Horticulture,grow your veggies the tranquil path.

[AussieTrees]

 

I didn't do brussel sprouts this year, but my friend did.  He's way more conscientiousness a gardener then I am.  He was plucking the bottom sprouts out in mid summer and apparently they grow back, so he's gotten a second crop out them in late October.  The school near me has garden and they have some small brusel sprouts that are still going strong now, in late November.  It's been a long fall.  As I recall many will wait til the first snow fall to pick there sprouts, but they seem most tender when they're young. 

Thanks thelerner,

 

Your seasons are different,snow would make it hard to grow much,unless you have a heated green house.

Must try brusell sprouts,and kale never tried growing either,never eaten kale which is the new health fad,put it shakes.

 

You have reminded me of our local school garden,they have Vietnamese mint,been meaning to get a few cutting,grows easily from cuttings and tastes yum.

 

Good idea to over plant as there will be losses,birds,dogs,bastard chickens will all take their toll.

You just know and expect that some creature will at some point create a gardening disaster,years ago this was upsetting,now it is just part of gardening.

 

Best of all whilst gardening is the absence of self,and the accumulated energy that flows freely.

[Nungali]

Yeah hi Nungali,

 

So what's the deal,are you using bio-dynamic methods?

 

Nematodes,we get em here as well,try growing marigold flowers as companion plant,

This is supposed to reduce nematodes.

 

Do you grow avacado or mango or banana?

 

I was converting my patch to BD, but I live on a community and some people messed up what I was doing. But now they are talking about making part  of it BD ... but  .... mhe .... I dont think they are really knowing what they are doing.

 

For example, when I came here they were all permaculture  wannabees , but then they started going garlic mono crops. I asked about that "Hey, you guys were going PC and now monoculture ??? "

 

"Oh yeah ... but you can make a lot of money from garlic now."

 

<best sarcastic tone >  "Oh really ?   I never would have thought  that the ability to make money was connected to environmental degeneration . " 

 

Now they are talking about permaculture again . Anyway , I am getting too disabled physically to do the work nowadays. 

 

 

Avos grow really good here ... all over the place. As do bananas , but they are now seed bananas  ( that some idiot survivalist planted here years back )  and they are coming up everywhere.   Got some mango trees but they get spotty. Lychees do well and macadamia nuts love it here. 

 

We used to have a web site for the community, part of it listed the native and exotic fruits growing here ...  over 50 varieties  (but the website got smashed in the 'war' . )   and now, I doubt most could be found in the  tangled re-growth and neglect. 

 

War does that .

 

There is a local aboriginal story here ; the big fig tree.

 

Down the coast was a giant fig tree. all the people would come once a year and meet and have a feast, a meeting and a celebration ...  big  corrobaree .  One year, one group got there first and started eating the best figs. Then the others turned up "Hey ... you guys ate all the good ones, what gives?" ... then a big fight started ... some people got hurt.

 

Then .... "Right! " a big voice ... a big hand comes out the sky, grabs the tree, pulls it out and takes it up into the sky  .... no more fig tree. 

 

We should pay attention to those stories. 

[AussieTrees]

I was converting my patch to BD, but I live on a community and some people messed up what I was doing. But now they are talking about making part  of it BD ... but  .... mhe .... I dont think they are really knowing what they are doing.

 

For example, when I came here they were all permaculture  wannabees , but then they started going garlic mono crops. I asked about that "Hey, you guys were going PC and now monoculture ??? "

 

"Oh yeah ... but you can make a lot of money from garlic now."

 

 "Oh really ?   I never would have thought  that the ability to make money was connected to environmental degeneration . " 

 

Now they are talking about permaculture again . Anyway , I am getting too disabled physically to do the work nowadays. 

 

 

Avos grow really good here ... all over the place. As do bananas , but they are now seed bananas  ( that some idiot survivalist planted here years back )  and they are coming up everywhere.   Got some mango trees but they get spotty. Lychees do well and macadamia nuts love it here. 

