aprogram that will help you grow food, shelter your home from the

sunand wind, create homes  for local wildlife, use water wiselyand recycle wastes.

 

"Thank you for such an excellent resource. I have learnt to pickle veggies from my garden, how to better care for my worms, and have met a lot of people in my street through chatting about gardening"

resources

Food

Ideas tips and tricks on what to grow and when.

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Shelter

Appropriate cover to protect your plants from the elements.

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Water

Be water wise! Learn about ways to be a water warrior.

Click Here

Habitat

Birds and the bees. How do you make sure they have a happy home?

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Waste

Your waste is another worm's treasure.

Click Here

events

More events

instagram

Take a look and see what My Smart Garden is up to on Instagram by clicking on the images below

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@piphild asked “What’s the best way to rejuven @piphild asked “What’s the best way to rejuvenate soil before planting the next crop?”. Organic matter adds nutrients, improves soil structure, holds water and binds heavy metals. It gets used up by plants so needs to be topped up regularly. Whether it’s your own gorgeous homemade compost or worm castings, commercially produced, compost or mushroom compost or aged manures (horse/cow/sheep etc), add at least an inch across the surface of your bed or pot! Your soil will thank you 🙏👏🌱 PS. Green manures and mulches also cycle organic matter 👍

@piphild asked “What’s the best way to rejuvenate soil before planting the next crop?”. Organic matter adds nutrients, improves soil structure, holds water and binds heavy metals. It gets used up by plants so needs to be topped up regularly. Whether it’s your own gorgeous homemade compost or worm castings, commercially produced, compost or mushroom compost or aged manures (horse/cow/sheep etc), add at least an inch across the surface of your bed or pot! Your soil will thank you 🙏👏🌱 PS. Green manures and mulches also cycle organic matter 👍 ...

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When is the right time to pull out your tomatoes? When is the right time to pull out your tomatoes? 🍅 Now is a good time to be getting winter veggies established so if you are tight on space with seedlings needing to be planted you can pull tomatoes out now, or if you are planting seeds in punnets they could stay in the beds for a few more weeks until the seeds are ready to be planted. These full-sized green tomatoes will still ripen if you hang the vines up, or you can embrace green tomato pickles ☺️ Thanks for the question @cheayee2411 🌱

When is the right time to pull out your tomatoes? 🍅 Now is a good time to be getting winter veggies established so if you are tight on space with seedlings needing to be planted you can pull tomatoes out now, or if you are planting seeds in punnets they could stay in the beds for a few more weeks until the seeds are ready to be planted. These full-sized green tomatoes will still ripen if you hang the vines up, or you can embrace green tomato pickles ☺️ Thanks for the question @cheayee2411 🌱 ...

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Wondering what to put in right now? For Melbourne Wondering what to put in right now? For Melbourne gardeners it is too late to start seeds for most large brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage) if you want to eat them in the winter months. You can still plant seedlings - but hurry! These veggies need to be growing while it’s still warm to reach an edible size before the cold weather arrives and growth slows. Fast growing brassicas like rocket, mustard, mizuna and radish are still able to be planted from seed 🌱🌱🌱

Wondering what to put in right now? For Melbourne gardeners it is too late to start seeds for most large brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage) if you want to eat them in the winter months. You can still plant seedlings - but hurry! These veggies need to be growing while it’s still warm to reach an edible size before the cold weather arrives and growth slows. Fast growing brassicas like rocket, mustard, mizuna and radish are still able to be planted from seed 🌱🌱🌱 ...

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Growing and preserving food at home is a tried and Growing and preserving food at home is a tried and tested way to improve your household’s resilience during stressful and uncertain times. My Smart Garden will continue to support you with free advice tailored to Melbourne’s west during the Covid-19 crisis. So what do you need to know right now? Write a comment below with your questions (short ones please, not whole topics!), like questions that others have asked and we’ll respond to the most popular on Mondays and Thursdays. Keep gardening (and breathing deeply).. 🥒🍅🍊🍎🥕🥦🌶🌽 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #biodiversity #extinction #insects #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #selfisolation #climateadaptation #resilience

Growing and preserving food at home is a tried and tested way to improve your household’s resilience during stressful and uncertain times.
My Smart Garden will continue to support you with free advice tailored to Melbourne’s west during the Covid-19 crisis. So what do you need to know right now? Write a comment below with your questions (short ones please, not whole topics!), like questions that others have asked and we’ll respond to the most popular on Mondays and Thursdays. Keep gardening (and breathing deeply).. 🥒🍅🍊🍎🥕🥦🌶🌽 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #biodiversity #extinction #insects #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #selfisolation #climateadaptation #resilience ...

