Welcome to the Living Smart Program | Welcome to the Living Smart Program

#### Potter about your patio

Anne Gibson, the Micro Gardener - introduction to growing microgreens

It's the perfect time to get dirty. Dirty hands that is, by digging deep into some micro gardening on your patio, veranda, landing, balcony, courtyard or deck. Let's dip a toe (and a hand) into the wonderful world of small space gardening.

If you're a beginner or just want to get better at growing an edible garden, imagine growing healthy, healing foods you can enjoy every day, while reducing food waste and living more sustainably. With a little help, good planning and design - even in a small space, you can maximise your enjoyment with edible rewards.

"Micro gardening is the practice of intensively food 'farming' in containers and well-designed, small urban spaces. Micro gardens are designed to be highly productive; energy and space efficient; sustainable; affordable; and grown in healthy living soil." Anne Gibson

Sunshine Coast Libraries members have borrowed gardening items 103,933 times! While you're on the couch, check out the range of titles on eAudiobook and eBooks available through Libraries. Free access 24/7 with your library card.

Top Patio Plants to grow during lockdown

Herbs, basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, coriander, rosemary, dill and mint.
Tomatoes, for really sunny balconies. Keep them watered!
Greens, lettuce, spinach, kale and other leafy veg.
Beans and peas, broad beans, green beans, sugar snap peas in pots.
Capsicum and chillies, super colourful addition to the porch.
Carrots and other root veg, have a crack at growing some radish.
Zucchini and pumpkins, best for back deck gardening.
Garlic and onions, good old fashioned bulb veg for super stews and curries.

How to grow microgreens in a punnet

Dig into the12 valuable tips to grow healthy microgreens by Anne Gibson. Learn how to avoid your arch nemesis mould, how to reuse seed raising mix and more.

Anne gives a quick lesson on succession planting; leafy green varieties to sow, nutrients, harvesting and creating microclimates.

Follow this DIY illustrated tutorial to grow gorgeous garlic.

If you are new to the library join online.

First time downloading from our eLibrary? Just enter your membership details to access thousands of online material.

Gardening eMagazines

Libraries love these Australian gardening eMagazines

ABC organic gardener
Backyard and garden design ideas
Gardening Australia
Good organic gardening
Martha Stewart living
Mother earth news

Access 200+ of your favourite magazines including Woman's Day, Better Homes and Gardens, Australian Geographic, APC, Camper Austalia, Esquire and GQ. To get started using free eMagazines, download the RBDigital app, select Sunshine Coast Libraries and enter your member number and password.

Small space gardening eBooks

Libraries love these small space gardening eBooks

Urban gardening for dummies, The National Gardening Association
Shamanic gardening: timeless techniques for the modern sustainable gardening, Melinda Joy Miller
Indoor kitchen gardening: turn your home into a year-round vegetable garden with microgreens, sprouts, herbs, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers and more, Elizabeth Millard
Gardening for dummies: three eBook bundle. Growing your own fruit and veg for dummies, Composting for dummies and Storing and preserving garden produce for dummies, Geoff Stebbings
Grow a little fruit tree: simple pruning techniques for small-space, easy-harvest fruit trees, Ann Ralph

How to search for titles in eBooks

Go to the eLibrary, Books, Comics page.
Scroll down the page to the Search eBooks section.
Enter the title of the book and tap the search icon.
When you have found the title you want to borrow. View Availability, to see if the book is available and to identify which app the eBook is located in.
Go to the eBook app on your device [e.g. ePlatform byWheelers, RBDigital or Libby by Overdrive], and search for the item, borrow and download.

Stream gardening documentaries on Kanopy

Urban Roots: urban gardens in Detroit The story of the spontaneous emergence of urban farming in a post-industrial Detroit city.
How to grow anything, our best garden and landscape Learn how to create gardens and landscapes in almost any setting, from large rural backyards to tight urban spaces, and in almost any climate in this six-part series.

Set up a Kanopy account to access more films for free. For first time customers - select Add Library Card and enter your member number and password. Create a Kanopy account, then verify your email address.

Gardening with Soul Spend a year in the garden with 90-year-old Sister Loyola Galvin.
Seed: the untold story Few things on Earth are as miraculous and vital as seeds. This documentary follows passionate seed keepers protecting our 12,000 year-old food legacy.

Enjoy documentaries and movies with a focus on Australian stories and quality international content. First time customers, enter your library member number and create a Beamafilm account. Repeat customers, sign in with your email and your Beamafilm password.

AtoZ World Food

Super excited to start cooking with your home-grown food bounty? Access AtoZ World Food to spice up your life with traditional recipes from 174 countries. Explore national and regional cuisines, daily meals, dining etiquette and special occasion foods. Sign in with your library member number.

The Hungry Gardener If you are a grower of fresh produce, this permaculture-focused and sustainable living poddie is for you. Hosted by Fabian Capomolla.
Garden Clinic Presented by one of Australia's most-loved gardening experts Graham Ross, get the inside track on creative gardening.
Gardening Australia Popular ABC program Gardening Australia is the go-to for all things on the grow and DIY. Presented by Australia's leading horticultural experts. Hosted by home grown gardening guru Costa Georgiadis.
The Urban Farm This is a grow your own food podcast by Greg Peterson covering topics like urban beekeeping, permaculture, composting and more.

All podcasts are free and available to listen on: Android: Google Play, Procast, Downcast, Pocket Casts, AntennaPod and Player FM. iOS: Apple Podcasts app, RadioPublic, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Podbean and Stitcher. You can also stream podcast from Spotify.