Green tomatoes: fried, pickled and even cake!

It’s the same story every year – summer’s heat eases, the days shorten and despite your best efforts, a good chunk of tomatoes stubbornly refuse to ripen on the vine. Do you leave them and hope for a last-minute colour change, or do you admit defeat and find another way to use them? The good news is, unripe tomatoes aren’t just edible; they’re actually pretty versatile.

How to make leaf mould

Autumn has arrived in Australia and for many gardeners that means one thing: an abundance of fallen leaves. Rather than stuffing them into the green waste bin or adding all of them to the compost, consider turning them into one of the best soil conditioners nature has to offer – leaf mould. It’s easy to make, requires minimal effort and will reward you with rich, crumbly organic matter that your garden will love.

IN THE GARDEN – February – May 2025

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.

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