Edible garden chatter

[~Kim~]

oh der...never occurred to me that sunflowers could be called an edible plant

done a bit of research on companion plants and sunflowers, nasturtiums, petunias and marigolds seem to be most beneficial to what we have planted. Might toddle off to the nursery this weekend.

love the natural insecticide too.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

We're getting some chickens! I want eggs mainly, but I figure they're also gonna improve the soil and get it ready for planting. A friend owns a business, so I can trust the breeder

[diva det]

ooh keike
we have chickens are they are soo much fun
plus i put hay in their coop and then use the hay in our composting bin and I have a heap of it infused with chook poo currently baking on our vegie garden as we speak

we have 4 chooks and its keeps us in eggs with some to give away as well (we get 4 eggs a day)

Been collecting strawberry punnets and milk/soft drink containers ready for raising seeds and covers for seedlings
just got to get some seed raising mix now and gonna start germinating my summer seeds next week!!
so cant wait!!
bring on warmer weather!!

[luna moth]

Harvested some broccoli tonight. DD was just eating it raw straight from the plant. She is soooo precious in the garden. Loves waiting for cherry tomatoes, then eating them the second they're ready. She was told not to touch one today, so, hands behind her back, she walked up to a nearly ripe one and put her whole mouth around it. Didn't eat it, didn't touch it, technically didn't break any rules. Pretty funny.

Anyway, doing the washing up, found a green grub that hadn't survived being steamed with the broccoli. Harsh way to go, but serves the little bugger right for nomming on my veggies!

[veus]

Chickens dig up the garlic. They like to eat them too? I was hoping could save space for other crops when we have chooks.


Sorry, fat fingers syndrome might occur.

[briggsy's girl]

we have great success growing garlic. We have roses (not as many as we used to) and I read that planting garlic under roses helps keep aphids at bay, so we started planting any garlic that has started to sprout. Now we have heaps in, and some from last years harvest ready to go on as well. We just plant and walk away. And rarely have issues with aphids! Bonus!

[luna moth]

Oh BG I love that idea! We inherited a rose bush when we bought this place, we were pretty intimidated by it at first, but now I love it! Definitely going to try it.

[~Kim~]

oh great! Me too. Thanks BG!
We have heaps of roses that were very average but are going great guns since we got here. The ground around them is pretty bare though, so this will be a definite improvement.

haha Audax, that's so cute and very very clever....mine could never be that restrained. I've had to put the strawberries in hanging baskets so at least a few make it inside.

[briggsy's girl]

Wind has killed the mesh over the strawberry bath. I think I'll have to add that to this weeks list of things to get. Going to run some wire between the fences (heavy wire for safety) and attach some hanging CDs to it. The ones that didn't work on burning. Apparently it Scares birds off. Have also read that owl ornaments do the same. Found one yesterday that could hang over the garden if we can find a way to hang it. Well, them really. We'd need a pair of them!

[veus]

Good idea abt the roses & garlic! Thanks BG!


Sorry, fat fingers syndrome might occur.

[briggsy's girl]

bought some marigold seedlings yesterday to plant near the tomatos
i have no idea if this companion planting gig works, but i'll give anything a try

am also researching worm farms and compost bins - i like the idea of getting as much of the food waste recycled as possible.
was eying off a worm farm in bunnings yesterday - would cost about $160 to fully set up, but with the amount it should save us on liquid fertiliser, i think it's worth it. i think... lol

proper compost bins are significantly more exxy - not sure if i can justify it

[Bella29]

Hey BG, I saw this chick talking about compost bins at the garden expo this year. She just get plastic garbage bins, te ones with the big round lids that you can clip the lids on. She cuts of the bottom and digs it in an inch or two into the ground. Then she puts it in her garden wherever she most needs the compost and makes it up there. She uses layers of Different things to get a great compost and then adds lots of water and some liquid fertilizer. She said it was way cheaper than the fancy bins and that it is best to keep it in contact with the earth.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk..... I'm probably feeding my cherub

[veus]

BG: basil is good for tomatoes too for companion planting.


Sorry, fat fingers syndrome might occur.

