Recent content by Mark

Welcome Steffen! I grow most of our vegetables from heirloom seeds or true-to-type seeds. Many of our crops are so adaptable that I no longer need to collect seeds. I just let some plants go to seed, wait for them to germinate next season, and replant the seedlings if needed. Some of my...

That's a nice-looking raised planter and trellis! Modern/rustic mix 👍

G'day Everyone, HomeGrow is my personal food-growing and self-sufficiency app, designed to help people grow more of their own food at home no matter their space, skill level, or climate. Whether you’re starting with a few pots, building raised beds, managing an established garden, or wanting to...

Thanks for the feedback, mate - I appreciate it a lot. The process of writing a book was as complicated as I expected it would be for someone like me who has never published a book before. Add in glossy images, and it got even harder. The easy part was coming up with the idea and writing...

I have not heard of or experienced problems with rodents nesting in piles of garden soil myself. Compost and buried scraps can attract rodents, although this is something I do all the time, and rodents are not a problem, but it might be different in other places. Rodents will likely nest in...

So many amazing pics in this thread and it's cool to see the evolution of the garden too!

Tomatoes left to ripen on the vine as long as possible give the best flavour, and it's the same for bananas and most fruits. That's not to say you should leave every tomato on the vine until it's always deep red because a semi-ripe tomato can still taste good. Plus, it depends on the variety...

Thanks Mandy! James is progressing well as a Fishing YouTuber/content creator. 10 years ago I would never have thought that a career like this was available for a young fella (it certainly was not when I was 21) but James has grabbed hold of the opportunity and is working hard to make it a...

Bird and insect netting is becoming increasingly common in the marketplace (online) to buy. When I first started looking for netting about 18 years ago it wasn't that easy to source but now you can find it in bulk rolls on eBay/Amazon or online in general. Sometimes, netting doesn't need to...

Hello, Everyone; it has been a long time since I posted a thread here, and to some degree, the reason for not being as active on our forum these days is exactly why I partnered with Jellysmack (a content creation company) on Facebook (FB). It's not a secret, but I have been working with...

G'day Marianne, I'm sorry to hear about the freight costs—that's a lot! Hopefully, Plastic Forests can work something out for you. Congratulations on your Birdies beds. Raised garden beds will certainly help with drainage, especially during the wet season. 👍

Lots of great tips and answers to the original question. I couldn't add much more except to back up what Josh pointed out about higher raised beds are less likely to have grass runners infect the soil from the base because it runs out of energy before it breaks the surface. However, I have seen...

Lots of good points here, but if I may... Organic matter like compost or broken-down woodchip won't make your garden beds too heavy. Animal manures and clay-based soil or additives to increase water-holding capacity can inadvertently make a bed too heavy and anaerobic. I've documented in...

It does look like a Jap (Kent) pumpkin. So hardy but great eating and perfect for the backyard grower! :)

Liz sent me an email today about how her book has just hit the best sellers list on Amazon! Cool :)