If you’re thinking of making the switch back to natural grass, you might be wondering how difficult it is to remove artificial turf, and what steps you need to take to get the soil ready for real grass. We asked MyHomeTurf services manager Nathan Tovey to talk us through the process.

Removing the artificial turf

1. Grab some gloves and a mask. Removing artificial turf (especially if it’s old and poorly maintained) can be dirty work.
2. Cut your turf into more manageable pieces. Bear in mind it’s very heavy.
3. Remove any pegs or stakes securing the turf.
4. Start ripping up the turf with your hands.
5. Continue until all turf is removed and dispose of the turf responsibly.

Installing a natural lawn

If you want to replace your artificial lawn with the real deal, Tovey says you’ll need to rejuvenate the soil health. “The soil will be dry, dusty, compacted and stale. It’s not healthy soil – it has had limited oxygen,” he says.

1. Use your shovel to remove the base layer of crushed rocks.
2. Test the pH of the existing soil using a test kit that you can buy from a garden centre. A good pH is 6.5–7. Tovey says the soil under artificial turf is often acidic (a pH under 6.5). If this is the case, he suggests buying some lime to increase the pH.
3. Decompact the soil either by using a garden hoe (for smaller areas) or a rotary hoe (for larger areas).Ìý
4. Once the soil is broken up, you can add in your lime if necessary, plus some organic matter (e.g. Dynamic Lifter/ Rooster Booster). You may also need to add gypsum if it’s a heavy or clay soil.
5. Next, you’ll need to replace the volume lost by removing the base layer to bring the level of the lawn up. To do this, you can buy lawn mix or turf underlay from your local garden centre and spread it across the lawn.
6. You’ll then need to level off the topsoil and compact it slightly, which can be done by simply walking back and forth over the lawn.Ìý
7. Apply lawn starter fertiliser.
8. Lay the new turf in a brickwork formation.
9. Water, water and water until the area is squelching underfoot. The water needs to penetrate the top of the turf and reach the soil underneath.

Can artificial turf be recycled?

If you’re planning to remove your artificial turf, you may be looking for the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of it. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of good options available currently.Ìý

You may get advice to donate your old turf to be reused by animal shelters, playgrounds, cricket batting cages and dog parks. We haven’t found clear guidance on how to arrange something like this, or any strong evidence that organisations would want to use old artificial turf. But it’s certainly worth asking around your local community, especially if your lawn is still in good condition.Ìý

It’s worth noting that cutting your turf up to be reused by others may mean it can’t be processed by a recycling plant in the future, so it will ultimately end up in landfill. Not all turf types are recyclable either, so you might like to look into this before you decide what you want to do with your old turf.

Australia’s first synthetic turf recycling facility Re4orm was established this year in Victoria, by synthetic turf provider TUFF Group. They currently offer a service removing synthetic turf from sporting fields, clubs, educational facilities, childcare centres and community organisations, and director Trent Cummings says that they’re keen to process residential lawns too.

“Currently, because of economies of scale, we can’t go to residential homes and collect small amounts of turf for processing,” he says.

“What we’re hoping to achieve instead in coming years, is to work with local municipalities to implement disposal bins in transfer stations where people can take their artificial turf.

“These bins already exist for e-waste and paint. The number of homes with artificial lawns is growing, and valuable resources are being wasted when these lawns enter landfill instead of being recycled.”

While the specialised bins are the vision for the future, there isn’t currently any infrastructure set up for recycling residential turf. However, Cummings says Melbourne residents can contact Re4orm to discuss dropping off their synthetic turf subject to certainÌýacceptance specifications and applicable fees.

The post How to remove artificial turf from your yard appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Pros and cons of fake grass
• Does artificial grass get hot?
• Is artificial grass suitable for pets?
• The different types of fake grass
• Environmental concerns
• Cost of artificial grass: DIY vs professional installation
• How to maintain your artificial lawn

Having a perfect lawn without any mowing, watering or fertilising may sound appealing, but there are also some downsides to faking it.

We look at the pros and cons, how much it costs, how to clean it, and the safety and environmental considerations of installing an artificial lawn.Ìý

Pros and cons of fake grass

Pros

Year-round perfection

Artificial grass looks immaculate every day of the year, even during drought or when you’ve been away on holiday. It never grows too long and it never looks dead, discoloured or patchy.Ìý

Low maintenance

A natural lawn needs mowing and watering, and possibly fertiliser and weed killer to keep it looking healthy. But artificial grass requires very little maintenance.

Dog and child-friendlyÌý

Some dog owners prefer artificial grass so they don’t have to worry about holes being dug, or damage from dog urine. And parents of either pets or children may appreciate the end to muddy footprints being tracked through the house.Ìý

Allergy-free

Fake grass can make life easier for people who suffer from grass allergies.

Cons

It can look fake

Because artificial grass can look so immaculate and blemish-free, most people can tell it’s not the real deal. But the highest quality turf often includes imperfections, such as brown ‘grass’ blades, to help make it look slightly more realistic.

Expense

Installing an artificial grass lawn costs roughly double what it costs to install a natural lawn using turf.ÌýÌý

Longevity

A well-maintained, high-quality installation can last up to 25 years (some companies even offer a lifetime warranty). But standard warranties are only about seven to 10 years, so you may find that your lawn needs substantial maintenance or replacing around this time.Ìý

Environmental impact

While turf retailers emphasise how much water and energy you’ll save if you opt for an artificial lawn, the evidence indicates that they have a larger carbon footprint than their natural counterparts. What’s more, there is concern about how they impact the soil ecosystem and the wider environment.

Does artificial grass get hot?

It’s no secret that plastic heats up in the sun, so it stands to reason artificial grass might get pretty hot on a summer’s day. We spoke to Dr Sebastian Pfautsch, associate professor in Urban Studies at the University of Western Sydney, to find out exactly how hot your artificial grass could get.

Surface temperatures

According to Pfautsch, the surface of artificial grass can become dangerously hot in direct sunlight, posing a significant burn risk, particularly to young children.

“Surface temperatures of unshaded artificial turf can reach up to 100°C on a hot day,” he says.

“This can easily cause surface burns, especially for toddlers and young children.”

Pfautsch says just a few seconds of direct contact with hot artificial grass can be enough to cause burns.

In fact, in 2020, three toddlers sustained second-degree burns after walking barefoot over artificial turf at their childcare centre.

Radiant heat

And it’s not just burns that are a concern when it comes to the temperature of artificial lawns. Pfautsch says radiant heat is also an issue.

“The air temperature surrounding unshaded artificial turf is significantly elevated,” he says.Ìý

“Children playing on unshaded turf will be exposed to much higher temperatures, even on a relatively mild summer’s day, putting them at higher risk of dehydration, heat rashes and heat exhaustion.”

Pfautsch also warns people that the radiant heat could affect the temperature of their home.

“If you have a small block with very little airflow, the turf will re-radiate stored heat into the microclimate surrounding your home, effectively heating up your house,” he says.

“You may be saving money on mowing and watering, but you’ll likely find your electricity bill is notably higher over the summer.”

How to cool down artificial grass

If you’re worried about how hot your artificial lawn might get, it’s worth noting that there are a range of yarns and cooling infills available that are specially designed to bring down surface temperatures.

Cooler yarns

Some retailers offer cooler yarn types that use infared (IR)-reflective pigments to prevent this type of radiation being absorbed. Since IR radiation is partially responsible for the increase in surface temperature, lawns with this technology heat up slower in direct sunlight and don’t get as hot as other artificial lawns.

Cooling infills

Cooling infills generally use evaporative cooling technology. The infill stores water so that when surface temperatures rise, the water evaporates, creating a cooling effect. One such product claims to reduce surface temperatures by 30%, and up to 28 degrees.Ìý

One of the artificial turf owners we spoke to for this article (case study 3) says that while it does heat up, her lawn is cool enough to walk on even during the peak of the Perth summer, so it seems some of these products really do work.Ìý

Is artificial grass suitable for pets?

