he talks about why.
Bees: A raw treat
Kelly Lees explores the wonders of honey, issues with its processing, and the benefits of going ‘raw’.
Poultry: The perfect egg
There’s nothing better than fresh eggs from your own chooks but things can go wrong in laying land, writes Jessamy Miller.
Plus our regular articles…
- Editor’s letter
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Organic matters – the latest news and events
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Competition – Win 1 of 8 Seasol hampers, worth $75 each!
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Losing the plot: 'Ice cream' anyone? As his ice cream bean begins to blot out the Milky Way, Simon Webster marvels at how one seed can go so ballistic.
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Gardening on your ABC – Your ABC local radio and TV gardening guide