[luna moth]

Toddling gardener is no longer so restrained! A strawberry went in the gob today... Still white. Gross, but cute.

BG our compost setup was $100. We're vegan, so heaps goes into it, it has been amazing though. We've had it for just under a year. They've had tumblers on Play School ths week (always an excellent source of knowledge) and they look pretty good.

A new hop vine Has come up this week, but it is really struggling. No idea what to do with it.

[briggsy's girl]

We have to be careful what we add that can't be easily moved given its a rental. Not that we have short term plans to move but we have to be prepared just in case they sell out from under us. I like the idea of the tumblers but I'm starting to wonder if combination of rabbit eating leftovers and worm farm would be enough? Although composting they bits the worms and rabbit don't like plus grass clippings and weeds etc... Sigh. I'm torn lol

Spent part of my evening watching videos on how to set up and care for a worm farm. Friday night thrills! We were going to get one at old house but it never happened. I think I've just embraced the garden as a positive focus after lots if negativity. It's good that E can be involved too. Makes it a family thing

Think we will need to erect some temporary puppy fencing to protect the garden doin. E's godfather is getting a pup from someone local (he lives 3+ hours away) and may need us to collect puppy and start his training. I am kinda excited but don't wanna have a destructo mutt destroy all we've done so mixed feelings. Will be nice to have a pup for a few weeks though. Will get an excuse to start walking every day again. Between the motivation with the garden and with some walking DH and I might finally start getting properly over the dramas if the past few months.

Onward and upward.

Wish it didn't take so long to get food out of the garden though!



Audax. Gotta love toddler gardening antics!

[diva det]

worm farms are great and we get rid of heaps of scraps that the chckens dont eat in there
We have 2 farms and so far in 3 months I have got over 20lts of worm wee from the 2 farms!!!!
liquid gold!!
you then dilute it 1:20 so allready I have 400 litres of liquid fertalizer ready to use on my garden!!!
they are so worth it
Make sure if you do get one- get your worms from a good quality worm farmer and get between 2,00-3,000 worms per farm
Also if you put meat in your farm- be aware that you have to wait 6 months after you harvest the worm wee to use it

I am nearly ready to let my worms go up a level so will be able to make some worm tea with the casting soon too!!

We have a simple Gedde compost bin that we use. the only advantage the tumbler ones have is that you can turn the compost alot easier. We have a spiral looking tool that you put in and it turns the compost oer, but its labour intensive. If you can afford to get a tumble one- then I would
Ebay is a great place to get second hand farms and composts cheap!!!

[briggsy's girl]

I would live to have chooks but given the fact the lease says no pets and they've let us get the rabbit and care for dogs short term, I'm not gonna push it. We are also in an area that is fairly new and the fixed haven't learnt it's totally a no go zone yet lol. I've heard putting chooks over the garden at the end of the season is good for digging everything over and feet losing so maybe I could do that. Just borrow them short term lol

Not sure we can afford a compost tumbler. But its something to aim for. We now have one less car and DH has given up the idea of a trailer to replace the ute so that may be something to aspire to around Christmas when rego would have been due - wont change the savings budget before then and see how we go

Out this way, I don't think we will have much option but to get worms from somewhere like bunnings.

What type of warm farm do you have? We were looking at a couple that you can get at bunnings - a round one or a rectangular one. Can't remember the brand but the website was tumbleweed (has lots of info about composting, worm farms etc. normal au site)

[briggsy's girl]

I have a recipe for homemade insecticide. It involves pureeing 10 cloves of garlic and 3 tsp of vegetable oil. Strain into a 1L jar. Add 3 cups of hot water and a tsp of dishwashing liquid. Spray infested plants, making sure to cover both sides of leaves. Apply every 3 days for a week. Then repeat as required.

i missed this one the other day - just shared with DH - we ahve some of last seasons garlic still out the back so we might make up some of this in the near future

does anyone have any natural remedies for rust on fruit tree leaves? will go google now, but wondered if there were any tried and tested ones.
may have to buy some UHT milk to use on the roses too (not that they are really edible, but it's all tangled up with trying to keep the garden as natural as possible) - milk and water spray helps with powdery mildew...