It can be, yes. Retailers promote the fact that it prevents pets from getting muddy or digging holes in the garden. And some pet owners say they have no issues keeping them clean (see Storm’s case study below). However, others report that having their pet do their business on a plastic lawn leads to bad odours and unhygienic surfaces (see Daniella’s case study below). Plus, if your lawn heats up a lot in the sun, you’ll need to consider the comfort and safety of your furry friend.

If you do plan on having an artificial lawn installed and you have pets, it’s important to choose a turf with plenty of drainage and good durability. And you’ll also likely need a special pet infill, which is designed to absorb pet urine to prevent the release of ammonia gas and reduce foul odours.Ìý

Most pet infills also have a cooling effect, which is helpful for keeping surface temperatures safe for your pets.

You can also buy specialty cleaning products for pet owners to deep clean your grass.Ìý

The different types of fake grass

The artificial grass used for landscaping comes in a range of lengths, thicknesses and colours. Thicker yarns are usually softer (but more expensive) and are best suited to areas where people tend to walk or stand.Ìý

Colours range from vibrant green to more realistic and variable shades. Most high-quality turfs include some brown blades of grass for a more realistic look.

Features to look for

• UV stabilisation – stops fading/degradation of your lawn under the sun
• Cooling technology – uses special material designed to be cooler in hot sun
• Sustainability – some lawns are partially made of sugar cane instead of plastic
• Durable/pet friendly – speciallyÌý designed for households with pets or high-traffic backyards. Its curly, texturised yarn resists flattening and springs back up easily.Ìý

Speciality infills

The infill is the material you spread on top of your lawn to anchor it in place once it’s been laid. The standard infill material is sand, but there are also speciality infill products, including:

• cooling infills to lower the temperature of your lawn
• pet infills to absorb ammonia from urine and reduce odours
• shock-absorption infills to make your lawn safer for children, especially if you also have high-play equipment.

Environmental concerns

Celia Connor, lecturer in Environment and Agriculture at Charles Sturt University, says artificial grass is likely to disrupt the complex ecosystem of your soil.

“Most people think of soil as just dirt, but soil is full of microorganisms – it’s an incredibly complex ecosystem,” she says.

“By placing a layer of plastic over the soil you’re limiting those organisms’ capacity to receive oxygen and as the turf begins to break down, materials from the plastic will also leach into the soil, further disrupting the soil diversity.”

She says these effects are unlikely to be limited just to the turfed area, but would also have a knock-on effect on surrounding areas.Ìý

Robert Francis, professor of Urban Ecology & Society at King’s College London, adds that installing an artificial lawn provides less opportunity for plant species to grow spontaneously, and eliminates a food source for insects to eat or live on. Plus, he says if the underlying soil has been removed (which is often the case), the topsoil ecosystem is also removed, which means the soil further below is deprived of organic matter and nutrients.

“Research is ongoing to establish the extent of these impacts, including things like insect emergence, gas exchanges between the surface and soils underneath the artificial grass, and impacts on essential insects like bees (pollinators) that would rely on wildflowers like clover that are often found on living lawns, especially in urban areas,” he says.Ìý

While more research is undoubtedly needed, studies looking at synthetic turf fields have found poor soil health outcomes in turfed areas. The broader environmental effects of this haven’t yet been confirmed, but it is generally accepted that the greater the complexity and diversity in the soil microbiome, the more resilient the environment.

Connor suggests that a better alternative for people wanting to reduce lawn maintenance might be to replace lawn areas with ground covers and garden beds.Ìý

“If you have well-prepared garden beds and use the right plants, they will take very little effort to maintain,” she says.

Microplastics

Both Pfautsch and Connor also highlight the risk of microplastics entering waterways from artificial turf.

“If there are drainage issues and the water is draining unfiltered away from properties, there will be a real risk of exporting microplastics into the waterways,” says Pfautsch.

While the volume of microplastics released into the waterways from backyard artificial lawns hasn’t been studied, research into artificial sporting fields in Europe estimates that they lose about five to ten percent of their plastic fibres per year. It’s not known how much of this ends up in our waterways.

Plastic waste and carbon footprint

The plastic waste generated by artificial lawns is another area of concern. Although some lawns can last a lifetime, others may last only a few years – either way, they’ll eventually end up in landfill.Ìý

And while some turf companies claim that the environmental cost of producing an artificial lawn is balanced out by its lower maintenance requirements over its lifetime, the evidence says otherwise.Ìý

Preliminary studies have found that synthetic turf has a larger carbon footprint than natural turf when the entire manufacturing, installation maintenance and end-of-life disposal is taken into account. And the difference is even greater if you don’t recycle your lawn after it’s removed.

Runoff and flooding

Professor Francis says that although artificial grass might not have much effect on flooding at a local scale, if lots of gardens have their lawns replaced with artificial grass this may exacerbate the problems associated with runoff in cities.

“For urban drainage to work well, much of the rainfall should be absorbed by vegetation,” he explains.

“In urban areas where there are lots of impermeable surfaces like concrete and plastic and less vegetation, the runoff from rain can become a problem, because it means that lots of water flows directly into local waterways or drainage systems instead of infiltrating into the ground.

“This can lead to the drainage systems or rivers being overwhelmed, and flash flooding occurring.

“Studies have shown that the proportion of rainfall that runs off the surface of artificial grass is far higher than living grass – up to 60% in some cases, where the artificial grass fibres are particularly dense.”

Is there environmentally friendly artificial grass?Ìý

Some companies are working to produce “greener” alternatives to the 100% plastic lawns that are currently the norm in Australia.

Australian-owned and manufactured synthetic grass company All Seasons Synthetic Turf sells a turf that is made from 60% sugar cane.

“In Australia, we haven’t quite caught up with the move towards sustainability we are seeing within the industry in Europe,” says the company’s owner Steve Fellows.

“I expect we’ll be seeing more sustainable options entering the market within the next five years.”Ìý

Cost of artificial grass: DIY vs professional installation

The price of an artificial lawn can vary dramatically depending on the quality of turf you choose and how it’s installed. As a general rule, a professional installation can cost about twice as much as doing it yourself.

Professional installation of artificial turf for a 50m2 backyard could cost anywhere between $3750 and $6500 in total. Installers will charge about $55–$60 per square metre depending on the difficulty of the job, so combined with the cost of the turf itself, you’d be paying about $75–$130 per square meter.Ìý

The cost of laying a 50m2 lawn yourself can range from around $1600 to $4500.

Installing an artificial lawn yourself is definitely cheaper, but it can be quite a complex and time-consuming job.

How to install fake grassÌý

Many turf retailers sell high-quality artificial turf directly to customers. You can also buy artificial turf from online stores (such as eBay) as well as Bunnings.

Here are the steps involved and rough costs:

• Buy the turf. A decent-quality artificial turf will cost about $20–$70 per square metre. This means the turf for a 50m2 backyard would cost $1000–$3500.
• Prepare the base. Although some DIY guides skip this step, the experts agree that to allow for proper drainage, you’ll need to create a level base using crushed rock and then a top layer of finer crushed stone or sand. The crushed rock for a 50m2 backyard would cost around $350 but you’ll also have to pay to have it delivered, or hire a truck or trailer to transport it yourself. You’ll also need to rent a vibrating plate/compactor ($64 per day*) to compact the rocks and create an even surface.Ìý
• Infill material will need to be spread on top of your grass once it’s been laid to keep the grass looking natural and to protect it from UV rays. Most manufacturers recommend using sand. You’ll need 5–15kg of sand for every square metre. You can buy 20kg bags for $10.30*.Ìý
• You’ll need joining tape ($23.56 for five metres*) to connect the pieces of turf.Ìý

*Example prices are from Bunnings.

Common pitfalls of DIY installations

Installing your artificial lawn yourself will undoubtedly save you money, but it can be quite a difficult process. Fellows says these are some of the most common pitfalls:

• Bad preparation: if the base layer isn’t compacted properly, it could lead to undulating turf and uneven ground. If it’s set too low or too high, it could look messy or have drainage issues.
• Poor fitting: if the lawn isn’t laid properly, you may see gaps around the edges or obvious joins. Joins can also come apart, meaning the turf can move around.
• Too little infill: if there isn’t enough infill, the lawn can move around or even blow away.