 

We used to have a web site for the community, part of it listed the native and exotic fruits growing here ...  over 50 varieties  (but the website got smashed in the 'war' . )   and now, I doubt most could be found in the  tangled re-growth and neglect. 

 

War does that .

 

There is a local aboriginal story here ; the big fig tree.

 

Down the coast was a giant fig tree. all the people would come once a year and meet and have a feast, a meeting and a celebration ...  big  corrobaree .  One year, one group got there first and started eating the best figs. Then the others turned up "Hey ... you guys ate all the good ones, what gives?" ... then a big fight started ... some people got hurt.

 

Then .... "Right! " a big voice ... a big hand comes out the sky, grabs the tree, pulls it out and takes it up into the sky  .... no more fig tree. 

 

We should pay attention to those stories. 

Hi Nungali,

 

BD or PC or monoculture,doesn't really matter,what is important is practice,this the gem.

 

Garlic,missed the best planting time this year,did not have any garden beds ready,so we potted heaps of garlic.

This may be an option if you are not up to the physical input.

They are growing well,mixed gypsum in with the mix,this provides sulphur which is required to develop the garlic aoeles.

 

Fig story,gives us an insight that it is not wise to argue over food,even if you win,it leaves a bad taste.

[Nungali]

Oh, we got Sulpher ! Thats why it growes good here . 

 

Earlier this arvo, out in the garden, I checked the rose apple tree . It has more flowers than I have ever seen on it and heaps of the beginning of fruit  

 

 

Great flower 

 

 

 

[AussieTrees]

Water repellant soil.

 

This is a new experience,have heard of this problem,never had the problem until now.

 

Recent chilli plantings,the site has been covered with leaf litter for years,recently burnt out remaining old stump.

 

Soaked area well before planting,anyway checking on these plants,turns out they are all struggling to get wet.

 

After soaking again after planting,scratch around seedlings and soil still bone dry.

The top layer of soil wet,no penetration.

 

Watered in a wetting agent,bit like a detergent,much more water penetration,at least new seedlings have survived.

[AussieTrees]

 

Pumpkins,these two plants pictured have gone 'triffid' they crowed out the watermelons and cucumber.

We did get a few melons and cucumbers,and soon we will pick about 12 good sized pumpkins,from which will collect seeds to plant next year.

[Nungali]

Pumpkins will cover your house !   Very prolific even where other stuff wont grow  .... many a good pumpkin pie has been had , and a good pumpkin and purple skinned white sweet potato  tagine  mmmmm-mmmmh !

 

My Rosellas are due for their first harvest, some of them are giant !  A bit time consuming and they dont keep, so its jam, preserve sauce and cordial making week  ....    and this week I got a lot on in the garden ... but called in for jury duty .....  how am I gonna do both  ! ? 

[AussieTrees]

 

Chillies and capsicum have struggled with little water and water repellent soil,the fruits are small.

The chilli tree has come along well,hope it is as cold tolerant to survive this coming winter.Planted at the base of a eucalyptus tree,hope it will climb the tree.

[thelerner]

My wife and daughter started a garden in the backyard.  I have 2 small ones in the front.  Better in the front because you see it each day, making you more likely to weed and water.   They went for fruit, watermelon (very ambitious), strawberries and lettuce.  As usual I'm aiming at a gazpacho garden, tomatoes, mostly sweet grape sized ones, peppers and cukes.  

 

Up til now its been unusually cool this summer but warming up lately.

 

Only new plan is to grow a hanging lettuce bowl.  I've drilled holes in a hanging pot, bought cheap lettuce seedlings to stuff through the holes, some good soil, miracle grow (its like cheating).  I just have roll up my sleeves and start filling it up.  I'll plant mesclun seeds on top.  I also bought pansies to give it color and they're edible. 

 

How are your gardens going? 

[Kar3n]

I love gardening and watching plants flower and bare fruit, however, a summer garden in Arizona in far more expensive to maintain than hitting the local market for fresh local produce.

 

[AussieTrees]

 

 

This pumpkin wants to have some fun,will take progressive photos.

