Informational
Heliotropism: Why Some Sun-Loving Plants Track Across the Sky
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 8 January 2021
Sunflowers are famed not only for their beauty, but also for the way the flowers track the sun across the sky over a day. This behaviour is known as heliotropism, and this article describes why it happens.
Vivipary: An Unusual, Unsettling, and Fascinating Phenomenon
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 15 December 2020
If your tomatoes, strawberries, and other plants are suddenly developing weird offshoots from the fruits, there's probably no need to worry. It's likely to be a harmless example of what's known as vivipary.
Why Gardening Isn't an Exact Science - and Why That Matters
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 26 November 2020
The information given on seed packets and in growing guides can be amazingly helpful, but it's only ever a starting point. Gardening isn't an exact science, and the essence of success is in adapting the basic instructions to your own situation,
Fasciation: What It Is and How It Can Affect Your Plants
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 26 November 2020
Fasciation is a genetic mutation which crops up occasionally in plants, causing malformed stems, flowers, or fruit. Sometimes the effects are visually pleasing, other times less so, but it's always an interesting event for a gardener to experience..
Let's Talk About Seed Lifespan and Storage
Author: The Seed Collection | Nat Buttenshaw Date Posted: 18 June 2020
Once you have received your seeds, if you are not going to sow them all immediately then you need to think about how best to store them to maintain optimal viability.
Garden for a Day, Eat for a Decade
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 16 May 2020
This article covers a few edible plants, from herbs to veggies and floral garnishes, which require the least amount of maintenance and are reasonable to grow in zones most climates.
12 Ways Gardening is Good for Your Health and Wellbeing
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 1 April 2020
Gardening is an enjoyable pastime that's worth pursuing just for its own sake. But it can also provide many health and wellbeing benefits. This article explains some of the most important improvements it can bring.
Creating a Sensory Garden for Relaxation or Therapy
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 24 February 2020
Sensory gardens are designed to stimulate all the senses, rather than focusing mainly on appearances. How can you combine engaging elements of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste into one garden? This article gives some practical ideas.
How to Make the Most of a Small Garden - Nurturing a Beautiful Space to Be Proud Of
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 17 December 2019
Not every gardener is blessed with a large plot of land to work their creative magic upon. However, a small garden needn’t limit your ambitions – you just need to put a little more thought and planning into your horticultural efforts.
A Brief Guide to the Different Flower Types, Shapes, and Growing Patterns
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 16 December 2019
There's an almost infinite variety of flower shapes, sizes, & colours out there to grow, & distinguishing between them can be confusing. This article outlines terms used to describe flower types, helping you to know what to expect from every seed you sow.
The Anatomy of a Flower: The Real Story Behind Garden Blooms
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 11 December 2019
While flowers may be highly prized for their beauty & scent, their appeal to humans is only a sideshow that gardeners down the ages have taken advantage of. Flowers have a vital biological function and are more complicated than many people think.
5 Simple Tips for Successful Raised Bed Gardening
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 1 May 2019
Raised beds offer many great advantages to a gardener. However, building them is a major project, and it’s important to plan carefully. This article gives five straightforward tips for raised beds success.
Crafty Containers: Unusual Alternatives to Conventional Pots
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 16 April 2019
Containers can add a lot of structure and interest to a garden. However, a trip to any garden centre will confirm that attractive containers don't come cheap. Instead, why not make use of some unusual items you might already have lying around?
Artificial Selection, Heirloom Seeds, and the Amazing Variety They Bring to Gardening
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 1 March 2019
Human hands have guided the development of nearly all modern food crops, using a process called artificial selection. This article explains how artificial selection works, and how it has influenced the contents of today's gardens and farms.
Seeds to Sow for a Fabulously Fragrant Garden
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 25 February 2019
Colour, shape and structure all play vital roles in the design of an attractive garden. However, one other ingredient also needs to be included for a space that pleases all senses. This article describes which seeds to sow to make your garden fragrant.
What Makes a Weed? It Depends Who You Ask...
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 26 January 2019
If there's one thing all gardeners have in common, it's their constant fight against weeds. But have you ever stopped to think exactly what a weed is? The answer could be more complicated than you thought.
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.
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.
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.
Thinking of Taking Up Gardening? 8 Convincing Reasons You Should Start Today
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 1 May 2018
Getting started with gardening is perhaps the biggest obstacle to overcome. You might think the amount of knowledge you need is off-putting, but it's not as complicated or difficult as it seems. Here are 8 ways it can bring benefit to your daily life.
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Savour the Scent of Summer for Longer with Homemade Potpourri
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 28 February 2019
By making your own potpourri, you can extend the weeks of pleasure given by your carefully cultivated flowers. This article explains what potpourri is, what it's made from, and how to make it at home.
Know Your Seeds- Open Pollinated, Heirloom, Hybrid, GMO
Author: John Mauger Date Posted: 20 April 2017
A seed contains the blueprint or instructions to produce a new plant. Traditionally all seeds were open-pollinated. That is; the pollen from the anther entered the stigma and traveled to the ovary. Fertilisation occurred and seeds were formed...
Container Gardens for Renters
Author: Lauren Eshman Date Posted: 27 August 2016
Gardening as a hobby and renting a home don’t always go well together. Vast sunny yards often go to waste with the tenant unable to dig it up and plant a plot. However, all is not lost! Container gardens are the perfect solution!
The 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Author: Gregg Jacobson Date Posted: 17 June 2016
This article provides some great ideas on how you can re-purpose some common household items and put them to work in your garden. Great for the environment and great for your wallet!
Homemade Wicking Boxes
Author: Gillian Vance Date Posted: 2 June 2016
This article discusses some of the reasons why you might considering using wicking boxes in your garden as well as step by step instructions on how it make your own wicking boxes at home.
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Mustard: More than Just a Spicy Condiment
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 19 April 2021
If you're keen on mustard's tangy flavour, it's easy to grow a wide range of varieties in your garden. This article explains all you need to know, whether you're growing mustard for its tasty leaves or fiery seeds.
Garden Tips- April 2021
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 1 April 2021
While your overall gardening activity might be slowing down as winter approaches, April is still an incredibly important month. The gardening hours you put in now will pay huge rewards over winter.
How to Sharpen Secateurs with a Tungsten Tool Sharpener
Date Posted: 31 March 2021
Sharpening secateurs, shears, knives, scissors, and many other gardening tools is straightforward using a specialised sharpener tool. And unlike using many mechanical blade grinders, there's no need to disassemble the secateurs first. Here's what to do.
Kale: Much More Than a Superfood Cliche
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 26 March 2021
Kale is nutritious, versatile and easy to grow. What's more, homegrown offers vastly better taste and texture than the coarse, bitter leaves too often found in stores. This article gives a guide to growing, harvesting, and using kale to enjoy it.
Armyworms: Preventing and Controlling Their Damage
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 18 March 2021
Armyworms are a group of caterpillar species which can lay waste to a garden. Although they prefer to feed on grasses and grains, any leafy plant is at risk if there's a serious infestation. This article explains the damage these bugs can do.
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