A tray of paper pots with small seedlings growing in them.
Build your garden

Why won’t my seedlings grow?

Our horticultural experts answer a common question for gardeners who are trying to start their plants from seed: why won't my seedlings grow?

Allium seed heads cut down for drying and seed-saving.
Propagating

Essential guide to seed saving

Saving seed from your garden is an important part of organic growing: it saves money, helps reduce food miles and means what you grow is better suited to your microclimate.

Look for pots that can be planted into the ground with the seedling.
Propagating

Seed sowing basics

Growing your own seedlings gives you greater diversity in your garden, as well as contributing to the heirloom seed saving community, writes Helen McKerral.

Julie with Painted Lady bean seeds
Propagating

Seeds are free

These seeds are available for free, all you have to do is use them to grow food, save those seeds and then share with others.

Seeds
Build your garden

Planting seed

First time sowing seed? Here's some tips for new growers to follow, as well as a guide to the plants best grown from seed and then planted out.

Purple cabbage
What to plant

What to plant in February

It's horrid weather for planting, says Justin Russell, but try to get some winter crop seeds sown into punnets.

Seeds sown in coir pots
Propagating

Sowing organic seeds

It's life affirming, says Penny Woodward, to plant seed and watch it grow.

Saving leek seeds
Propagating

How to save seeds

As seed company ownership tightens, now's the time to learn how to save your own seed writes Simon Webster.

Planting the seed
Basics

Planting the seed

Growing vegies from seed has benefits aplenty, writes Annette McFarlane.

How to make straw bale gardens
Basics

How to make straw bale gardens

They must be the ultimate in lazy gardening. PHIL DUDMAN explains how to turn a simple straw bale into a productive organic garden in seconds flat.

English Spinach
Vegetables

Cool season favourite: English spinach

Of all the spinach options, English spinach has the superior flavour and texture, and the cool season is the best time to plant in most parts of Australia.

Spring onions in a punnet ready to plant in soil.
What to plant

Time for planting onions

From leeks and shallots to red salad onions, the members of the onion family are an incredibly versatile lot and they’re wonderful crops to grow at home, too.