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Alert: Tomato Brown Rugose Virus
You might have seen in the news in late August that a particularly transmissible and destructive virus affecting tomato, chilli and capsicum plants has just been detected in Australia for the first time. The virus is called the tomato brown rugose virus and it deforms and discolours fruit and affects leaves of plants. This virus…
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Meeting a seed saving legend
Seeds are the very living embodiment of heritage. They are the source of everything we eat (yes, even the carnivore’s meat is from animals that graze on flowering, seeding grasses/grains). Knowledge of saving seed has been foundational to human culture for thousands of years going back to the Fertile Crescent – and maybe even before…
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Seed Passport
Would you like to donate seeds to the Canberra Seed Savers Living Seed Bank? Whether you’re donating or swapping, the information in this seed passport helps Canberra Seed Savers to keep important records for the Seed Bank, to make sure your seed is managed properly and that it is shared with the community while it…
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Can you grow tomatoes in a wet summer in Canberra?
If you read any advice on growing tomatoes in a wet season, all reports say “Don’t grow in a wet season!”. But you can still grow tomatoes in Canberra in wet condition and get a yield if you apply a few tips and tricks. Including; maintaining good drainage, watering to avoid splashing foliage and increasing…
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Growing tomatoes in Canberra in a wet season – tips and tricks
If you read any advice on growing tomatoes in a wet season, all reports say “Don’t grow in a wet season!”. But you can still grow tomatoes in Canberra in wet condition and get a yield if you apply a few tips and tricks. Including; maintaining good drainage, watering to avoid splashing foliage and increasing…
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Join the Seedy Chat
Whether you are an experienced seed saver or just starting out, whether you are part of a local seed savers group or seed library or just saving seeds in your backyard, you are very welcome to join the conversation. This event will have a Q& A approach, helping you get the information you are looking…
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Seed Savers Online Forum: Connecting Seedy People Across Australia
Are you curious to learn more about seed saving? Do you have some tips and tricks and knowledge to share? A group of volunteers is building an online community for seed savers from across Australia to share knowledge and experiences, ask questions and give answers all about seeds and seed saving. It’s free to join…
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Seed Savers submission to the Capital Food and Fibre Strategy
Canberra Seed Savers Cooperative is a not-for-profit registered cooperative and network of local food growers and farmers who grow food from seed to seed (eating along the way) and harvest and share those locally grown seeds across our community. We work to protect our abundant, common heritage of open-pollinated food seeds. We are passionate about…
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Seedlings for Community
Every spring and autumn, volunteer seedling growers work together to grow seedlings from seed and materials provided by Canberra Seed Savers and to donate those seedlings to Canberrans in need or who would like to try growing food but may not have the means to buy seedlings. All seedlings are seasonally appropriate and locally grown…
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Growing Spring & Summer Seedlings
Spring and Summer are great times to grow food plants in Canberra. As the weather gets hotter, they need a bit more care and attention but it’s easy to do and your reward is yummy, super fresh herbs and veggies, sustainably grown by you! These are some of the plants which grow well in Canberra.…
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Growing Herbs & Veggies from Seed
It begins with the seed The health of plants starts with the health of seeds. Buy organic (or non-treated) open pollinated seeds. Seeds can be chemically treated to inhibit disease or deter pests, or trigger germination. This isn’t healthy for people, insect pollinators or the soil and isn’t necessary. Buy organic or untreated seed. Seed…
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Seeds for Members
Canberra Seed Savers Co-operative members are invited to collect three free packets of seeds as part of their annual membership. Usually, this happens at an event, workshop or a Seedy Saturday at the Canberra Environment Centre, Acton. For a while at least, COVID had us all staying at home to keep our community safe. Happily,…
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Seedlings for Community – join us in growing for our community
This season the fabulous volunteer growers at Canberra Seed Savers will once be growing seedlings to give away to those in need in our community! You can be part of it by contacting us at canberraseedsavers@gmail.com. We’ll be monitoring the Covid-19 situation and following all lockdown rules and public health advice. This may mean that…
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Autumnal Seed Saving
March and April is a popular time for seed saving – in Canberra we grow so many summer and autumn crops that, as the days shorten and the weather cools, get ready to end their annual life cycle once again. Nature’s beginning – and end – is seeds and herbaceous crops will be flowering and…
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Growing Autumn & Winter Seedlings
Basic Growing Guide for Seedlings Autumn and early winter are a great time to grow food in Canberra. From March through to June in most years, the weather is cooler and less baking dry than summers can be. These are some of the plants grow well in Canberra in Autumn and Winter. For more information…
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Autumn and Winter seedlings
docs.google.com/document/d/1OSIseEq6LxejWx_Ic0ElNFpcsbj3L2jkiCefkJF8yvU/mobilebasic
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Seed Bombs: mud pies that grow flowers!
Seeds are magical! Every seed is a capsule of new life. And seed bombs are a great way to spread seeds in hard to reach or disused spaces as well as being a wonderful way to excite kids about seeds and growing. Seed bombs don’t belong in or near our native bush land but are…
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Growing summer seedlings and saving the seeds – a quick guide
Have you just got home with some springy spring seedlings, looking all full of life and promise of great crops to come and calling for you to get out into the garden and plant… but you’re not sure where to start? Read on for some tips and info. If you haven’t grown seedlings before, it…
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Thinking about planting? Think about soil temperature…
Spring is coming (despite the forecast of snow for this weekend!) and it’s time to plan for planting. When getting ready for spring planting, bear in mind that soil temperature is crucial for germination of seeds. Warm weather seeds are much more interested in whether the soil is warm than if the air is balmy.…
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Seed Savers Growing Community
Join us in growing lots of spring seedlings to give away to our fellow Canberrans who are having a hard time at the moment. Whether you can grow 20 extra beans or 100 extra tomatoes and a tray full of lettuce, you’re very welcome to join in on the Seed Savers Growing Community project. How…
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Spring & Summer Seed Swap
It’s still freezing cold out there – but not to early to start planning for spring planting! We’re swapping and selling spring and summer seeds and you’re invited! Drop-in, stay for a little while or a bit longer. Lots of space for physical distancing for coronavirus-safety. Please stay home if you are unwell or have…
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Seed Libraries for Community Gardens
In late 2019, Canberra Seed Savers embarked on an exciting new project: Mobile Seed Libraries for Canberra community gardens. Our aim: to promote growing from seed and seed saving and to build our growing community of seed growers, swappers and sharers. Mobile seed libraries are a great way to share skills and knowledge about seed saving…
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Quick and Dirty Guide to Herb and Veggie Seed Saving
Quick Guide to Herb and Veggie Seed Saving This guide is only a brief introduction to saving herb and vegetable seeds. Seed saving isn’t complicated but it does take a little bit of knowledge. This guide is based on personal experience of Canberra Seed Savers and information gathered from the Real Seed Catalogue, Bega Valley…
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What to sow now in Canberra? Growing in climate change conditions
The weather has been terrible – between drought, fire, smoke and hail, many local growers big and small have had a hard start to 2020. Our climate is changing and we need to adapt. This year, Seed Savers will be trialing growing herbs and vegetables from seed at different times and in non-traditional seasons. Follow…
