The Gardenist Blog | by Michael McCoy

By Michael

Feb 21, 2020

It was a light-bulb moment for me when I realised that the brassicas (cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi) are biennials. Now stick with me. This is more than just a revela

Caging the Veg

By Michael

Jan 5, 2015

Way back in 2009 when I ordered 24 sheets of colorbond, rolled to my specified diameter, it was my intention to organise the consequent 12 raised vegie beds to define an inner spac

Vegetable dilemmas

By Michael

Nov 25, 2014

It’s the weirdest thing. You grow vegetables in order to eat them, right? How is it, then, that when the time comes to pick, the knife can hover over them, poised for the kil

Caging the Veg

By Michael

Jan 5, 2015

Way back in 2009 when I ordered 24 sheets of colorbond, rolled to my specified diameter, it was my intention to organise the consequent 12 raised vegie beds to define an inner space. I suspected tha ...

Vegetable dilemmas

By Michael

Nov 25, 2014

It’s the weirdest thing. You grow vegetables in order to eat them, right? How is it, then, that when the time comes to pick, the knife can hover over them, poised for the kill, but waver in vaci ...

Annual vs Manual

By Michael

Jul 14, 2014

I’ve received two seed catalogues in the mail in the last couple of weeks. The Diggers Seed Annual and the Lambley Nursery Seed Manual. They’re almost identical in size and glossiness etc, but ...

Purple hairy nut, perhaps?

By Michael

Dec 6, 2012

Between two writing deadlines I snatched half an hour to progress a foot or two in removing the residue of an old potato crop from a garden bed. This is the third time the bed has been dug over, try ...

Further to the carrot comment..

By Michael

Nov 23, 2012

One day I’ll achieve carrot germination like this (below)… ...

Slow food for a slow learner

By Michael

Nov 21, 2012

Honestly, how can it take so long to learn such simple lessons? I’m more than happy with the idea that gardening can keep you on a steep learning curve for a lifetime, but I really thought that wh ...

Is 'Winter Veg' a misnomer?

By Michael

Jun 10, 2012

No, of course it’s not. What sort of crazy author-generated question is that? But I’ve often wondered about it, as in many of the cooler climates around Australia, vegetables don’t really grow ...