Although it may be worth doing it yourself if you only have a small area to cover, it’s probably worth investing in professional installation if you’re looking to install an entire backyard.

Do you need council approval to install artificial grass?

That depends. You’re free to lay artificial grass on your own property, but you may need to speak to your local council if you intend to install it over the council-owned nature strip or verge outside your home.Ìý

Some councils will let you, but others may limit the percentage of your verge that you can cover with artificial grass. Some councils may allow its installation only in certain circumstances and subject to certain conditions.

How to maintain your artificial lawn

Weekly

• Hose your lawn to remove dust and debris.

Monthly

• Sweep your grass against the grain to remove debris and keep your grass in an upright position.

As needed

• Remove any animal waste and hose down the area.
• If your lawn gets any spills, rinse down the area immediately to prevent stains.
• If your lawn shows signs of growing bacteria, use a solution of half water, half vinegar to remove spores from the area. (Bacteria growth should be rare in a well-installed artificial lawn.)

Remove weeds (particularly around the edges of the lawn) or apply weed killer three to four times a year to stop them growing.

Real life stories: What do owners of artificial grass think?

The post Should you get artificial grass? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose which tap timers we test
• How ÌÇÐÄVlog tests tap timers
• Our test lab

Here’s what our experts look at to help you find the best tap timers on the market.

Our expert testers

With over 30 years’ experience in gardening equipment, we’re proud of our expert testers. They’ve seen all types of garden tools come through the ÌÇÐÄVlog labs, but one thing never changes – they need to do their job well. We focus on the basics so that you can buy with confidence, knowing the garden equipment you buy will work well when it comes time to use it.

How we choose which tap timers we test

Why do we choose one tap timer over another? There are a number of reasons for this, but our priority is to test what you’ll see in stores. That means that sometimes we might not cover a brand that sells directly, and instead focus on the big names that you’re most likely to see in your local Bunnings or Flower Power. How do we know what’s in retailers? We check current market figures to see what’s selling well. We’ll also include models that you’ve requested – if a lot of members want it, we’ll test it.

Once we know what you want to read about, we buy the tap timers for our test from a variety of retailers, then bring them in as is. This means we get what you’d get, so we can be sure the results are what you’ll find rather than potentially ‘tweaked’ for better performance.

How ÌÇÐÄVlog tests tap timers

We use identical test conditions for each tap timer, with the same methodology and tester. We do this so the test results are consistent between tests. If you want to compare tap timer performance fairly, you have to use the same conditions for all of them.

We check ease of use primarily for tap timers, looking at the instructions for simplicity, how easy it is to set them up via an app, and whether they require complex timer arrangements or the manufacturer makes it as simple as possible.

We also test how easy the batteries are to replace, as all of the tap timers we’ve tested are either battery or solar powered. Finally we test the versatility of the timing arrangement so it’s as powerful as possible for both simple and complex usage.

At the end of our testing for ease of use, we put each tap timer through a six-month ageing process, exposing each one to high temperature and humidity conditions to see how they’ll cope under extreme conditions.

Our test lab

We maintain a lab that’s up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you accurate results that you can trust.

The post How we test tap timers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

When we throw things in the bin, we don’t often think about where they’ll end up. All we know is that the garbage trucks take them away – but where is this ‘away’?

More than one-third of household waste is made up of food. When this makes its way to landfill and starts to decompose, it produces methane – a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.Ìý

Reducing the amount of food we waste is a big undertaking, but one simple way you can reduce your environmental impact is to divert food waste from landfill by composting. Composting breaks down the food in a way that doesn’t produce methane, and gives you the benefit of beautiful, rich compost that you can use in your garden – it’s a win-win situation!

You might even find that setting up a composting system opens your eyes to the amount of food that gets wasted, and makes you rethink your next shopping list and the way you cook.

Composting basics

So you’ve got your food waste – now you just chuck it in a compost bin, right?Ìý

Well, not quite. Composting is a great way to dispose of food waste, but if you just chuck a bunch of food scraps into a bin, you’re going to end up with a stinky, slimy mess (and quite possibly an infestation of cockroaches and rats).Ìý

One of the keys to successful compost is a good balance of carbon and nitrogen. Sounds complicated, right? It’s honestly simpler than you might think.Ìý

Greens and browns

In the composting world, this ratio is referred to as a good balance of ‘green’ (nitrogen) to ‘brown’ (carbon).Ìý

Green materials are things that contain nitrogen, such as:

• lawn clippings
• fruit and vegetable scraps
• green leaves
• green weeds.

Brown materials are things that contain carbon, such as:Ìý

• shredded paper (not glossy paper)
• dried leaves
• straw
• cardboard.

Generally, you’ll need to keep the ratio of green to brown at about 1:1Ìýby weight, which is about 1:7 green to brown by volume.

Other essential elements

Composting isn’t as simple as throwing kitchen and garden waste into a compost bin and hoping for the best. Aside from ensuring a good balance of green and brown materials, you’ll also need a few other elements.ÌýÌý

Water –Ìýbut not too much

A dry compost bin or pile won’t break downÌý– but adding water can help. Regularly water your compost whenever you add to it.Ìý

But it’s important to get the balance right. Too much water will leave you with a stinky, soggy mess. “Moist but not wet” is a good rule of thumb. One way to test is to grab a handful and squeeze it – about one drop of liquid should come out.Ìý

Air

Composting is an aerobic process, which means that it needs air to work. A compost bin that isn’t aerated can smell really bad.Ìý

To introduce air, turn the compost with a garden fork or composting tool, or put garden stakes or pipes through the heap to allow the air in.Ìý

Things like twigs, leaves and shredded paper introduce air pockets into the compost, which will help aerate the mix. It’s especially important to add these to the bottom of the compost when you’re first starting out to allow for air flow.Ìý

Fresh soil

If you’re just starting out on your composting journey, you’ll need to add a bit of fresh soil or compost to the mix to get things started. Soil and compost already contain microbes, so adding them to your compost bin will help get the composting process started.Ìý

Things you didn’t know you could compost

So now you understand the basics, let’s take a look at some of the weird and wonderful things you can compost at home.Ìý

It’s important to note that a home compost system is quite different to an industrial composting system. An industrial system can handle all kinds of things that you wouldn’t typically put in a home compost system, such as meat, bones and dairy products. (Seasoned composters may be able to tackle these ingredients, but it’s not recommended for those new to composting.)

Here are some products you might not have considered composting.

Hair

You can add hair from all members of your household – human and animal alike! So once you’ve finished brushing your pets, trimming the kids’ hair or cleaning the humans’ hair brushes, pop the hair into the compost bin.

Beer and wine

It’s tempting to take the zero-waste principle seriously when it comes to alcohol, but if you do happen to find yourself with beer or wine left over, you can pour it into your compost bin. Apparently the yeast in these beverages can give your compost a nice boost.Ìý

And if you’re a keen homebrewer, the spent grains can also be composted. But this isn’t a task for the novice composter – if you’re not careful, you could end up with a slimy, smelly compost bin. You’ll need to add plenty of ‘browns’ and aerate well.Ìý

Kitty litter

Don’t worry – we’re not suggesting you empty the cat’s litter box into the compost!Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog staffer Andrea shared with us the unusual way she uses kitty litter: “We use newspaper-based kitty litter in the bottom of our parrot’s cage,” she says.Ìý

“When I clean it out the whole lot goes into our compost bin. Parrots drop a lot of food so it ends up being equal parts kitty litter, parrot pellet crumbs, vegie fragments and, er, guano.”

