Fab Flowers Kyabram Florist & Nursery

22/08/2025

Join the revolution to regenerative gardening. Hear from the man himself Edible Gardens by Craig Castree Check our events for more info

🌱 Join the RegenEdible Revolution 🌱

If you haven’t joined the revolution yet, what are you waiting for?

A soil-first approach isn’t just about growing food — it’s about restoring the health of the planet, the climate, and ourselves. Every time we plant something, we take part in regeneration.

Through winter, I’ve kept planting every day — and it’s incredible to taste the difference. Veggies grown in soil that’s been fed with organic matter, rich in diversity, and free of synthetic fertilisers are bursting with flavour. They’re nutrient-dense, fresh, and alive in a way supermarket food simply can’t match. Picked and eaten straight away, there’s no nutrition loss. That’s real food.

💚 Whether you’ve got a big backyard, a small front garden, or just a few containers on the balcony, you can do this. Even in pots, you can nurture soil, grow companion plants, and fill your life with food that money can’t buy.

🌿 Simple practices like:
– Cutting weeds off at soil level instead of ripping them out, leaving the roots to feed microbes.
– Planting something new in every space to outcompete weeds and keep the soil covered.
– Growing for diversity — because diversity feeds the soil, the pollinators, and ultimately, you.

It all adds up to healthier soil, healthier food, and healthier people.

If you’d like to dive deeper, you’ll find plenty of practical advice in my books:

📕 Soil is Not a Dirty Word
📘 Edible Gardening Secrets
📙 Edible Gardens: A Practical Guide
📒 Plant Profiles
📕 Growing & Grafting Fruit Trees
📕 A Simple Urban Life

👉 Explore them here: www.craigcastree.com.au/shop

Let’s grow the revolution together — one seed, one garden, one community at a time. 🌍

Please share this post to inspire others to join us. 🌱

19/08/2025

Always wanted to grow a few lettuce and vege? Not sure where to start? Don't have enough space? No green thumb👍 Well Craig from Edible Gardens by Craig Castree will have the answers. 🤩 Craig is passionate about growing our food in our backyards, using soil health, regenerative, sustainable gardening.
🍅 Sunday 28th September * yep after the grandfinal.
🥦 1pm in our Nursery @ 262 Allan St Kyabram.
🌽Free event, but Craig will have his books available to buy.
🍋 Prizes. If you text 0400 565052 that you are coming you go in the draw for a copy of Craigs book Soil is not a Dirty Word and other prizes. *have to be there on the day to win.

14/08/2025

We share these articles to help you understand your environment better. 🙃Call me crazy but I love a good patch of dirt. The smell, the feel of the soil, so good. Have a dirty weekend, get gardening

Spring’s nearly here and everyone’s holding their seed packets like it’s a starter pistol for the growing season. But here’s the truth, nature couldn’t care less about our calendars.

We’ve been sold this tidy story for too long, four seasons, neat planting times, “sow in spring,” “harvest in summer.” But stand in the garden long enough and you’ll see it’s not like that at all. Seasons blur. There are tiny windows within the big ones, little shifts only the plants and seeds seem to notice. A week of warmth in late winter can set things moving. A cool spell in “spring” can slam the brakes. So what happens then?

And here’s the thing, seeds don’t guess. They know they’re alive, even when they look like a dry speck. Around and on them is an entire living community, microbes, fungi, bacteria, all talking, all sensing the world. They read the soil temperature, the moisture, the chemistry, the activity of other organisms. When the message is “It’s safe, go!” the seed respond and bang! Life begins..

Now picture what happens when you sterilise a seed. You’ve stripped away its ears, its eyes, its instincts. You’ve cut it off from the conversation. It’s like dropping a person in the middle of a desert with no sense of direction and telling them to “just grow!”

We do the same thing to ourselves. Somewhere along the way, we decided that life is better when it’s spotless. We bleach the benchtop, scrub the floors, sanitise the hands, all good in the right moment, but then we take it too far. We treat microbes as enemies. We stop kids from playing in dirt. We’re terrified of anything “unhygienic.” Oh no, don't touch that, you're gonna get sick, don't put that in your mouth (dirt) that's disgusting. and look at you, you're all filthy, covered in s* , go scrub yourself clean before you come near me.

And yet, for most of human history, we walked barefoot on the earth. Skin in the sun, bums in the breeze. No layers of fabric between us and the world. We didn’t just touch nature, we lived in it. And our bodies were in constant dialogue with it through those same microbes we now try to destroy.

When we cut ourselves off from that living network, we weaken it, and us. Because microbes don’t just “exist” hello! They run the place. They keep plants fed. They protect against disease. They recycle waste into life. Without them, the whole system collapses.

So if you want seeds to germinate, stop treating them like they're your mother's chinaware.. Give them living soil. Let the microbes do their job. Watch the weather, feel the earth, trust the seed to decide the timing.

And maybe, just maybe, we should do the same for ourselves. Less sterilising, more connecting. Less fear of dirt, more gratitude for it. Because the same network that feeds a seed is the one that’s kept us alive since the beginning. And it’s not going anywhere… unless we kill it. I think that's what you'd call self-destruction.

