Garden Day Celebrations
Plant for the sake of your neighbours
Nurture your garden to nourish others
Celebrate your garden on the 20th of October.
South Africa’s National Garden Day is about being one with the growing world.
While many of the events planned for this day focus on the joy that a beautiful garden holds for you the owner and gardener, there are also a few...Read More
Nothing is set in stone (but it could be).
Gardening for changing seasons is a tricky thing. Its hard to plan your landscaping and planting calendar around the whims of the weather and just as you think the last frost is over or the rain will come any day now, mother nature throws you a “snow in October” kind of curveball and you have to start your landscaping...Read More
What is a heirloom seed, and why do they matter?
What does “heirloom seed” mean and why should you care?
The classification of “heirloom” is used to identify seeds and plant cultivars that do not form part of modern large scale agricultural production of fresh produce.
According to Annie’s Heirloom Seeds, “Heirlooms are seed varieties that are at least 50...Read More
When is it ok to cut down a tree?
“The best time to plant a tree was yesterday.
The second-best time is right now.”
We all know about the magic and majesty of trees.
Even kids can tell you they provide us with fresh oxygen, food, shade and serenity. We need to protect trees, cherish them and ensure that they stand tall to serve future generation.
At Homemakers...Read More
Get rid of the bumps and patches of your winter lawn
Spring is here, and even though it feels like the winter never happened, our lawns might be telling a different story.
Storytime: I am easily bored.
When I was six, I met a friend of my father who worked at a cement factory. I asked, politely, what he did for a living, and as he started to explain his job at the...Read More
What is Bokashi, how do I do it, and what are the benefits?
Why Bokashi vs Compost
The new word in composting:
We all know that fermented foods, (think kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut) are great for your gut health, but what about feeding our plants the same diet?
Conventional composting is a great way to get rid of many of your kitchen scraps while providing a...Read More
Skip The Mower, Aim for the Meadow.
“I chanced upon a bluebell glade as I strolled in the glen.
A field of dreams before me lay. I stopped a while, and then…”
No epic retelling of an exciting night ever starts with: “So, we were drinking some fruit juice…”
The same goes for stories about relaxing afternoons spent outside. Nobody says: “…then we stepped out...Read More
Give your garden an instant boost with these 5 simple tricks.
Is your garden giving you glum vibes?
The winter washout is real and for many of us this is the “ugliest” season of the year. Dried grass, dead plants and general dustiness doesn’t do much for any garden.
On the other hand, many of us were lashed with some pretty intense rain recently, and drowned...Read More
Let’s grow weird!
Unusual vegetables you can grow in your own garden.
Spring is around the corner and its time to sort out your veggie planting schedule.
The usual suspects:
If you are like us, it’s tomatoes, radishes and lettuce all the way. Onions and green peppers when we’re feeling adventurous, and maybe, MAYBE, we’ll concede to some butternut or gem...Read More
Find solace in a shade garden
“Green temples, closed against the beat of noontime’s blinding glare and heat…”
Theodosia Garrison, Shade
In South Africa we are blessed with nearly unlimited sunshine. (This is why investing in Solar energy solutions makes so much sense.) We are known to have some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. Roses,...Read More