Mulch surrounding a green-leafed plant.
Soil

How healthy soil helps save water

When it comes to getting your garden through a hot summer, a good place to start is improving your soil so it holds more water.

Any herbivore manure makes a great soil conditioner.
Soil

Which manure is best?

Asking yourself whether chook poo or that bag of horse manure a friend has offered you for free is what you need? Consider these points first.

Red wrigglers are the best worms to use.
Soil

Worms in small spaces

Not everyone has a backyard with space for a compost or worm farm, but these ideas from Kate Flood will work on a benchtop or balcony.

Elemental sulfur corrects sulfur deficiencies and  lowers soil pH.
Soil

Does your soil pass the test?

Knowing which nutrients are in short supply (or oversupplied) can help you take a more targeted approach to fertilisers that you add to your soil.

A good harvest starts with healthy soil.
Soil

Start with your soil

Early autumn is a good time to take a close look at your soil and do some prep work for your new crops, writes Penny Woodward.

Chooks take vegie scraps and turn them into a valuable garden product.
Soil

Chooks poo power

Chooks do much more than lay eggs, so we decided to dish the dirt on chook poo in your backyard.

walk on board
Soil

Wet soils

Like many gardeners, Penny Woodward's soil is rather sodden at the moment, and she's being very careful not to tread on it.

We can store carbon in our soil and so help combat climate change.
Soil

Improve your soil, help the planet

Gardeners have a crucial job to do, storing carbon in their soils. It will help with your harvest, as well as helping stave off the worst effects of the climate crisis.

Bushfire recovery: start with the soil
Soil

Bushfire recovery: start with the soil

The loss of a much-loved garden during a bushfire can be devastating, but with patience and time you can rebuild. And your soil is a good place to start.

The fertiliser you use will depend on what your soil needs.
Soil

Animal-free fertilisers

Read about the fertiliser and soil amendment options for vegan gardeners or those who are looking for ways to reduce animal dependence.

Dianthus and sage.
Soil

Growing in sandy soils

A few gardeners are blessed with deep, rich, textured, fertile soil. But what if you aren't? Penny Woodward has some ideas to help.

Saturated Soil
Soil

Restoring sodden soil

With summer rains on the way, it's time to explores some gentle techniques to help restore your wet, wet, wet soil.