Garden Club

The "Nap Time" Secret: Why Winter Cuttings Rule

Taking cuttings in Autumn and Winter is brilliant because of one word: Dormancy. Essentially, your plants are under anaesthesia. When we take hardwood cuttings of those Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples, the trees don’t panic. There are no leaves to keep hydrated, so the stems can focus entirely on their "root-growing resume" rather than worrying about growing fruit or looking pretty.

The same goes for the "woody" crowd. Lavender and Rosemary are much less likely to throw a tantrum and wilt when the sun isn't baking them alive. They’re "semi-ripe" right now, which is just a fancy way of saying they’ve toughened up enough to handle a move.

And don't forget the Geraniums! Taking cuttings now is like an insurance policy. It keeps them safe from summer’s humid fungal drama and gives them a head start to become the overachievers of your spring garden. So, grab your secateurs it’s time to make some clones!

Carrot Top Comeback!

Carrots possess a special "botanical superpower" located in the crown (the shoulder where the orange meets the green). This area is packed with meristematic cells. Think of these as the plant version of stem cells—undecided little overachievers that can transform into whatever the plant needs. When you lop off the top and plunk it in a saucer of water, those cells wake up and shout, "To the lifeboats!" and begin sprouting new foliage.

Now, here is the plot twist: you aren't growing a new carrot. That crunchy orange taproot is a one-and-done deal. Instead, you are growing the foliage. If you keep that carrot top happy, it will produce feathery green leaves and eventually white flowers.

It’s the ultimate kitchen experiment: half science, half "Frankenstein’s Monster," and 100% more exciting than watching actual grass grow. Just don't expect a second harvest of 24-karat crunch; you’re mostly just growing a very handsome centrepiece!

Give Peas a Chance!

If you’ve got a patch of bare ground looking back at you with judgmental emptiness, it’s time to “Give Peas a Chance”.  Think of Peas as the ultimate soil room service. They are "nitrogen fixers," which is a fancy way of saying they grab nutrients out of thin air and stash them in little underground goldmines on their roots. While their roots are busy fluffing up your soil like a luxury mattress, the rest of the plant is busy being delicious. You can snack on crunchy “sugarsnaps”, toss them in a roast, or harvest the fancy tendrils to feel like a Michelin star chef.

Best of all, peas are much less of a "drama queen" than beans when it comes to pests. Plant them in the cooler months, and you’ll likely dodge the aphid apocalypse entirely. Even the local bees will thank you for the early season nectar bar! Once you’ve eaten your fill, don’t you dare pull them up. Just chop the tops off and let them melt back into the earth. It's like giving your garden a spa day and a vitamin pill all at once. It’s low effort, high reward, and honestly, just plain hap-pea-ness.

Pic of the Week

These white dots on a thin filament are butterfly eggs.

When is the Garden Club?

Garden Club happens on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, right after the gates open. We meet at the bubblers on the Churchill Avenue side of the school.

Garden Club is completely FREE to join! It's a great opportunity to learn to be a lateral thinker with limited resources, get first pick after a harvest, and see some fascinating creatures.

The information shared here is based on our experiences and knowledge, but we are not gardening experts. Think of it as friendly advice from one garden lover to another. Please remember that all gardening activities should be done with adult supervision and that you're responsible for your own safety and decisions.