We’d love to receive your feedback, questions, ideas or to see if we’ve inspired you to embark on any projects. Email your letters and photos to editorial@pipmagazine.com.au

On a whim

The only time I buy magazines is at airports when I have a long wait. So when my last flight was delayed, I headed to the newsagent to browse what was available.

The cover of Issue 28 caught my eye immediately and made my heart glad. It brought back memories of picking mushrooms with my aunty in Orange, NSW, and my fascination with whimsical fairies and toadstools as a child.

I had never seen your magazine before so flicking through the pages and seeing it was sustainable-living and gardening related, I bought it. I’ve recently joined a biodynamic gardening group where I live, and so my joy continued as I devoured each of the articles, enjoying and gaining new knowledge from every page.

There are about 60 species of saltbush in Australia and around 250 throughout the world, however not all of them are edible.

As its name suggests, saltbush is a hardy saline-tolerant plant. A member of the Chenopodiaceae subfamily, it grows in Australia’s dry areas, preferring warm climates without a lot of rainfall. In the right conditions, saltbush can grow up to three metres high and up to five metres wide.

Allium sativum – allium was the Roman name for garlic; sativum means cultivated in Latin.

ORIGINS

It is believed garlic originated in the mountains of Central Asia. It was found wild in the Altaic Mountains of Siberia and also much closer to Europe in the southern part of the Ural Mountains.

Garlic’s single character in Chinese, pronounced ‘Suan’, indicates its ancient introduction into China, probably by the nomadic Mongols. Early crusaders thought garlic was native to the Mediterranean because it was depicted on the Egyptian pyramids. It was part of the food supplied by the authorities to keep the builders strong and healthy.

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.

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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.