Let's see what happens.

 

Edited February 28, 2017 by AussieTrees

[sagebrush]

just bought a  used book at antique store on small gardens, although I do not think I will garden much for producing food.

 

thinking of herbs in terra cotta pots or something like rusty buckets-whatever I find for planting.

 

thinking of a trellis or pergola but small.-something where I can add some reeds to the top and make shade but not be oppressive to free flowing air/breezes.

 

most of the images in the book-all of them- are not pictured gardens that are on hillsides. I have a hillside to work with for now.

 

hoping for sunflowers too.

 

rosemary worked well last year and I enjoy cooking with that herb.

it died when I brought it inside this winter-so I start again.

 

my mother has cat mint that I can pull up from here garden

and she forewarned me it is a spreader/invasive...but I read last evening in the garden book that I can

bury it in containers under the ground or partially buried. seems like the way to go.

 

hoping the Echinacea and Russian sage come back that I planted last year.

we shall see about that too.

Edited February 27, 2017 by sagebrush

[AussieTrees]

Pumpkin update,few days hot weather,they are growing fast.

 

[gendao]

most of the images in the book-all of them- are not pictured gardens that are on hillsides. I have a hillside to work with for now.

For hillsides, you will need to FIRST construct contoured swales/berms for gentler slopes and "stairstep" terraces for steeper ones...

Now, AFTER you've moved all this earth around...THEN you can start planting on it!

Edited March 1, 2017 by gendao

[AussieTrees]

 

Pumpkin update,had to support this one as it was stretching the vine.

[AussieTrees]

Chillie tree,starting to put out flowers and chillies.

 

[AussieTrees]

These are millet plants grown by accident as the seeds fell into cracks between rock paving and decided not to weed them,now provides food for birds,that hang off the stalks eating the seed.

Still trying to get pictures,cause they always fly away on approach.

 

Had to chop the pics to fit.

[cold]

Post 39 has ramial wood chips in the swale.

Anyone familiar with them? My understanding is deciduous ramial hardwood chips have a desirable Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of between 25-1 and 30-1.

 

My experience with chips, branches, logs are they either tie up available nitrogen, as bacteria fungi do their work, or if placed to deep in soil anaerobic activity occurs.

 

Locally municipal yard waste and kitchen scraps are composted using supplemental urea to get the carbon to nitrogen ratio (c/n) to between 25-1 and 30-1.

[Nungali]

Rain !   Finally   (one place got over 35mm in an hour !  )   

 

And the day before it my long awaited broad beans  finally popped out the ground ... yahhoo ... now they be off.  The dry  had been  good for the capsicums, which are usually near impossible to grow  ( they also suffer rot where stem joins fruit, but I found out to treat that by adding water soluble lime ).

 

Mmmmmmm .... Sth American rice ; with capsicum onion adobe chorizo and broad beans .

 

Also been walking around the property grazing on some autumn bush tucker   - the lillipilli is out, and each one is different ; small and white - spicy and fruity,  maroon -  like a rose apple and port wine ,  red ones taste like lipstick    . And they fruit at different weeks, a massive amount is about to ripen. 

 

    

 

 

[gendao]

My experience with chips, branches, logs are they either tie up available nitrogen, as bacteria fungi do their work, or if placed to deep in soil anaerobic activity occurs.

 

Locally municipal yard waste and kitchen scraps are composted using supplemental urea to get the carbon to nitrogen ratio (c/n) to between 25-1 and 30-1.

Urine is probably the best (FREE!) nitrogen source that the wood can easily soak up like a sponge - like drinking liquid nitrogen through thousands of tiny straws via capillary action! 

 

And it is also a renewable "waste stream" product that we each generate gallons of every week - that would otherwise consume a few gallons of potable water to flush each time.

 

So, redirecting pee to drench deadwood very effectively kills 2 birds with 1 stone - as it creates high-quality compost while also saving tons of water.

