Celery is eaten all over the world and has been since antiquity. Unlike other ancient crops such as grapes and olives, the fibrous plant isn’t exactly a star but a plain food often used to bulk up soups and stews. It originated in the Mediterranean a

Images and edited text from The Nutmeg Trail by Eleanor Ford, photography by Ola O Smit, published by Murdoch Books, rrp $49.99. SERVES 4 (OR MORE AS A SIDE) Urap is a dish uniquely of its Bali home. It is a true vegetal celebration, particularly goo

There are many different plants that get called spinach. All have edible green leaves — which range in size and palatability — and most are easy and quick to grow and also highly nutritious. Many come from one plant family, Amaranthaceae, but there a

Even if you’ve never grown cucamelons before, chances are you’ve spotted them on social media. During summer, these thumb-sized, green-striped mini-melons litter my Instagram feed. What’s all the fuss about? Resembling a miniature watermelon, the cuc

Nutritious and hearty root vegetables are a staple ingredient in many cuisines. Discover the benefits of our favourite and try our three delicious recipes to make the most of them. With its vibrant purple flesh, beetroot is loaded with essential vita

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As one of its common names suggest, this little tropical plant has a long traditional use for controlling toothache pain. Used fresh or dried, the buds or flowers are chewed to stimulate saliva and numb the pain associated with all sorts of mouth pro

French marigolds are small, cheery plants with hidden powers. Not only do they brighten up gardens with masses of small yellow, red or orange flowers; they can also help battle a serious soil pest. Root knot nematodes, microscopic soil-borne creature

Issue after issue, our Gardening Folk features remind us that Australia is a land of immigrants. Take Marlena Salib, who came here from Poland aged six but remembers gardening with her mum back in the old country. After they arrived in Australia, her

Humans feed their skin with all kinds of beauty products. According to the Australian Academy of Science, off-theshelf products may contain up to 50 ingredients and women typically use as many as 15 preparations daily. This can add up to hundreds of

My childhood summer memories are imprinted with images of beetles that resembled Christmas tree decorations, their shiny bronzed shells massed around the light fittings as old St Nick supposedly descended our chimneys. But these days I see very few C

With incubator sales soaring, it may seem like the broody hen has been replaced by technology. It’s tempting to buy a small incubator and set it up so the family can follow the evolving embryos then watch the chicks hatch. But little chicks need broo

Common name: Neon cuckoo bee Scientific name: Thyreus nitidulus Ranging through northern and eastern Australia as well as New Guinea and Indonesia, the neon cuckoo bee is one of nature’s cheats. Bees of the Thyreus genus are sometimes called cloak-an

Perfectly petite pumpkins are a joy to grow and fun to eat — and now is the time to plant them. You’ll find the widest range of mini pumpkins as heirloom seeds — and in a rainbow of colours and shapes. So why plant baby pumpkins? They typically grow

Spring is most gardeners’ favourite season. It’s such a joy to watch the whole world coming to life with new growth and colourful profusions of flowers. It’s high spring and all the hard work is starting to pay off. Regular feeding, consistent wateri

Many of us who live in warmer climate zones are resigned to the conventional wisdom that we can’t grow pome or stone fruits, which generally require many hours of temperatures below 7°C to set fruit. With a lot of the common varieties that we see in

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in older people, affects the central field of vision including the ability to recognise faces. Current treatments for intermediate stages of AMD include special dietary suppleme

• Spring is positively vaulting by now. By the end of the month, if the threat of frost has passed, you can put in sensitive crops like tomato and cucumber. Other summer vegies to plant now are beans, corn and squash. • October is a top month for pla

Perilla is an Asian herbaceous plant, an aromatic leafy vegetable native to mountainous areas from India to China, but cultivated and consumed mainly in Korea, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. A member of the mint family, it has both culinary and medicin

Some gardeners start their journey down the garden path early in life. Take Colin and Mary-Ann, whose property — Hilltop Farm in King Scrub, in Queensland’s Moreton Bay hinterland — comprises three acres of cow pasture and two acres of garden. Both g

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Early in the past two years of pandemic lockdowns, one trend soon became apparent — and we’re not talking about the hoarding of toilet paper. Within weeks, garden centres sold out of seedlings, houseplants and point-of-lay chickens. News website The

Apple (Lady Williams), blueberries, custard apple, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mandarin (Imperial), rockmelon, orange (blood, Navel), pawpaw, papaya, pineapple, pomelo, strawberries, tamarillo, tangelo Artichoke (globe), Asian greens, asparagus, beans,

Do you dream of earning a crust selling your own produce from home? Growing in popularity, microfarms are much easier to venture into than conventional farming. Here we share the stories, insights and advice of three Australians who took the plunge a

Productive plants that come up by themselves in the garden are known as volunteers. They grow from seed produced by a previous crop that spread itself in the garden. Not only are they handy but they often perform very well. Cherry tomato, Cape gooseb

As every gardener knows, composting is a great way to recycle garden waste and return its nutrients to the soil. Traditional composting methods work well with soft green plant matter, twigs and thin branches that can be chopped quite finely to speed

Surrounded by native peppermint and paperbark trees, the place we call “Holmer Homestead” is a secluded property in Dardanup West with six paddocks, a dam covered in exotic pink lilies, landscaped gardens, abundant bushland, cheeky wildlife and plent

A cool shady spot is lovely to escape to as the days warm up but, for the gardener who wants to grow sun-loving flowers and vegetables, that shady spot can be a real challenge. One interesting type of shade is found under the canopy of deciduous tree