Soil Science

Cupped, twisted, fern-like new growth after a load of manure, compost or straw usually means a persistent pasture herbicide came with it. Here is how to recognise it, how to test the next load in pots of pea seed, and what to do with a bed that is already affected.

Lead from old paint is the contaminant that actually matters in most Australian backyards, and it concentrates in the soil against the walls. How to get a real test, what the 300 mg/kg guideline means, and what to do at each result.

If water beads and runs off your beds instead of soaking in, the soil has turned hydrophobic. Here is why it happens and how to fix it for good.

Puddles that linger, yellowing plants and a sour smell mean roots are drowning. Here is how to drain, raise and rebuild a waterlogged bed.

Sand, clay or loam? Once you know which soil you have, you can work with its strengths and patch its weaknesses. Here is how to read and improve yours.

Soil pH quietly shapes how well your vegetables grow. Here is what the scale means, why it matters, and how to nudge your soil into the right band.

You will never beat weeds for good, but you can stay ahead of them. Here are the organic strategies that genuinely work in an Australian garden.