 

Of course, this is all provided your pee is organic (no pharmaceuticals, etc), low salt, and clean (no UTIs, etc) - which probably rules out the majority of WEIRDos...

 

Otherwise, you should of course also add lots of "green" waste and grow nitrogen fixers like legumes, wax myrtle, etc...

Sheet mulching (lasagna gardening) is like composting in place. Above: just a suggestion as to sheet mulching layers. Nitrogen-rich material such as fresh grass clippings or green leaves put right on the hugelkultur wood would help jump start the composting process. Could also include seaweed, straw, dead leaves, leaf mold, etc…

 

The first year of break down means the wood (and fungi) steal a lot of the nitrogen out of the surrounding environment, so adding nitrogen during the first year or planting crops that add nitrogen to the soil (like legumes) or planting species with minimal nitrogen requirements is necessary, unless there is plenty of organic material on top of the wood. After the wood absorbs nitrogen to its fill, the wood will start to break down and start to give nitrogen back in the process. In the end you will be left with a beautiful bed of nutrient-rich soil.

By using carbon-rich fresh wood, you may decrease the overall nitrogen content of the pile in the short term, because the wood will initially rob the surrounding matter of nitrogen. This is counteracted by using rotting logs that have absorbed much or all of their total nitrogen holding capacity, and by adding strong sources of nitrogen, like grass clippings or manure, to the hugelkultur as it is built. Adding urine to the hugelkultur bed periodically to feed the nitrogen need of the wood is also highly effective. After fresh wood absorbs nitrogen to its maximum capacity, it will start to break down faster and start giving nitrogen back in the process.

 

[AussieTrees]

Pumpkin update,few days hot weather,they are growing fast.

IMG_4910.JPG

 

Nearly ready to pick,then roast and add to curry or pumpkin soup.

[Kar3n]

IMG_4987.JPG

 

Nearly ready to pick,then roast and add to curry or pumpkin soup.

That's a good looking pumpkin!!

[Mandrake]

Rain !   Finally   (one place got over 35mm in an hour !  )   

 

And the day before it my long awaited broad beans  finally popped out the ground ... yahhoo ... now they be off.  The dry  had been  good for the capsicums, which are usually near impossible to grow  ( they also suffer rot where stem joins fruit, but I found out to treat that by adding water soluble lime ).

 

Mmmmmmm .... Sth American rice ; with capsicum onion adobe chorizo and broad beans .

 

Also been walking around the property grazing on some autumn bush tucker   - the lillipilli is out, and each one is different ; small and white - spicy and fruity,  maroon -  like a rose apple and port wine ,  red ones taste like lipstick    . And they fruit at different weeks, a massive amount is about to ripen. 

 

    

 

 

 

Nungali,

How do you use these? I've only eaten them in marmelade and the taste was... novel : )

 

 

M

[Mandrake]

Off topic,well not really.

 

Growing and eating our food is less common than it once was,the era when nearly everyone had a veggie patch.

 

There is much serenity developed,tranquility flows naturally,universal energy is freely available making any work effortless,the absorption of the self which dissolves into the earth,this is blissful.

 

Did a couple of searches,couldn't find any topics on gardening,so here we are.

 

Mostly everyday we do a little bit around the garden,watering or weeding.

 

It is springtime,already got,pumpkins,some tomatoes,cucumber and watermelons growing,they still very small,fun watching them grow.

 

This year started using a small greenhouse cabinet,helps start the seedlings early.

 

Anyone can reply.

 

Growing up with gardening, now living in a flat, I so miss growing my own stuff! I always encourage people to grow different varieties of tomatoes. The range of flavours and uses, and how they look is astounding. It's not only the red tomato for pasta and pizza-type.

 

 

Mandrake

[cold]

Getting excited here's about still to early to plant or seed much.

March was cooler than February in these parts, but most bio indicators - forsythia blooming indicates soil warm enough for crabgrass to germinate, Shadblow flowering = water temp right for shad to run.

So we are on schedule... Natures! 

 

I savor spring!

The hope and potential it embodies.

The celebration of life, blooms, nest building ...