You can also compost straw bedding from other pets, such as rabbits, hamsters and the like.Ìý

Manure

As we saw in the example above, some pet droppings are suitable for composting. Manure from chooks, cows, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs and the like is all perfect for composting.Ìý

You can compost cat and dog poo, but it’s best to use a dedicated pet compost system – cat and dog faeces have parasites and pathogens that can make you sick. A regular home compost probably won’t kill these nasties.Ìý

Coffee grounds, coffee filters and tea bags

Yes, you can definitely caffeinate your compost! Just make sure you’re using tea bags and coffee filters that don’t contain plastic – and ideally look for tea bags that don’t have a staple.Ìý

Dryer lint

Regularly cleaning the fluff out of your clothes dryer is good practice, but what should you do with it once you’ve pulled it out? Compost it!Ìý

Vacuum cleaner dust

Whether you go bagged or bagless, the dust, hair and unidentifiable bits that get sucked up from the floor are generally great for your compost bin, as is the dust from sweeping the floor.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog TV expert Scott is cautious about adding dryer lint and vacuum cleaner dust to his compost, however.Ìý

“Other people have suggested that we empty the vacuum cleaner bag into the compost, but given that it must contain a fairly large quantity of microplastic from synthetic clothing, carpet, etc, I’ve never thought that that was a good idea,” he says.Ìý

Sugar cane mulch

As part of your ‘brown’ component, sugar cane mulch is a great choice. ÌÇÐÄVlog staffer Kathleen uses it for a specific purpose: “I usually add a layer of old sugar cane mulch on top of food scraps to keep the fruit flies at bay,” she says.

Paper towel

Good old kitchen paper towel is fine to put in your compost (with some caveats, of course) – it’s classed as brown waste.Ìý

“We compost our regular (recycled) paper towels from the supermarket, either in the garden compost bin or in the composting loo, and they do break down entirely with no apparent ill effects on worms, slaters, etc,” says one ÌÇÐÄVlog Community member.Ìý

Before you throw paper towel in the compost, though, consider what you’ve used it for. If it’s soaked with bacon fat, kerosene, paint or harsh cleaning products, pop it into your regular bin.Ìý

Old potting mix

Once your pot plants have been in soil for a while, the soil will become depleted of nutrients and you should re-pot in fresh potting mix to help keep your plants happy.Ìý

So what can you do with the spent potting mix? Chuck it in the compost, of course! Once it’s broken down, you can use the compost as potting mix again – a lovely way to close the loop.Ìý

Ash

If you’ve overdone the ‘wet’ or ‘green’ components of your compost (things like food waste), then the nitrogen level will be too high, which will make the mix acidic.Ìý

While garden lime and dolomite are commonly-known products to counteract the acidity, ash from a wood fire will also do the job. And it’ll save you adding more to your landfill bin!

Kombucha scoby

If you’ve jumped on board the ‘booch’ trend, you’ve probably found yourself with an abundance of scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) babies. If you’ve given away as many as you can but still have more than you know what to do with, you can pop them into your compost.Ìý

Eggshells

Once you’ve been bitten by the composting bug, you’ll never think about food waste in the same way again – and that includes food scraps like egg shells.Ìý

You’ll be pleased to know that eggshells are very welcome in your compost bin. They can take a while to break down, though, so it’s best to crush them before you compost them.Ìý

Egg cartons

If you want a waste-free way to consume eggs, you can also pop your egg cartons in the compost. Just tear them up a bit so they’ll break down faster.Ìý

Or you can donate them to someone who has chooks – and hope that they’ll return a carton full of eggs by way of thanks!

And the rest

These things are also compostable:

• natural fabrics – cotton, linen, silk, wool, bamboo
• old string/twine made of natural materials
• toilet paper rolls
• old herbs and spices
• sawdust
• dry pasta
• toothpicks
• wine corks.

The post Things you didn’t know you could compost appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Can you return plants for an exchange or refund?
• ÌÇÐÄVlog survey: Your experiences returning plants
• Should you return plants?Ìý
• Garden centre plant guarantees
• 9 tips for selecting a healthy plant

With people stuck at home through lockdowns and closures of state and international borders, many are reallocating savings and spare time to beautifying their homes and gardens.Ìý

This obsession with greening our homes is proving to be a ‘growth’ industry. According to IbisWorld, Australians spent $2.346 billion on trees, shrubs and plants in 2020–21.

But what happens if, despite your best efforts, your dreams of a fertile oasis turn into a nightmare, and you discover you’re less green finger and more brown thumb? Can you return dead plants for a refund or exchange?Ìý

Can you return plants for an exchange or refund?

There’s no hard and fast answer, it really depends on what the issue is and which retailer you bought it from.Ìý

“As is the case with any good or service, businesses aren’t obligated to offer a refund or exchange for any change-of-mind plant purchases,” says Alison Elliott, head of policy and government relations at ÌÇÐÄVlog.Ìý

“However, you are entitled to a refund or replacement if the item has a major failure, or if it has two or more minor failures that, had you been aware of, mean you would not have purchased the item.”

If your plant has failed to thrive and you’re reasonably confident it wasn’t because of what you did or didn’t do after purchase (such as follow the care instructions from the time of purchase), keep hold of the plant and contact the retailer within a reasonable period after the failure becomes apparent.Ìý

“The sooner the customer alerts the retailer of the issue with the plant, the better,” says Alison.Ìý

Some retailers (see Garden centre plant guarantees, below) may accept change-of-mind returns in addition to their obligations under the ACL. It’s worth checking the return policy of your local store before you buy.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog survey: Your experiences returning plants

We surveyed ÌÇÐÄVlog members and supporters* to ask them about their experiences of buying and returning plants.ÌýÌý

Around one in 10 respondents told us they’d tried to return a plant – with 9 in 10 of those successfully obtaining a refund or replacement. The most common reasons for the returns were that the plant had died (51%) or failed to establish/thrive (32%).Ìý

“Bunnings have always been excellent in replacing or refunding dead plants,” says one respondent. “In some cases it was my own fault with overwatering, other times it was for no apparent reason. If I provided a receipt, there were no questions asked regarding replacement.”

Another comments: “Even though [Bunnings] have refunded us on a number of occasions, the staff have been very sceptical when doing so, which makes us feel uncomfortable.”

One respondent has had mixed results, depending on where they shopped. “Bunnings [guarantee] their plants, very happy. Mitre 10 was very difficult to return or get them to accept liability. Local florist said plant problems were my fault and accepted no liability.”

Most respondents (89%) had never tried to return a plant. Some say that’s because they had no idea it could be an option. “I have never tried to return a plant!” says one. “Good idea, though. I always assume that failure to thrive is my fault.”

*A total of 1242 Voice Your Choice members and supporters across Australia took part in our survey, which we carried out in July 2021.

Should you return plants?Ìý

Just because a garden centre or nursery may refund you if your maidenhair fern has passed over into the plant afterlife, should you go to the bother of returning it?Ìý

Many respondents were adamant that it isn’t the responsibility of the retailer to issue a refund, with comments including “I don’t believe it’s ethical to return plants as the outcome of the health of the plants generally depends on the knowledge of the purchaser”, and “I think it would be most unfair to expect a nursery to give a refund for a plant that may have been chosen, without regard to the soil type, hours of sunlight needed, amount of protection from severe weather needed.”

Several people commented that they themselves would likely be to blame for any plant deaths, and didn’t think it was fair to expect a seller to refund them for their mistakes.Ìý

“I think that in the vast majority of cases, a plant failure would be down to the gardener i.e. me!” says one respondent. Another comments: “I don’t return plants. I’m not a gardener, so the reason a few plants have died is more than likely my fault and has nothing to do with the quality of the plant.”

However, others say they’d be more likely to try to return a plant if there was an obvious issue with it, such as if it was root bound.Ìý

Plant doing poorly? Get advice from the storeÌý

Many people commented on the difficulty in being able to know – and prove – that a plant died through no fault of their own.Ìý

Many of the garden centres we spoke to say it’s down to common sense – if you’re not happy with the plant’s performance, come in and have a chat about what your options are. In most cases, trained staff will be able to identify the problem and provide advice on where you’re going wrong.Ìý

And if you’re prone to user error, before you buy, ask for help selecting the right plant for your growing conditions and get advice on how to care for it properly.ÌýÌý

Keep receipts and proof of purchase

You’ll need a receipt or other proof of purchase if you want to make any type of return, but many respondents insist this is easier said than done – especially if you’re making a return months later.Ìý

If you’re concerned you might lose your proof of purchase, or that a receipt might fade over time, the ACCC suggests you “keep receipts in a safe, dry place and take a copy or photo of them if you are worried about fading. You can also use the ACCC Shopper app for storing receipts.”