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Some fascinating new research from SAwater shows t Some fascinating new research from SAwater shows that an irrigated garden can cool the air around your house by 3 degrees. Every degree you reduce air conditioning will save about 10% on your energy bill, so these savings can really add up. Yet another reason to get those vegie patches and fruit trees in! 🍋🍊🍐🍎🍑 https://www.sawater.com.au/news/smart-watering-drops-temps-to-cool-costs #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #biodiversity #extinction #insects #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #resilience #climateadaptation

Some fascinating new research from SAwater shows that an irrigated garden can cool the air around your house by 3 degrees. Every degree you reduce air conditioning will save about 10% on your energy bill, so these savings can really add up. Yet another reason to get those vegie patches and fruit trees in! 🍋🍊🍐🍎🍑 https://www.sawater.com.au/news/smart-watering-drops-temps-to-cool-costs

#mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #biodiversity #extinction #insects #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #resilience #climateadaptation ...

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When is the best time to water your garden? In th When is the best time to water your garden? In the evenings or early in the morning are the best times as much water is lost to evaporation in the heat of the day. Try to water deeply a few times a week, rather than a quick, shallow water more regularly. You want the roots to follow the water deep into the soil rather than stay on the surface where they will dry out quickly. Remember that Melbourne has permanent water saving rules: a hand-held hose must not be used for any purpose at any time unless the hose is fitted with a trigger nozzle and leak-free. Residential gardens or lawns can be watered with hand-held hose, bucket or watering can at any time, and a watering system between the hours of 6 pm – 10 am on any day. Thanks for doing your bit to conserve our most precious resource! 🙏🌧🌏 More info available at: https://www.water.vic.gov.au/liveable-cities-and-towns/using-water-wisely/advice-and-rules #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #waterislife #waterefficientgardening

When is the best time to water your garden?
In the evenings or early in the morning are the best times as much water is lost to evaporation in the heat of the day. Try to water deeply a few times a week, rather than a quick, shallow water more regularly. You want the roots to follow the water deep into the soil rather than stay on the surface where they will dry out quickly.

Remember that Melbourne has permanent water saving rules: a hand-held hose must not be used for any purpose at any time unless the hose is fitted with a trigger nozzle and leak-free. Residential gardens or lawns can be watered with hand-held hose, bucket or watering can at any time, and a watering system between the hours of 6 pm – 10 am on any day.

Thanks for doing your bit to conserve our most precious resource! 🙏🌧🌏 More info available at: https://www.water.vic.gov.au/liveable-cities-and-towns/using-water-wisely/advice-and-rules
#mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #waterislife #waterefficientgardening ...

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Want to drought proof your garden? The most import Want to drought proof your garden? The most important step you can take is increasing the organic matter content of your soil. Organic matter is anything that has lived before – leaves, twigs, animal manures, food scraps. It’s like a sponge in your soil, holding onto water and releasing it to plants as needed, along with many other benefits. Since it’s used up by plants as they grow, organic matter needs to be replaced regularly. Gardeners usually add it as compost (try about 25mm across the surface, a few times a year), or mulch (maintain a layer of about 75mm, using softer mulches like straw and leaves for veggies and reserving woody mulches for trees and shrubs). Pictured is the lush compost made by @adelinebarham during a recent My Smart Garden tour 👏👏👏 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #climatechange #climateadaptation #climateemergency

Want to drought proof your garden? The most important step you can take is increasing the organic matter content of your soil. Organic matter is anything that has lived before – leaves, twigs, animal manures, food scraps. It’s like a sponge in your soil, holding onto water and releasing it to plants as needed, along with many other benefits. Since it’s used up by plants as they grow, organic matter needs to be replaced regularly. Gardeners usually add it as compost (try about 25mm across the surface, a few times a year), or mulch (maintain a layer of about 75mm, using softer mulches like straw and leaves for veggies and reserving woody mulches for trees and shrubs). Pictured is the lush compost made by @adelinebarham during a recent My Smart Garden tour 👏👏👏 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #climatechange #climateadaptation #climateemergency ...