Maresi! 👍

12/08/2025

DILL. you want it...you need it...we got it😛 In the nursery with the seedlings. 👉Craig Castree is coming to Ky. Sunday 28th September 1pm

Dill – the herb that works double-time in your garden 🌿

Right now is the perfect time to get some dill growing. It’s easy to raise from seed, producing soft, feathery leaves on tall stems that can reach up to a metre high. You’ll start harvesting in as little as eight weeks — just remember, once dill starts flowering, leaf growth slows right down.

Like most herbs, dill thrives in full sun but will handle a bit of afternoon shade. Because it’s a tall, slender plant, it can blow over easily, so sow seeds near other plants that will give it some support.

And here’s where dill really shines — its flowers are a magnet for beneficial insects. Hoverflies, ladybugs, and tiny parasitic wasps (don’t worry, they won’t sting you!) will all come visiting. These insects help control pests naturally, meaning less work and fewer problems for you.

Letting dill flower also means you can save your own seed. Just allow the seed heads to dry on the plant, cut them, and hang them upside down in a paper bag. The seeds will drop in, ready to store in a glass jar for next season. Dill is also a generous self-seeder — plant it once and it’s likely to pop up again and again in your garden.

🌱 When to sow:
• Cold/Temperate climates: Aug–Apr
• Warm climates: Mar, Apr, Jun
• Hot climates: May

🌱 Companions: cabbage, coriander, fennel, tomatoes, broccoli, beetroot.

In a RegenEdible garden, dill isn’t just a garnish — it’s part of your pest management plan, your soil health toolkit, and your pollinator support network, all in one.

For more soil-first growing tips and plant profiles, grab my books:
📕 Soil is Not a Dirty Word
📘 Edible Gardening Secrets
📙 Edible Gardens: A Practical Guide
📒 Plant Profiles
📕 Growing & Grafting Fruit Trees
📕 A Simple Urban Life

Get them here 👉 https://craigcastree.com.au

Please share this post so we can help more people grow real food.

09/08/2025

Need some diversity today. We are Open from 10am to 1pm and have a great selection of vege and flower seeds and in seedlings on the shelf today are Brown onions, spring onions, cos lettuce, mix cut and come again lettuce, Broccoli, broccolini, silverbeet, baby spinach, Asian green which have pak choy wombok, parsley, oregano , snapdragons, petunias, and more . SAVE THE DATE SUNDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 🤩 CRAIG CASTREE IS COMING TO KY

🌿 Diversity is Nature’s Insurance Policy — And Your Garden’s Greatest Asset 🌿

In a truly thriving garden, diversity isn’t just a pretty mix of colours and textures — it’s the foundation of resilience, nutrient-density, and ecological balance.

Growing a wide variety of plants in your garden creates a buffet of benefits for your soil. Why? Because each plant brings with it a unique rhizosphere — a community of microbes that forms around its roots. These microbes don’t just stick to their own lane either — they share resources across plant families, strengthening the whole network.

🔬 The magic number? More than 4 or 5 plant families in one bed, and microbe populations begin to explode in both diversity and abundance. That surge in life means more necromass — the remains of microbes after they’ve lived their life — which directly boosts carbon in the soil and its ability to hold water.

But it’s not just about below the surface.

🌼 Flowering diversity above ground invites in an army of pollinators, beneficial insects, and natural pest predators. Some even pull double duty — laying eggs that hatch into composting larvae before emerging as adult allies. That’s ecosystem work in action!

🌳 No monocultures in nature — and none in a RegenEdible garden either. Diversity brings balance, protection, and abundance.

Start by planting variety. Fill every gap with purpose — flowers, herbs, leafy greens, deep roots, and ground covers. The more layers, the more life. The more life, the more nutrients. And the better your harvests will be.

📚 Want to learn more about building your garden into a self-sustaining ecosystem?

Grab a copy of my books:

📕 Soil is Not a Dirty Word
📘 Edible Gardening Secrets
📙 Edible Gardens: A Practical Guide
📒 Plant Profiles
📕 Growing & Grafting Fruit Trees
📕 A Simple Urban Life

All available at 👉 https://craigcastree.com.au/shop

Please share this post and help spread the word: diversity is the key to regenerative abundance. 🌏💚

06/08/2025

Yep beetroot is an all time fav. Roasted or pan fried in cubes or garden raw for your salad. Packed with goodness. 🌱🌷🌼 Nows the time to get planting. Detroit dark red, golden, bulls blood in seed stock. 🤩 Sunday 28th September CRAIG CASTREE is coming to Kyabram

04/08/2025

Now's the time to start sowing. Check out our seed range and start gettin' dirty. BTW Craig Castree is coming to Ky. Save the date Sunday 28th September in our nursery.

02/08/2025

August What can you plant? 🌱🌷
The mornings are still frosty but the sunny days are starting to stir some growth. In the nursery we have fresh stock in for planting now

Garden peas, Broccoli, silverbeet, baby spinach, mixed cut and come again lettuce, cos lettuce, brown onions, strawberries. Parsley, mint, dill, plus more.
Asparagus 2nd year crowns , rhubarb, potatoes numerous varieties, horseradish, raspberries . We have some larger Apollo tomatoes for the people who like to get an early tomato going and can protect it from the frosty and cold, yes they are out there.

