Vegie patch help needed

[Pandora]

we would need to put some mushroom compost or similar in to the soil. we have clay soils so it will also need to be broken up a lot as well. hmm. this is sounding trickier than i though.

re the tyres we dont care what thye look like its more dh being worried about chemical residues i think. I might get his uncle to talk to him he's used them before.

[Bathsheba]

Yep, knowing the vague area where you live I agree the soil wouldn't be that great.

Hmm, I'm thinking you should start small. Go to a nursery/hardware store and buy a few deep planter boxes, some seedling compost, a bag of mulch and some seeds. See how much the sun affects the plants in the area you are thinking about putting a permanent bed. Startup cost could still be close to $100 but I think the chances of success is greater. Investigate how much sleepers cost... that will sway you the most I suspect.

[Pandora]

Thanks Bath

[beckoes]

Dont have any real knowledge on this topic, im still learning myself. I started a veggy garden a few months ago, had a stack of timber under our house (rented, and landlord said we could have it) so that was free...a few nails and steaks and i had a good frame!! Bit rickety but its ok!!
We got cane straw, cow poo and compost and layered it. Wasnt too expensive....bulk it up with newspaper. look in you local paper, sometimes people are selling that sort of stuff for cheap! i got seeds rathers than seedlings...heaps cheaper.
My tomatoes are still growing, no fruit yet. cucumber basically grows itself!! and i get one a day now! rockets growing well and so tasty.
dont know where you live but we are on the sunshine coast and its too hot for my lettuce! put a light shade cover over it and that helped a little. we have all typs of herds. Markets are good for little seedlings.
they say you need 7 hours sun a day, mine gets about 9! itry to water twice a day if i have enough grey water. otherwise it just gets a good water once its dark.
Its so trial and error and its a very rewarding feeling eating your own stuff!! and DD loves it, she has a little basket and we go a pick stuff for dinner! have fun.

[Oorki Galoorki]

Pandora do a no dig garden, the abc gardening australia www have lots of info and show you how to do it.

[Pandora]

Pandora do a no dig garden, the abc gardening australia www have lots of info and show you how to do it.

Thanks, I stumbled on to this thisafternoon and currently investigating. Talk about twilight zone though, I rang home befiore and MIL was there - she came over with two pots, soil and seeds and her and DS have been planting things

[OldMate]

I know it has been a couple of months since anyone has posted to this thread. I thought I would throw in a couple of ideas I intend to try when I finally get some time. I have collected a couple of those triple and double cement laundry tubs and an old bath tub. People tend to throw them out when renovating old homes that have outdoor/under house laundries. They already have good drainage and some come with the concrete stands, which lift the tubs to a good height (no needs to get down on hands and knees to pick or plant).

Arrange it all in a U-ish shape and throw an arched climbing frame at the entrance. Plants climbing beans or passionfruit at the entrance, throw some cheap gravel or road base down in the middle of the garden and you have yourself a little vege patch retreat.

Well, that's the plan anyway. If I ever get it up and running, I'll try and post some photos. Happy growing!

[AnyDream]

Great idea Oldmate. I know the type of troughs you describe from my Darwin days, they're a little less plentiful down here. A lot of people are going out and buying those prefab corrugated iron garden beds in different sizes now.