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Have you made friends with amaranth? This common w Have you made friends with amaranth? This common weed is an ornamental beauty, and a popular green vegetable in many countries. As we adapt to our increasingly hot and unpredictable summers, these drought tolerant plants that cope well with extreme heat are one of the most resilient summer vegetables that we can grow. The nutrient-rich leaves are cooked up like spinach, and the plants will self-seed readily if left to flower. 🌱🌱🌱 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #edibleweeds #eatyourweeds #weeds #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns

Have you made friends with amaranth? This common weed is an ornamental beauty, and a popular green vegetable in many countries. As we adapt to our increasingly hot and unpredictable summers, these drought tolerant plants that cope well with extreme heat are one of the most resilient summer vegetables that we can grow. The nutrient-rich leaves are cooked up like spinach, and the plants will self-seed readily if left to flower. 🌱🌱🌱 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #edibleweeds #eatyourweeds #weeds #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns ...

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Smart gardens use greywater! 💧💦🌱 Water fr Smart gardens use greywater! 💧💦🌱 Water from your shower and washing machine can be safely reused on shrubs, fruit and nut trees with no treatment as long as it is directed straight into mulched soil. Standing in a tub while you shower is a simple way to get started, and saving just a few litres from every shower will do wonders for your fruit trees! Do not store greywater for longer than 24 hours, or use it in sprinklers or on vegetables. Check that your shower and laundry products are greywater safe (pH neutral, free from excessive salt and chemicals). Check out reliable info on greywater in the garden here: https://oasisdesign.net/greywater/ #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #sustainablegarden #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #greywater #waterislife #waterefficientgarden

Smart gardens use greywater! 💧💦🌱 Water from your shower and washing machine can be safely reused on shrubs, fruit and nut trees with no treatment as long as it is directed straight into mulched soil. Standing in a tub while you shower is a simple way to get started, and saving just a few litres from every shower will do wonders for your fruit trees! Do not store greywater for longer than 24 hours, or use it in sprinklers or on vegetables. Check that your shower and laundry products are greywater safe (pH neutral, free from excessive salt and chemicals). Check out reliable info on greywater in the garden here: https://oasisdesign.net/greywater/

#mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #sustainablegarden #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #greywater #waterislife #waterefficientgarden ...

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Struggling to keep water up to your pots during he Struggling to keep water up to your pots during heatwaves? Try putting a deep saucer underneath the pot and making sure this is full on hot days. Your plants will have a reservoir to drink from and they’ll be much more able to cope during extreme weather. Phew! 💧🌞🌻🌱 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #rentalgardening #smallspacegardening

Struggling to keep water up to your pots during heatwaves? Try putting a deep saucer underneath the pot and making sure this is full on hot days. Your plants will have a reservoir to drink from and they’ll be much more able to cope during extreme weather. Phew! 💧🌞🌻🌱 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #heatproofyourgarden #growfoodnotlawns #rentalgardening #smallspacegardening ...

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The bushfire emergency and extreme heat is having The bushfire emergency and extreme heat is having a devastating effect on wildlife and ecosystems. One of the most important steps gardeners can take is to offer water and shade to stressed animals. Place bowls and buckets of water around your garden, both on the ground and in trees if possible. Use your hose to create a fine mist in a tree or shrub to create a cool retreat during heatwaves. Keep people, pets and noise away from animals that are resting in your garden. Avoid handling wildlife, but if you do find an animal needing urgent medical assistance take it to your nearest vet. Do not handle flying foxes as they can transmit diseases to humans. If possible please consider donating to rescue efforts: https://www.zoo.org.au/fire-fund 📷 Zoos Victoria #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #biodiversity #extinction #insects #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #climateadaptation

The bushfire emergency and extreme heat is having a devastating effect on wildlife and ecosystems. One of the most important steps gardeners can take is to offer water and shade to stressed animals. Place bowls and buckets of water around your garden, both on the ground and in trees if possible. Use your hose to create a fine mist in a tree or shrub to create a cool retreat during heatwaves. Keep people, pets and noise away from animals that are resting in your garden. Avoid handling wildlife, but if you do find an animal needing urgent medical assistance take it to your nearest vet. Do not handle flying foxes as they can transmit diseases to humans.