Also our huge range of seeds has just been restocked fresh for planting or starting off your veggie babies.

23/07/2025

This is where to sprinkle any fertiliser on plants. Where the feeding roots are. 🌳🌳😀BTW Mark your diary Craig is coming to Kyabram on Sunday September 28th. Details to follow soon

Feeding Fruit Trees, the RegenEdible Way 🍎🌿

If you want great fruit, don’t start with the fruit — start with the soil.

Most backyard trees in Aussie gardens are growing in compacted, lifeless ground. No air, no microbes, no movement = no nutrition. And if your soil can’t breathe, your fruit trees can’t feed.

Instead of chucking on synthetic fertiliser and hoping for the best, try this:

👉 Aerate around the drip line — that’s the outer edge of the canopy where rain hits. Use a garden fork, step it in, give a gentle jiggle, and pull it out. Repeat every 50–75mm in a ring about two fork-widths wide. Move backwards so you don’t walk over your work.

👉 Leave your soil structure intact — don’t dig! This protects the fungal networks and mycorrhizae already working below.

👉 Feed the microbes, not just the tree. Broadcast sifted compost, worm castings, and if you’ve got it, a sprinkle of RegenEdible Superfood, (compost and worm castings mixed together). Water it all in with a diluted seaweed or fish emulsion to wake up the biology.

Your tree will pull nutrients as it needs them — the microbes do the rest. 🌱

🧠 No more junk food for trees. Synthetic fertilisers disrupt the “liquid carbon pathway” — that beautiful exchange between roots and microbes that builds nutrient-dense fruit and resilient trees.

💡 Companion plants like borage, comfrey, parsley, and yarrow around your tree also feed the soil, draw up deep nutrients, and keep the ecosystem thriving.

Fruit trees don’t need force-fed nutrients. They need partnership. And when we work with nature, not against her, the rewards show up season after season.

Want to learn more about growing nutrient-dense fruit the RegenEdible way?

📘 Growing & Grafting Fruit Trees for the Aussie Backyard
📗 Soil is Not a Dirty Word
📕 Edible Gardening Secrets and Plant Profiles
📙 A Simple Urban Life
📓 The Edible Garden Planner
📒 Seed Saving and Urban Self Sufficiency

All available at: https://craigcastree.com.au/shop

Please share this post — let’s grow change from the ground up. 🌏

18/07/2025

Want to learn how to grow your own food. Follow this fellow. Great information. Growing food is a lost craft but it doesn't have to be hard. We can help you too. 🌱Watch our page as we are bring Craig to Kyabram soon. 😀

17/07/2025

Yay it's Friday. Need to get out this weekend for a sunny stroll, then pop in for a visit to our little shop. Open till 1pm Saturday and Sunday.
Featured today...Airplants aka Tillandsia 🌱. Yep they just grow on air.

🌱 🧡

27/04/2025

I have never grown broadbeans so I think I will give them a go.
We have in stock Coles Dwarf seeds from Southern Harvest Seeds.

Broad Beans: Plant, Eat, Regenerate!

A lot of people turn their nose up at broad beans — and honestly, it’s no wonder. Years ago, they were new to Australian kitchens, and we just didn’t know how to treat them right. Overcooked, under-peeled — tough going!
But when you grow them fresh and pick them young, they’re a real treat — and in my backyard, they’ve earned their place.

There are plenty of beautiful varieties to choose from:
• Crimson and Chocolate Flowered for a splash of colour,
• Aquadulce with classic black-and-white blooms,
• Tripoli with extra-large pods,
• Coles Dwarf for windy spots,
• and Scarlet Cambridge with its stunning purple beans in green pods.

Broad beans (Vicia faba), or fava beans, love a good rich soil. Plant them from autumn right through to spring in most parts of Australia.
Here’s the trick:
• Choose a spot with well-drained soil and plenty of organic matter.
• Top it off with some biologically active compost — not synthetic fertilizers. (You’ll get too many leaves and not enough pods if you overfeed them.)
• Soak your seeds overnight in a weak biostimulant (1 teaspoon to 1L water) to give them a kickstart.
• Plant about 20cm apart.

I don’t plant them in boring rows. I group them in threes, tucked here and there around the garden — they hold each other up and look beautiful doing it.

From planting to harvest takes about four months. Once they start producing, you’ll enjoy a good couple of months of fresh, delicious beans.
Pick them young and tender and you can eat pod and all — no peeling needed. If you let them get bigger, you can still shell the beans for hearty meals.

Like all legumes, broad beans are little soil workers — pulling nitrogen from the air and feeding it back into the ground with the help of clever bacteria.
When they’re done, chop the tops off, leave the roots in place (they’re gold for the soil!), and compost the rest.

Ready to feed your soil and your family?
Grab a copy of Soil is Not a Dirty Word — your soil’s best friend — or my other books over at https://craigcastree.com.au/shop.

Let’s grow nutrient-dense food from the ground up.
Please share this with a fellow soil-lover!