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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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Altona renters Rabea and Steve are growing 10-15% of their fresh produce with only 10 square meters! There are still places available for their edible garden open day tours this Saturday 23. These inspirational locals are demonstrating that food gardening is achievable for renters living in small units and apartments. Get some great tips on making the most of small spaces, learn how to make your own self-watering pots for free from upcycled materials! Book your tickets at www.mysmartgarden.org.au
#rentalgarden #rentalpermaculture #retrosuburbia #smallspacegarden #ediblegardening #ediblegardens #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns #gardenlife ...

Broad bean season is here! Did you know all parts and stages of the plant are edible? Start eating the beans (pods and all) when they are small and tender, and you can also eat flowers and shoots in salads, though of course the bean harvest will be reduced. 🌱🌱🌱 mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns #broadbean #viciafaba ...

Thanks to everyone who came along to our edible garden open days yesterday, and of course to our generous hosts Peter and Adeline! We covered so many topics from citrus care to seaweed to perennial vegetables to seed saving! It was lovely to watch the swapping and sharing unfold. Don’t forget you can learn more depth in all of these skills at our regular events. See our website for details 👉 link in profile.
#mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns ...

Adeline (@adelinebarham) is one of our local legends and this weekend she’ll be hosting a special garden tour. Her place is a wonderful mix of beauty and function with veggies, orchard, forest garden, chickens, quail, guinea-pig lawn mowers as well as one of the best compost piles in town. Get your tickets now!  #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns ...

Our edible garden open day tours kick off this weekend!
We’ll be visiting Peter in Seaholme to learn the tricks of using seaweed in the garden and compost. This small patch is home to a magnificent citrus orchard, backyard hydroponics and a flock of happy chooks! Have you booked your tickets yet? 🐔🦋🥗🍊🍋🥒 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns ...

At this time of year seeds and seedlings need protection from birds and other animals that like to dig. Netting is a great solution but make sure it’s safe for wildlife. Choose holes that are maximum 5mm – if you can poke a finger through then it can strangle birds, bats and lizards. Fine netting will also keep out butterflies and moths that lay eggs which become caterpillars! 🌱🐛🦋 #mysmartgarden #gardenersofinstagram #integratedpestmanagement #ipm #organicgarden #biodiversity #netting #wildlife #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #growfoodnotlawns ...

How deep should you plant seeds? The rule of thumb is to double their width. This bean seed is about 1cm, so it needs to be planted about 2cm deep. If we plant a seed too deeply it can run out of energy before it can reach the surface and put out it’s leaves. Seeds planted close to the surface dry out easily which can result in poor germination. Happy seed sowing! What are you planting this spring? 🍅🌱🌶🌼🌿 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns #propagation #seedraising ...

The beans are up! If you’re short on space, grow climbing beans up a pole. They’ll yield three times more than a dwarf bean in the same area. 🌱🌱🌱 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #bean #growbeans #climbingbeans #smallspacegarden #growfoodnotlawns ...

It’s tomato planting season! If you’re in the inner west of Melbourne the ground is now warm enough for tomatoes - wait a bit longer if you’re in areas with late frosts. Unlike most other vegetables, tomatoes form roots readily off their stem, so you can plant them very deeply to give their roots a head start. What varieties are you planting this year? 🍅🌱🍅🌱🍅 #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #tomato #growtomatoes #growfoodnotlawns ...

A small space doesn’t mean you can’t have a productive food garden! 🌱🌶🥬🍎🌸🐝 This gorgeous pic is from Donna’s garden (@agoodlifeinthecity) in Williamstown. You can visit inspirational local gardens as part of our Edible Garden Open Day series in November. We’ve just announced an extra round of tours due to popular demand!
These are free events but bookings are essential 👉 https://www.mysmartgarden.org.au/Events #mysmartgarden #gardeningaustralia #hobsonsbay #maribyrnong #mooneevalley #gardenersofinstagram #organicgarden #garden #instagarden #inmygarden #growfoodnotlawns ...