Some stores may also email you a receipt.

Garden centre plant guarantees

We compared the return policies for six of the biggest garden supplies retailers in Australia by market share, according to .

(Note: Not all of the retailers listed below have stores in every state, as the industry is typified by small-scale operators.)

Bunnings

As long as you have your receipt, the home improvement giant will let you return your plant (in or out of a pot) to any branch for a refund or exchange for up to 12 months.

However, there are some exceptions. The policy “excludes seedlings, which include flower and vegetable seedlings as well as potted colour (bloomers), [which] are short-lived plants that are not expected to live for more than 3–5 months in the garden.”

Mitre 10 and Home, Timber & Hardware

Most branches are independently owned, so there’s no standard returns policy that applies to all stores in addition to their obligations under the ACL.Ìý

However, a spokesperson confirms all stores will work with a customer on a case-by-case basis if there are any issues, and reiterates the importance of talking to staff about how to care for a plant and what type of growing conditions it needs so that you get the right product in the first place.

Australian Native Landscapes

Huw Martin, Australian Native Landscapes (ANL) group retail manager, says that in most, but not all, cases ANL will accept change of mind refunds or exchanges (with proof of purchase) as long as the plant is unused and in resellable condition.Ìý

If you’re having issues with a plant’s performance, bring it into one of their nurseries where a trained horticulturalist will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis.

Diaco’s Garden Nursery

Diaco’s will exchange your item for a credit note if returned within seven days with the original receipt. The credit note is valid for three years.

Flower Power

Flower Power may issue a voucher (with proof of purchase) for change of mind purchases if the product is unused and in saleable condition.

Waldecks Garden Centres

“Waldecks has had a Plant Back Guarantee in place since the company was established in 1968, and we would never hesitate to replace a plant should it not thrive at home, especially as we grow the majority of our greenstock at our own growing nursery and absolutely guarantee the quality of our products,” says Sophie Gallop, brand manager at Waldecks Garden Centres.Ìý

“We see this as an opportunity to help our customers gain knowledge and become better gardeners through education about why their plant may not have thrived, through consultation with our trained horticultural team.Ìý

“Our Plant Back Guarantee is valid for 12 months from purchase, and proof of purchase must be shown. We are more than happy to offer an exchange or credit note for change-of-mind purchases, provided the plant is returned in a saleable condition within seven days from purchase, again with proof of purchase.”

9 tips for selecting a healthy plant

Tim Farrugia, qualified horticulturalist at Burbank House & Garden on NSW’s Central Coast, shares his advice on picking the best plant for your home.Ìý

1. Bigger isn’t always betterÌý

“It’s not always best to choose the biggest of the bunch as they may have been sitting in the nursery for much longer and you run the risk of it potentially being root bound.”

2. Check if it’s root bound

“An easy trick to check if a plant is too root bound is to give the pot a slight squeeze. If there’s no give at all, it potentially shows the roots have taken up all the space in the pot.”

But a pot that’s full of roots isn’t always a terrible thing, says Farrugia.Ìý

“Plants like lavender have vast root systems and quickly fill a pot to the brim. Give them a good soak before planting, take them out of their pot and give the roots a good tease or even cut with a sharp knife to get them out of the pot shape. Water thoroughly after planting.”

3. Take a closer look

Farrugia says to check the plant for any pests and diseases. “A plant with lots of dead foliage, particularly close to the stem down low, can indicate stress or that it’s been poorly looked after.”Ìý

4. Consider its position

“To minimise shock, pick your plants from a nursery that has their plants in a similar position to where you want to plant it at home (i.e. full sun),” he says.

“There’s no point buying plants that have been growing in the shade if you wish to plant them straight into a full sun position as there’s a strong likelihood of them burning, particularly in summer.”

5. Read the plant labels

“These will tell you which plant suits your situation. If you’re not sure, chat with the staff to see what they recommend.”Ìý

6. Plant outdoors plants ASAP

“My number one advice is to plant them as soon as possible, weather permitting (i.e. don’t plant on a 40℃ day),” Farrugia says. “If your plants are sitting in the sun waiting to be planted, they can dry out. Once dry, they burn and die quickly after.”Ìý

7. But wait before repotting indoor plantsÌý

“Try to leave indoor plants in their original nursery pot to begin with and avoid potting indoor plants in the middle of winter –Ìýmany come from tropical climates and don’t enjoy being fiddled with in the cooler months.”Ìý

8. Pot size matters

When repotting, Farrugia advises to use pots that are only one or two sizes bigger than the original. “Any bigger and you risk the outermost potting mix staying damp for too long and rotting the roots.”

9. Add perlite

“A bag of perlite is always handy to have. I recommend adding a ratio of 1:5 perlite to premium potting mix for my indoor plants, depending on drainage needs.”

The post Can you return a plant if it dies or you’re not happy with it? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Cost-effective vegetables
• How composting works
• Organic pest control options
• Inner-city gardening
• Contacts and guides to get you started

ÌÇÐÄVlog member Matt De Britt estimates his mini-farm on the NSW Central Coast has saved him and his wife $1800 a year in fresh vegetables and eggs. And while not everyone has the kind of backyard space for a self-sustaining vegetable patch with a chook pen, you may be surprised at what you can do with the space you do have.

Cost-effective vegetables

When choosing what to grow, have a plan and research which plants will work for you and your area. It’s a good idea to start with seasonal planting – a gardening calendar will help you work out which vegetables and fruits grow in which months, and when to harvest depending on where you live. Succession planting, or staggering the sowing of your seeds, will ensure a continuous supply of vegetables (instead of them all coming in at once!).

Tips for choosing cost-effective fruit and vegetables

• Grow plants that give multiple crops and are high yielding. For example, a bean seed will give you many crops over a season, whereas planting a cauliflower will just give you one pick and can take four months to mature.
• Choose crops that grow quickly such as radishes, lettuces and spinach. It means you can turn over what you’re growing very quickly.
• Grow plants with long yields such as green leafy vegetables like perpetual spinach and silver beet. Heirloom varieties of fruit and vegetables also tend to have longer yields, maximising your harvest.
• Choose crops that aren’t too resource-intensive to grow (for example use a lot of water) and that are less susceptible to pests, such as an heirloom variety.
• Choose vegetables that you like to eat, that can be easily stored or preserved, and that are expensive to buy at the shop.

Some of our picks for the most cost-effective vegetables to grow are:

• Herbs last longer on the plant. Having them on hand is a great way to save on buying a fresh bunch every time you need just a small amount.
• Lettuce can be expensive to buy and it doesn’t take long for it to go bad. Cut-and-come-again varieties will save you from wasting food, as well as make your salads more nutritious and delicious. Sprouts are also easy to grow indoors.
• Cherry heirloom tomatoes can be as much as $7 at the supermarket so growing your own is a good option. Cherry tomatoes also grow quicker than the larger varieties so there is less time for them to be eaten by bugs. Heirloom varieties will also have longer yields.
• Climbing beans are great for small spaces and give multiple crops.

How composting works

Composting is a way of recycling your organic waste – such as vegetable scraps and leaves – by mixing them in a compost bin and leaving them to break down naturally. The end product is a brown-black substance that looks like soil and is rich in nitrogen.

It’s a great way to improve your soil, as it helps build structure and retain moisture and provides nutrients for all types of soils. Local councils often run free composting workshops, which are good for getting started.

Composting tips

• If your compost bin smells, add more dry material such as newspapers or leaf litter.
• Avoid meat scraps, as they attract vermin.
• To accelerate the composting process, add air by turning it over with a fork.
• For those who are space-poor but still want to take advantage of the fertiliser available to you in your food scraps, try a worm farm or bokashi bucket.

Worm farms

Worms decompose organic matter into worm castings which gives soil a nutrient surge. You can make a farm by using polystyrene boxes (instructions are on the internet or check with your local council) or buy one from your local council or hardware store.

