Our Blog
This blog is a feed of all our recent gardening articles, tips, ideas, seasonal information, plant profiles, recipes and any other content we consider worth sharing with our customers. Posts will be written by employees and customers as well as 'guest posts' by industry professionals and friends of the business.
Below is a list of our latest blog posts, enjoy!
Why You Should Grow from Seed with Kids - and the Best Ways to Get Started Doing It
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 31 October 2018
Gardening is a fun and healthy activity for kids however the benefits go far beyond that- an early interest in gardening teaches many life lessons. This article explains what they are and describes the best ways to start your child's gardening journey.
Dig and Drop Compost Holes - the Easy and Efficient Alternative to a Compost Heap
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 26 October 2018
Experienced gardeners know the value of compost for improving soil. But this doesn't need to mean maintaining a compost heap. In-ground composting offers the benefits of a heap with few of the disadvantages. This article explains how to do it successfully
Catnip: A Perennial Feline Favourite for Your Herb Garden
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 23 October 2018
Catnip will always be associated with the effect it has on cats. However, it's more versatile than most gardeners realise. This article explains what catnip is & how it works its cat magic, along with describing the role it can play in a kitchen garden.
High-Yield Vegetables - How to Get the Most from Your Veggie Patch
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 5 October 2018
It may be great fun to experiment with growing unusual crop varieties, but if your harvest is a disappointment it can quickly make gardening a chore rather than a pleasure. This article describes ten productive plants all veggie growers should consider.
Annuals, Perennials, and Biennials - Understanding Plant Life Cycles
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 28 September 2018
Annual, biennial, and perennial. These terms describe the life cycle of the plant, and it's important to understand the differences between them when planning your garden. This article explains what you need to know.
Low-Maintenance Vegetable Gardening - Homegrown Produce Without the Hassle
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 24 September 2018
Not all veggies need hand-holding and constant encouragement. This article explains how to use low-maintenance plant varieties and techniques to fit vegetable growing into a busy schedule.
Growing Carrots - 9 Common Problems and How to Handle Them
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 11 September 2018
A veggie patch isn't complete without a row or two of carrots. However, many gardeners give them a try and are disappointed by a harvest of twisted bitter roots. But there's no need to be discouraged. With a little care, carrots are simple to grow.
5 Table-to-Soil No-Compost Additives for Your Garden
Author: Bob Drummond Date Posted: 5 September 2018
Even if you choose not to maintain a compost pile, you can utilise some common kitchen waste that does not require composting before use. Rather than waste them by throwing away all of their precious nutrients, add them to your garden.
How to Build a Beer Trap - The Home-Brewed Approach to Slug and Snail Control
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 29 August 2018
Slugs and snails are the bane of many a gardener's life. There are few things more frustrating than finding a row of seedlings demolished within just a few hours. Beer traps are a safe and economical way to help keep them in check.
Self-Seeding Flowers: Easy to Grow, Spectacular to Enjoy
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 20 August 2018
Self-seeding flowers are a great way to blur the lines between a carefully cultivated garden and a wild natural look. They're easy to grow but also provide colour throughout the season. This article describes the advantages of growing self-seeding plants.
How to Make Your Garden a Haven for Bees
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 14 August 2018
Bees play vital part in the production of many of the world's food crops. Unfortunately though, bees are under threat from intensive farming, disease, and even climate change. This article explains how planning your garden with bees can make difference.
Starting Off Seeds in Eggshells: It's Fun, Easy, and Eco-Friendly
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 7 August 2018
Many plants dislike the disruption of being transplanted to their final location. Sowing your seeds in eggshells overcomes this problem, while also offering environmental benefits and providing your plants with extra nutrition.
Starting Seeds Early
Author: The Seed Collection Date Posted: 2 August 2018
Not all plants fit their growing season to your local conditions. Any gardener who loves tomatoes will know all about the race to ripen fruits before the first frosts arrive. However, you can sow these & other cold-hating seeds in late winter.
Herbal Teas- How They Bring a New Dimension to Your Herb Garden
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 23 July 2018
Herbal teas offer a wide variety of intriguing flavours as well as many benefits to health and wellbeing. However, perhaps most importantly, they also open up new ways of enjoying your garden and of growing a wider variety of unusual plants.
How Cold Stratification Gives Seed Germination a Helping Hand
Author: The Seed Collection Date Posted: 17 July 2018
Some plants produce seeds that have evolved a period of dormancy to get them through a winter before germinating. Cold stratification is a method of simulating seasonal conditions to encourage reluctant seeds to germinate more reliably.
A Beginner's Guide to Botanical Names: Why They're Important and How They're Used
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 11 July 2018
The Latin names found on seed packets & plant labels aren't there just to make life complicated for gardeners. These botanical names are a vital way of identifying precisely which kind of plant you're dealing with.
How Scarification Brings Stubborn, Slow-Germinating Seeds to Life
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 30 June 2018
Scarification is slightly intimidating word for what's really a simple but useful process. Some varieties of seed need a helping hand for speedy and reliable germination, and scarifying them for gardeners to tease more seedlings out from these seeds.
Winter Maintenance of Fruit Trees
Author: John Mauger Date Posted: 30 June 2018
Winter is on us and that means fruit tree maintenance. What we do now will have a big effect on the health of our trees and the quality of next season’s crop.
Radishes: Quick-Growing, Versatile Heroes of the Kitchen Garden
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 29 June 2018
Radishes can be taken from seed packet to plate in as little as four weeks, and they're far more versatile in the kitchen than they're usually given credit for. Lending their peppery bite to salads, soups, and stews radishes are an essential spicy root.
How to Grow Giant Pumpkins: A Short Guide for Enormous Results
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 6 June 2018
Pumpkins are an impressive crop, bringing colour & drama throughout summer and autumn. But if you want your gourds to be real talking point, size matters. The lessons learned by competitive pumpkin growers can give your fruits a healthy boost in stature.