Category Regulars

Once a popular Australian backyard tree, loquats fell out of favour over a decade ago. However, you can still spot a branch of a mature loquat hanging over a fence, laden with fruit and ripe for the picking.

This evergreen tree is a feature in any garden with its dark-green glossy leaves but this time of year it will supply you with an abundance of bright golden-coloured fruit that can be enjoyed fresh from the tree or preserved.

A member of the rose family, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a very versatile plant but as it is an early fruiter, take care to manage its bounty – fallen fruit could provide a nursery for fruitfly populations.

Seasonal garden guides for Australian climates

Moon planting

The moon’s phases and its associated gravitational pull has a significant effect on the behaviour of tidal oceans, so it’s easy to understand how the moon can have a similar effect on the moisture in our soils and plants. By planning what you sow to coincide with the phases of the moon best suited to the type of vegetable and how you’re planting, you’ll give yourself a higher chance of success as well as increase your yields.

We love seeing what kids are growing with their families in their gardens, so snap and email us an image of what you’re harvesting at the moment. Email the photo to editorial@pipmagazine.com.au to win a copy of The Dam, by David Almond. This issue’s winner is Maisie Keunen.

SHOW US YOUR GARDEN

Sylvia McHenry, 7
Watervale, SA

‘I let things grow wild and I don’t care what kinds of plants grow there. I like it when there are flowers in it – I imagine I’m in a forest! As well as planting, I like to play games. I sit up high and pretend I’m on a lookout like in Swallowdale. I like to eat carrots, strawberries and tomatoes from my garden.’

The books, films & podcasts inspiring you to make a difference

PASTA LOVE

HOW TO MAKE, EAT AND CELEBRATE PASTA LIKE AN ITALIAN

BY JACLYN CRUPI (AFFIRM PRESS 2023)

According to Jaclyn Crupi – a proud Italian-Australian pasta maker and devotee (and whose garden we featured in Pip Issue 28!) – pasta is love, pasta is life. Pasta can be a quick and simple meal or a culinary masterpiece, but in essence it is about generosity, comfort and the beauty to be found in simple and high-quality ingredients.

There are many different ways to break down organic waste, each with its own nuances. Australian brand Subpod offers a range of easy-to-assemble worm farms that make composting waste and turning it into nutrients you can use to grow food both hassle free and smell free. However unlike homemade or recycled options, they’re pretty pricey and involve a fair bit of plastic.

WHAT IS IT?

The main difference between a conventional worm farm and this system is Subpod is an in-ground setup. I was given the Grow Bed Bundle to test which is made up of the Classic Underground Compost Bin ($335.00), which is a two-compartment composter that gets buried into Subpod’s Grow Garden Bed ($165.00), which has an open base to allow the worms in. An aerator tool ($49.00) is also included, and by opting for the $509.00 bundle you’re saving $40 from the combined asking price. The bin itself is a large plastic receptacle that resembles a milk crate with a lid. You place your food scraps directly into the crate, which is perforated allowing your worms and nutrients to travel freely between your food waste and the soil it’s buried in.

Pip partners with brands who align with its values. Ethical companies producing good- quality products that don’t harm the planet, instead aiming to improve it. Browse more ethical companies you can choose to support at www.pipmagazine.com.au PURE BLUE ESSENTIALS Pure Blue Essentials is about a healthy body, a healthy mind and a healthy home. Products include magnesium rubs, heat packs, organic-cotton wash cloths, essential oils and banskia-pod oil diffusers, to name a few. High-quality, handmade products from natural ingredients. Packs and gift hampers available too. Use PIP10PBE for 10% off. pureblueessentials.com.au CONSCIOUS LIVING, NATURALLY Urban Revolution is a unique eco […]

Founded in 2018, the Off-Grid Living Festival has grown into one of the most comprehensive and informative sustainability events in the country.

From traditional skills and homesteading to electric vehicles and emerging technology, the Off-Grid Living Festival is far more than an event to help you unplug your energy requirements from the grid. Each year, the two-day event aims to inspire participants to take new steps towards living a more sustainable life.

Hello lovely people and welcome to our 30th issue of Pip magazine. It’s quite a milestone for our little team who work away behind the scenes bringing each issue together.

As I write this, the wind is howling outside, yesterday it poured with rain which caused flooding, and the day before nearby fires burned out of control. What is happening out there? What is happening to our climate? How do we remain positive and joyful in the face of these ongoing threats?

Growing food is one of the most powerful things we can do. Not only can it have far reaching benefits into our communities and surrounding environments it can also improve our own health and wellbeing.

Growing your own food reduces pollution by reducing food miles, when done well it can build our soil health and when shared it can build communities. Growing your own food reduces the intake of chemicals, increases our nutrient intake and brings down our household food bills, thus reducing the cost of living. Taking time in the garden is good for our mental health, it helps us connect to the seasons and with nature, and having our hands in the soil is good for our gut microbiota.

Bioguano Australia is a family-owned and operated business that has food-growing heritage spanning 100 years. Over that time, it has developed a deep understanding of what makes a highly effective organic fertiliser that cares for the soil and the planet.

Guano is a word originating from the Andean Indigenous language, which means ‘the droppings of seabirds’.

The production process begins when saltwater fish are consumed and digested by sea birds. Deposited on rocks and baked in the sun, the excrement – along with bits of eggshells, feathers, insects and microbes – matures into what Bioguano Australia says is nature’s best fertiliser. Guano has the ability to clean toxins from soil, improve soil structure, speed up the decomposition process and promote healthy plant colour and growth.