Keep the farm in a cool, dry space. You can add everything, from banana peel to eggshells, but not citrus and onions as they’re too acidic for the worms, and do not add meat or twigs.

Bokashi buckets

By placing your kitchen scraps into these airtight containers and using a bokashi mix that contains micro-organisms, the food waste ferments. Food waste reduces in volume and bokashi juice, or fertiliser, is produced. The remaining food waste can then be buried in garden beds. Bokashi buckets can be kept indoors.

Chickens

If you’re really keen and have the space, keeping chickens is a way of getting fresh eggs every morning as well as using up food scraps.

If you keep chooks, leave their manure out to dry or put it into a compost bin along with kitchen scraps and leaf litter, so it breaks down into organic, nutrient-rich matter. You’ll need to check with your local council if you can keep chooks in your area.

If you’re not sure chickens are right for you, try renting them. See in QLD or NSW. You will get the whole package – a coop, two hens, organic feed, a waterer, food and straw – but will be given a deadline to decide if it’s right for you. When we looked at pricing previously it cost $430 upfront, which includes a $330 deposit that will be returned if you decide not to keep the chooks.

Organic pest control options

Companion planting, or growing complementary plants near each other, acts as a natural pest control.

• Planting tomatoes and basil together is said to help protect the tomatoes as the basil’s powerful scent repels aphids.
• Grow climbing beans at the base of a sweet corn stalk. The corn’s stalk will support the climbing beans while the beans’ roots will transfer nitrogen from the air into the soil where it’s needed by the sweet corn.
• Onions and carrots boost the productivity of the soil beds as the roots of both plants use the nutrients at different soil levels. The pungent smell of onions is said to confuse pests drawn to carrots.
• Crop rotation, or rotating what you grow in your garden bed, also helps break the breeding cycles of pests and soil diseases.

Persistent garden pests can be controlled with homemade organic pesticides, such as ground chilli, garlic or coffee mixed with soap water. For snails, beer traps, sawdust or crushed egg shells are helpful, but often the best remedy is simply to pull them off yourself.

Pyrethrum is a natural insecticide that comes from the flower of the pyrethrum plants (related to the chrysanthemum) and is commonly used to kill aphids. Be careful if you’re making your own pyrethrum pesticide: it can cause allergic reactions until it breaks down under sunlight. You can also make your own white oil – for getting rid of scale and aphids – by mixing sunflower oil in diluted dishwashing liquid.

Inner-city gardening

For those living in the city, or an apartment, and are constrained by space, there are some options.

No-dig gardens

One option for city gardeners who have a small yard, or none at all, is the no-dig garden. The above-ground garden is created by laying newspapers, hay, fertiliser and compost until you achieve a raised garden bed. The organic matter rots down into a nutrient-rich soil. The idea is to create good soil content on any surface; you can even create a no-dig garden using just a planter box on your apartment balcony.

For small spaces, it’s good to choose plants that give you multiple crops from the same plant as well as climbing crops to maximise the vertical aspect. For example, climbing beans with leafy greens below and carrots underground maximises the use of the garden bed.

Community gardens

There are also more and more community gardens springing up. These are on public land and anyone can join to grow, maintain and harvest vegetables, fruits and flowers. Check with your local council or online to find your nearest one.

Generally, each garden has a communal plot as well as individual allotments, for which you’ll usually pay more in membership fees, ranging from $15 to $100 a year. At most community gardens, members work together and share harvests, but each garden has its own unique culture.

At the Angel Street Permaculture Garden in Newtown, NSW, interested members are taken on a formal tour of the garden and its culture before they join the group. The Veg Out community garden in St Kilda, Victoria, has a more informal approach to new members, who simply have to register, turn up and help out for three working bee days.

You can also connect to a wide range of resources, from seed distributors to farmers’ markets, through a community garden. Veg Out, for example, organises a farmers’ market on the first Saturday of every month.

Contacts and guides to get you started

Where you can keep up with news and events on community gardens.

One of the oldest and largest gardening suppliers in Australia. The 30-year-old organisation sells, online or by mail order, a large range of heirloom seeds for vegetable, herbs, fruits and flowers. There are free online articles, and check out its free seed catalogue Garden Annual to find out how to grow what and when, such as different species of potatoes, tomatoes and corn. Members receive quarterly catalogues and discounts on seeds.

The online version of the ABC TV program is an indispensable and practical online guide for gardeners. You can find everything from how to make a no-dig garden to how to make your own organic pesticides and fertilisers.

Local networks of gardeners who save and exchange their seeds for free to promote diversity and preserve local varieties of useful plants.

An easy-to-understand guide for beginners, and has details on how to grow anything from beans to zucchini.

One of the oldest gardening guides in Australia. Now in its 43rd edition, it was written in 1895 by Arthur Yates, who had left the UK to escape the damp weather, when he saw the need for a basic publication that answered gardeners’ questions.

The post How to start your own vegetable garden appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

With the right equipment and some out-of-the-box thinking, you can create a backyard oasis so lovely that you won’t want to leave home regardless.Ìý

1. Bring the restaurant home

We’ve all missed coffee catchups and long lunches out with friends during lockdown. But even though things are opening up, there are a few appliances and services that can bring the restaurant experience to your home.Ìý

Espresso yourself

Quality home-delivered food has really come into its own during lockdown, but there’s still one thing that doesn’t travel well: coffee. While many of us still make a daily pilgrimage to our local café, you can make the trip even shorter by having a coffee machine in your kitchen.Ìý

The coffee machine market caters to all kinds of people seeking a caffeine fix – from those who just want a quick cup at the press of a button, all the way through to coffee connoisseurs who want control over every step of the process.Ìý

If you’re new to the world of at-home coffee, the vast array of options can be overwhelming. A great place to start your journey is our guide to how to buy the best coffee machine. This will walk you through automatic, manual, pod and capsule machines, plus which features to look for.Ìý

If you’re on the fence about whether it’s a good investment, we’ve weighed up the pros and cons (financial and otherwise) for you: Is it worth buying a home espresso machine?Ìý

Drinks on the double

If you can’t get out to your favourite cocktail bar, have someone bring the booze to you.Ìý

Services such as Jimmy Brings and Tipple can drop a chilled six-pack or your favourite spirit to your door in a matter of minutes.Ìý

Want to know which one will bring you Pinot pronto? We’ve compared six fast alcohol delivery services that’ll help you keep the holiday vibe going without having to leave the house.Ìý

Add some sparkle

There’s something about having a glass of sparkling water on hand that makes an at-home lunch feel a little more like a restaurant meal. And fizzy water is the perfect base for a range of delicious cocktails and ‘mocktails’ (alcohol-free) for your holiday at home.Ìý

Besides saving you money on store-bought sparkling water, a soda maker can also reduce the amount of waste you create, since you can reuse the bottles. And it’ll save you having to lug heavy bottles home from the supermarket!

Some machines let you adjust the carbonation to create the perfect amount of fizz, and since you’re in control of what goes in, you can whip up healthier soft drinks for the kids.Ìý

We’re in the process of testing soda makers to help you get the best bubbles for your buck. Watch this space for our review!

