How quickly does time fly? Since building and testing his innovative toteponics system based on CHOP2 technology we caught up with Aquaponics guru Murray Hallam to ask how its all been going? Murray immediately lights up with his usual enthusiasm, “Can you believe it – its 18...

Over the last three months we’ve been trialling a little additive called potassium hydroxide with the regular stuff we’ve been putting into our aquaponics system and – boy has the plant growth taken off! For the most part, feeding your fish just pellets is fine but we always...

Sometimes you see something and you think “Wow! Thats a great idea.” We came across this very simple and easy to build greenhouse at Rosina Buckman’s backyard. Rosina has some terrific tips mentioned previously here and here. Most greenhouse designs are overly complicated...

They say nine out of ten people that ultimately get ducks into their gardens first started off with chickens. So what are the advantages of keeping ducks? The popular perception or myth is that ducks need a large expanse of water; they make a lot of mess; destroy your garden and their eggs are...

Recently when filming with Permaculture gardener Rosina Buckman, we asked her how she managed to grow her amazing vegetables in her raised bed gardens without importing a lot of expensive soil. These tanks were raised off the ground and faced a sunny spot right out at the front of her house....

Rosina Buckman’s front garden is right out on the suburban street. A number of corrugated colour-bond Zincalume planter beds dot her front garden. Rosina is keen on growing food in her raised beds. Lettuce and herbs spill out of her tanks as she exuberantly explains how she keeps the...

Most people when siting their house want to take advantage of the available commanding views. So you commonly see people positioning their homes on the highest point on their land. But that’s not necessarily the best place to site your home if you are into Permaculture and your aim is...

The term “swale” is often used by Permaculture people when designing large earth work constructions but it’s very rarely spoken of in an urban setting. What is a swale anyway? Well its commonly defined as “a water harvesting ditch on contour.” Imagine it as a...

Recently in Sydney we met Charles Bacon from Ecolicious who builds Aquaponics systems that are cleverly disguised to look like natural ponds. A pond builder for many years, Charles likes to use as many easy to find components as possible. Some of his designs are quite clever too. The...

Permaculture teacher Geoff Lawton scrambles through a clump of reeds perched over a some large boulders and gingerly steps over a pond choked with Duckweed and Salvinia floating on the surface. You can hear the frogs croaking in the background. Birds are singing in the trees. He peels back a...

Colourful TV personality Costa Georgiadis told a packed audience yesterday how he was asked by the TV Network to attend the annual television Logie awards – but he knocked back the special occasion because of his prior engagement with Permaculture. You see, Costa had promised Leonie...

  It’s National Permaculture Day on May 1, 2011. Apart from being a system of growing fresh food all year round, the rise of permaculture is also knitting communities together who help each other establish productive gardens and share knowledge, information and friendship. Here at...