If possible please consider donating to rescue efforts: https://www.zoo.org.au/fire-fund 📷 Zoos Victoria
#mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #brimbank #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #biodiversity #extinction #insects #climatechange #climateemergency #heatwave #climateadaptation ...

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Happy new year everyone! If you’re headed to Alt Happy new year everyone! If you’re headed to Altona beach this summer, why not pick up some nutrient-rich seaweed for your garden? No permit is required to remove small quantities of seaweed from Altona beach, and it can be used as mulch or compost, or brewed up as a seaweed tea (as spotted on a garden tour with @agoodlifeinthecity). Please check with your local council for other locations as seaweed forms an important part of marine ecosystems. Happy holidays ☺️🏖🌊🌱🌞 #seaweed #growyourown #altonabeach

Happy new year everyone! If you’re headed to Altona beach this summer, why not pick up some nutrient-rich seaweed for your garden? No permit is required to remove small quantities of seaweed from Altona beach, and it can be used as mulch or compost, or brewed up as a seaweed tea (as spotted on a garden tour with @agoodlifeinthecity). Please check with your local council for other locations as seaweed forms an important part of marine ecosystems. Happy holidays ☺️🏖🌊🌱🌞 #seaweed #growyourown #altonabeach ...

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Bean weevils have struck! These seeds can still be Bean weevils have struck! These seeds can still be planted though their viability will be reduced. The solution for next year is to freeze the seeds (once they are fully dried) in an airtight plastic bag for a few days. Let them come back up to room temperature in the bag and wipe off any condensation before long term storage. We have a seed saving workshop and seed swap planned for Sat 8 Feb at Niddrie Library. Head on over to our website to book your tickets now! 👉 link in profile 🐝🌶🥒🌱🐞 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #propagation #seedraising #growfoodnotlawns #beanweevil #pestmanagement #bean #growbeans

Bean weevils have struck! These seeds can still be planted though their viability will be reduced. The solution for next year is to freeze the seeds (once they are fully dried) in an airtight plastic bag for a few days. Let them come back up to room temperature in the bag and wipe off any condensation before long term storage.
We have a seed saving workshop and seed swap planned for Sat 8 Feb at Niddrie Library. Head on over to our website to book your tickets now! 👉 link in profile 🐝🌶🥒🌱🐞 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #propagation #seedraising #growfoodnotlawns #beanweevil #pestmanagement #bean #growbeans ...

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Sick of mowing your nature strip? In most council Sick of mowing your nature strip? In most council areas it’s possible to plant your nature strip with groundcovers and low shrubs instead. Here’s a wonderful example from the backstreets of Seaholme, brimming with beauty and biodiversity (and a few edibles too!). Guidelines for Hobsons Bay:  https://tinyurl.com/y5c4xf4d Maribyrnong: https://tinyurl.com/y38anagf Moonee Valley: https://tinyurl.com/y2aokoy4 or contact your local council if you live elsewhere. #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns #vergegarden #naturestripgarden #naturestrip #biodiversity

Sick of mowing your nature strip? In most council areas it’s possible to plant your nature strip with groundcovers and low shrubs instead. Here’s a wonderful example from the backstreets of Seaholme, brimming with beauty and biodiversity (and a few edibles too!). Guidelines for Hobsons Bay:  https://tinyurl.com/y5c4xf4d Maribyrnong: https://tinyurl.com/y38anagf Moonee Valley: https://tinyurl.com/y2aokoy4 or contact your local council if you live elsewhere.
#mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns #vergegarden #naturestripgarden #naturestrip #biodiversity ...