Delicious deliveries

Give yourself a holiday from grocery shopping and cooking with food boxes and prepared meal services.Ìý

There are plenty of options, from step-by-step cooking through to simple heat-and-eat dishes, so whatever your energy level or cooking skill, you’ll be covered.Ìý

Which ones get a chef’s kiss from ÌÇÐÄVlog? Find out in our food box and prepared meal services review.Ìý

If you’re more interested in hot food straight to your door,Ìýwe’ve also compared food delivery service apps including Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Menulog.Ìý

2. Get the right gear

You won’t be able to relax in your sun lounger if all you can see is leaves in the pool and unmown grass. The right equipment will have it sorted out in no time, so your backyard will feel more like a resort than a jungle.Ìý

Perfect your pool

A subpar pool cleaner will not only cost you money (because you’ll have to run it for longer), but it’ll also cost you time, since you’ll need to scoop the leaves out manually.Ìý

If you’re starting with a pool that looks like a swamp, you will need to do some work to start with, and then you can let the pool cleaner get to work while you sit back with a cold drink.Ìý

At the cheaper end of the market, you can opt for an easy-to-install suction cleaner. They do require a bit more effort from you, as you’ll need to empty the skimmer box and scoop debris from the surface of the pool.Ìý

Robotic cleaners will set you back at least $1000, so make sure you research thoroughly before you buy. They tend to experience fewer stoppages and blockages than suction cleaners, but you will need to put them in and take them out of the pool in between cleans.Ìý

Pressure cleaners can be expensive to retrofit, so look for other options if your pool doesn’t already have one.Ìý

As with all products, don’t assume that expensive equals better. Our experts found that some suction cleaners outperform robot cleaners costing twice as much.Ìý

If you’re head’s swimming from all the info, read our guide to buying a pool cleaner to help make things crystal clear.Ìý

Make your lawn luscious

There’s something deeply satisfying about looking out across your backyard after you’ve taken care of the lawn. But if you want a perfectly manicured lawn, you’ll need the best mower and lawn trimmer.Ìý

But should you go with petrol, battery or electric? There are pros and cons to each, so have a think about your particular requirements before buying. A good place to start your research is our guide to buying the best lawnmower.Ìý

Whether you call it a strimmer, weed whacker or whipper snipper, you’ll need a good lawn trimmer to complement your mower: read ourÌýline trimmer buying guideÌýfor our top tips on choosing the right whipper snipper for your needs.Ìý

And if you’re not having any luck with your lawn, you might be asking yourself:ÌýShould I get artificial grass?ÌýWe’ll give you the lowdown on how to have a lawn that doesn’t need mowing, watering or fertilising.Ìý

Throw another shrimp on

If you’re a fan of dining alfresco, a good BBQ is a must-have. And as the weather warms up, you can keep your house cool by taking the cooking outside instead of raising the temperature indoors with your oven.

If your barbecue has been neglected since last summer, give it a solid clean well before you want to fire it up. Our guide to cleaning your barbecue will help you get it sparkling clean in time for the first barbecue of the season.Ìý

If you’re looking for barbie inspiration, think outside the box. You can use your barbecue to cook up more than just chops and sausages: here are some tips for food you didn’t know you could cook on your BBQ. If you’re feeling adventurous you can even cook up Christmas lunch on the BBQ.Ìý

3. Create some ambience

These little finishing touches will really help you get into holiday mode.Ìý

Fire it up

While we’re still waiting for the weather to warm up, a fire pit is a great way to enjoy the outdoors without getting a chill. And who doesn’t love toasting marshmallows?Ìý

They cost anything from $50 to more than $2000 and come in a range of shapes, sizes and fuel types.Ìý

Here’s how to choose an outdoor fire pit.Ìý

Get growing

Whether you’re an avid gardener or an enthusiastic newbie, it’s comforting to know that some retailers offer refunds and returns on plants that don’t make it – within reason, of course.Ìý

When we asked ÌÇÐÄVlog members and supporters about their experiences buying and returning plants, only one in 10 told us they’d tried to return a plant – but of those, nine in 10 successfully got a refund or replacement.Ìý

If you don’t think it’s your fault that a plant has died or failed to thrive, you could try your luck asking for a refund or replacement. We asked garden centres about their plant guarantees to help you shop with confidence. Read more at Can you return plants?

Bring the noise

You’ve kicked your shoes off, got a drink in hand, dinner sizzling on the barbie and the lawn looking pristine. What’s missing?Ìý

Whether you’re having a party or just chilling by yourself, having a soundtrack can really make the experience.Ìý

When you’re outdoors, wireless speakers can help you take your tunes with you. We’ve reviewed more than 80 wireless speakers from brands including Bang & Olufsen, Bose, Marshall, Sony and more to save you from tinny-sounding speakers.Ìý

If you’re a movie buff or have kids to entertain, you can take a trip to the cinema without leaving home if you have a great home-entertainment system.Ìý

Sounds expensive, right? Not necessarily. We’ve compiled a list of budget buys for your home entertainment system that’ll get you set without breaking the bank.Ìý

The post Three ways to spruce up your home for a stay-at-home holiday appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose which kitchen caddies to review
• How we review kitchen caddies
• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating

Here’s what our experts look at to help you find the best kitchen compost caddies on the market.

Our expert testers

Experts in the ÌÇÐÄVlog labs have many years of experience across a range of laboratory disciplines and product areas. When testing kitchen caddies we use a mixture of food scraps found in a typical home kitchen.

How we choose which kitchen caddies to review

With so many kitchen caddies to choose from, we can’t review them all. While an ice cream tub can do the trick, we’ve chosen dedicated kitchen caddies to see how they fare. These may come with features such as air vents, carbon filters, hinged lids and carrying handles.

We’ve chosen models that come in different materials and shapes, and check that they’re available at a range of retailers.

How we review kitchen caddies

Kitchen caddies are designed to hold food scraps before they go into your home compost or council organics bin (if your area offers this service), keeping it separate from other household rubbish. We score them on performance and ease of use, and give them an overall ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating.

Performance

We half-fill the kitchen caddies with the same composition of food scraps (such as pungent ingredients including onions, garlic and spices, and ‘wet’ scraps like tomatoes or juicy fruit scraps). We then leave the lids closed for three days. After that, we assess the smell while closed and whether there are any pests surrounding the unit. We then open the lid and check for pests and smells, as well as mould.

The units are topped up with more food scraps and assessed after a further four days. We then repeat the test using the same criteria, and empty food waste into a suitable compost system.

Caddies with no smells or pests will score excellently for performance, while models with bad smells and many pests will score very poorly.

Ease of use

We assess general use and ease of cleaning, and weight both attributes equally.

General use includes:

• how much space it takes up on the benchtop
• weight
• handle comfort
• ease of using the lid (including if it can be operated one-handed)
• ease of adding waste
• ease of emptying contents.

Cleaning includes:

• whether the caddies can fit in a standard sink
• whether there are crevices where food can accumulate
• whether the supplied filter (if available) holds onto smells and still smells after washing
• whether the bin is hand wash only or if can fit in a dishwasher.

ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating

This consists of performance scores and ease of use scores equally weighted. We recommend kitchen compost caddies that score at least 85%.

The post How we test kitchen compost caddies appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• How does the FoodCycler perform?
• Hidden costs: $300 a year
• Is the FoodCycler easy to use?
• What do I do with my EcoChips?
• Composting alternatives

Breville’s ‘The FoodCycler’ is a food disposal system that claims to reduce your household food waste by over 80% of its original volume, turning it into odourless, nutrient-rich ‘EcoChips’.

It aims to minimise the amount of household food waste going into landfill each week, in turn reducing your contribution to greenhouse gas production.

We tested it with a range of food waste to see if it lives up to its claims and whether it’s a viable alternative to other composting methods.

Spoiler alert: we were so unimpressed, we gave the Breville FoodCycler a Shonky Award.

How does the FoodCycler perform?

The FoodCycler has a collection bucket that sits inside the unit that you fill with food waste. It operates in three cycles to pulverise and dehydrate the waste:

1. Drying cycle (60–100 minutes)
2. Grinding cycle (4–6 hours)
3. Cooling cycle (less than 30 minutes).Ìý

We did three tests of the FoodCycler.

In the first test we combined celery leaves, onion skins, bacon rinds, coffee grounds and eggshells. The total processing time was just over 4 hours with an 88% reduction in waste volume.Ìý

In the second test we added celery pulp and leaves. Due to the amount of moisture in the bin, the processing time was 7 hours and 40 minutes, again with an 88% waste volume reduction.Ìý

For the third test we used a combination of avocado skin, chicken bones (hard bones such as beef, lamb and pig bones are not recommended), watermelon skin, coffee grounds and eggshells. It was left overnight for processing and resulted in an 85% waste volume reduction.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog tip: If you’re adding high moisture foods they should be mixed well with other foods so the end product doesn’t get stuck to the bottom and fail to process properly. It’s also important not to pack food down since overfilling can cause a jam.

What can’t go in the FoodCycler?

