Many people have backyard chooks these days. In my opinion the best variety for enormous egg production is a black chicken that is an Australorp cross. However, the ornamental breeds like silkies and araucanas lay for many years longer. You simply MUST fox-proof...
Question From: Nadika Ranasinghe in THE PONDS, THE PONDS NSW Nature of problem: Treated Pine Type of Plant (if known): Vegitables Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): N/A Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR...
A cheery front door to a home is always a good idea. When you come home you feel happy. When visitors come around they feel welcome and are impressed… So how do you cheer up your entrance? Well it’s very simple. A few colourful pots of plants will do the job. ...
What type of chooks should you get for your backyard? The modern commercial layers or the older, prettier breeds? Well commercial layers only lay well for 18 months or so. Then you are stuck with a poor layer for another 6-8 years. On the other hand, older...
Some days in winter are a bit rainy and miserable… But that is great! This is the perfect opportunity to clean out your garage or shed. There are sure to be products you forgot you had & can use. Maybe chuck out any old rubbish in the shed. Go through...
Do you want more Australian birds in your backyard? If you do, you should remember that there are many plants that attract native birds that you can plant in your garden. Even some foreign plants will attract native birds: Sasanqua camellias, fruit trees,...
Many people contact me during winter saying that their chooks have stopped laying eggs. This is quite normal. Most chooks go off the lay in winter when they have their annual moult. In particular, the older breeds of ornamental chooks don’t lay eggs in winter. ...
Winter, that is July/August is the time to re-pot all bonsai. You simply MUST do it at least every 2-4 years or the plant may get sick and might even die. What do you do? Gently tip the bonsai pot on its side and cajole the plant out of the pot by wriggling its...
On a sunny day in winter, the garden can be a lovely place to be in. Winter is the perfect time to assess your garden too. When deciduous plants have dropped their leaves, you can see the general layout and “bones” of your garden really well. You can see messy or...
The whole world loves chocolate. Its scientific name Theobroma cacao means “Food of the Gods”. The ancient Aztecs used coco beans as their currency. They made the beans into chocolatl – a frothy drink made with coco beans, vanilla and other ingredients. Chocolate...