Not all food can be put into the FoodCycler. You can’t process:

• hard bones (such as beef, lamb and pig bones)
• candy or gum
• cooking oils or grease
• hard pits (like those in peaches, apricots and nectarines), nuts and other hard shells
• hard fruit and vegetable leaves (like those on a pineapple).

Hidden costs: $300 a year

The Breville website states “with low energy usage and quiet operation, the FoodCycler can fit neatly in any location”. Unfortunately, we don’t believe any of these statements ring true.Ìý

Most concerning are the yearly costs associated with running the unit. Based on our performance tests and running the unit seven times a week, the FoodCycler will cost you $86 in energy each year.Ìý

But the annual spend doesn’t stop there. The largest yearly cost is replacing the filters.Ìý

The two ‘EcoFilters’ used to filter any odours need replacing every 3–4 months, costing $159.80 each year to replace. The separate bucket lid carbon filter needs replacing every six months, costing $63.20 a year.Ìý

That’s an additional yearly cost of $223 for replacement parts.Ìý

In total, that’s more than $300 a year for parts and energy costs – or $2000 over five years.

Is the FoodCycler easy to use?

Controls

The FoodCycler’s controls are easy to use and it’s easy to follow the sequence of cycles. The unit beeps on completion and turns off at the end of the cooling cycle.Ìý

Agitators

The agitators inside the bucket can trap the EcoChips so you’ll need to manually turn the agitator to release the chips, which can be messy.

Size

The FoodCycler is a large unit that can take up considerable space on your kitchen bench. And despite its large footprint, the collection bucket that sits inside and holds your food scraps is small (just 2L capacity) and may only accommodate waste from the meal of just 1–2 people.Ìý

Noise

It’s fairly quiet to run – until you hear its intermittent high-pitched sounds.Ìý

According to our kitchen expert Fiona Mair, “The sound the FoodCycler produces while it’s running was so annoying that we had to move it out of the kitchen lab while we were waiting for the cycle to finish. You just can’t deal with a noise like that for the 4–8 hours it takes to get through a cycle.”

Cleaning

In terms of cleaning, the collection bucket can be rinsed under water and if there’s any built-up residue on the base, you can run a cycle with only citrus peels to clean it. The exterior is easy to wipe over.

Filters

The filters are easy to replace.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog tip: Any spills that fall inside the FoodCycler can be damaging, so it’s best to leave the collection bucket out while adding food to avoid spillage inside the unit.

What do I do with my EcoChips?

The resulting EcoChips can be discarded in your bin or garden, and they should be incorporated as part of the topsoil (not just surface applied).Ìý

According to Breville’s instructions, you have to wait 90 days before using the EcoChips on soil you grow food in to minimise potential health risks.Ìý

So unlike simple composting, you need to keep the output of the FoodCycler around for three months in some cases before they’re useful.

Composting alternatives

When food waste goes into landfill, methane gas is released – a greenhouse gas more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide. So, composting is a great idea.Ìý

By mixing your organic waste in a compost bin and leaving it to break down naturally, the end product is a great way to improve your soil and more importantly, reduce the amount of waste going into landfill.

But Fiona doesn’t rate Breville’s the FoodCycler as a composting solution.

“If you’re someone who is environmentally conscious and looking for an easy way to compost your food scraps, this is one of the poorest choices you could make.” she says.Ìý

“Each cycle takes about 4 to 8 hours, and due to the device’s small capacity you can really only fit about one meal’s worth of scraps in there at a time. This means that there are significant running costs associated with the FoodCycler.”Ìý

Here are some other ways to compost that you might like to consider.

Bokashi bucket

If you live in an apartment or have limited outdoor space but still want to do your part to reduce the amount of food waste going into landfill, a bokashi bucket is a great alternative to electric composting. It’s an airtight container that can be kept indoors.Ìý

You’ll need a bokashi mix that contains microorganisms, but then the kitchen scraps you put into the container ferment and reduce in volume to produce bokashi juice (or fertiliser) which can then be buried in the garden.Ìý

You can compost most food waste in a bokashi bucket except for liquids (water, milk or fruit juice), paper and plastic wrap, or meat bones.

Worm farm

If you have a bit of outdoor space, a worm farm is another good alternative. Worms decompose organic matter into worm castings which give soil a nutrient surge.Ìý

You can make a farm by using polystyrene boxes or buying one from your local council or hardware store. It needs to be kept in a cool, dry space and you can add everything from banana peels to egg shells.Ìý

Just don’t add too much citrus and onions as they’re too acidic, meat scraps and bones, dairy, and not too much coffee grounds or tea bags.

Compost bin

Alternatively, if you have a garden then a compost bin is the best option to create soil you can use in your garden. If you don’t have space to dispose of your bokashi waste, worm castings or food scraps, contact your local council to find a community garden. There are also community-run programs like ShareWaste where you can find nearby composts to take your scraps.

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Things to do

• Mow your lawn. If you have lots of lawn edges that need tidying up, need to trim along your fences or cut down any patches that have gone wild, you’ll need to use your line trimmer (or whipper snipper) first. If you have a very small yard, the line trimmer may be all you need, but for larger areas use your lawnmower for the rest. If you need to buy a lawnmower to tame your garden, check out our reports on the options for petrol, electric and battery, or if you have a huge yard, ride-on mowers.
• Trim your hedges. If your garden has hedges you’ll know how much of a chore it can be to keep them neat and tidy. And if you’ve let your hedges overgrow during winter you might need the help of a hedge trimmer to make the task ahead an easy one. If you have thick branches to cut through, you’ll need a powerful hedge trimmer with large tooth gaps. However, if it’s only leaves you need to trim, you can sacrifice on power.
• Water your garden. With the warmer weather fast approaching, it’s time to give your garden a nice watering. If you’ve got a long hose curling through your yard, or clumped up in a pile, you might want to tidy it up by investing in a retractable hose reel. Take a look at our buying guide to find out what to look for when buying one.
• Clean your driveway. If you haven’t cleaned your driveway in a while, you may be surprised by how much dirt and grime has built up on the surface. A pressure cleaner can work magic not only on your driveway, but on decking and other outdoor surfaces. Even your car tyres could benefit from a pressure clean every once in a while. Check our pressure cleaner reviews if you want to add one of these to your tool shed.
• Get into pruning. A good pair of secateurs will work wonders to keep your shrubs, trees and bushes tidy. Keeping your plants pruned also helps to promote flowering and fruiting.
• Blow away the mess. If you have a tree that likes to shed its leaves all over your lawn, you may be tired of taking out the rake to clean it all up. A blower vac is a convenient (but noisier and less environmentally friendly) way to clean up your lawn. It can even come with a built-in mulcher to turn the leaves and other bits into mulch for your garden or compost. Alternatively, if you have lots of sticks and cuttings to deal with, a garden shredder might be an option for you. It’ll turn it all into woodchips for mulching garden beds or adding to compost.

Green thumb

Is this the year to start your own veggie patch? Growing your own veggies can be extremely satisfying but you need to be able to give them the tender loving care they require. Our guide to growing your own veggies has some helpful tips to get you started.

Make a splash

Having a pool in your own backyard is great, especially when it’s sweltering and you want to take a dip to cool down. But if you have a pool, you’ll also know that cleaning and maintenance are vital to make sure you can get the most use out of it. A pool cleaner can help to keep a handle on grime and leaf build up. Take a look at our pool maintenance guide for tips on how to keep it clean.

Don’t forget to:

• Inspect your pool fence. Check for loose bars or panels and make sure the latching mechanisms for the gate operate smoothly. It’s law for pools to be fenced, inspected and registered for compliance. Our buying guide details what to look for. You can also check our pool fence reviews for the brands we recommend.

Crank up the barbie

With summer fast approaching, there’s no better time to prepare your barbecue for the entertaining ahead. Maintaining your barbie is important, not just so that it can cook a great steak, but for your safety too. Take a look at our guide to setting up and maintaining your barbecue.Ìý

If it’s time to trade in your barbecue for a new shiny model our buying guide will help you with what to look for, while our BBQ reviews will show you which models come out on top in our tests.

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