Food Gardening

[wynnum1]

With the vegetables do you cover with insect netting .

 

[manticle]

No idea if that question is for a specific poster but the only thing I've found really needs covering in my garden is strawberries.

 

[wynnum1]

No idea if that question is for a specific poster but the only thing I've found really needs covering in my garden is strawberries.

The bugs here like the greens eat half the leaves then theres the cabbage moths grow it and the bugs will come .

 

[Dave70]

When I filled my raised bed the first thing that went in was broken pavers/rocks etc. Then a layer of pea straw with dynamic lifter then ****** soil lawn clippings,leaves and so,the last 400 mm was a mix of good soil and compost.
As the pea straw and compost broke down the level dropped a good 150 mm which I've topped up and the bed is chockas with worms. = win.

We got a bunch of pea straw on sale from the usual outlet one time and used it to mulch the front gardens. Fast forward a week later after some rain, some more rain, then some sun and there were shoots busting out everywhere!
Would only ever use it again as a compost.

 

[Dave70]

With the vegetables do you cover with insect netting .

If you are going full 'organic', probably. Once bastard cabbage moth gets into your cruciferous vegetables and greens, its all over.
Personally I rather just sprinkle a little veggie dust about than waste time building miniature mesh housing.

 

[Airgead]

I net the brassicas against cabbage moth and this year I'm going to try netting the tomatoes against fruit fly.

Too much of a hippy to use the vege dust and building the frame out of bamboo stakes and these clever little joiner things I bought from the garden shop takes about 5 mins. https://www.diggers.com.au/shop/garden-supplies/vegetable-garden-essentials/connectors-for-8-16mm-bamboo-canes/hfigo/

 

[Dave70]

To be honest I'm not actually big on applying anything to my veg that I couldn't more or less eat otherwise. I have had good results with a DIY spray of garlic, chili, vegetable oil and a few drops of dish washing liquid.
The ****** el -cheap-o garlic in plain jars seems to work better than fresh as its especially pungent. But it takes plenty of it applied frequently as its more of a deterrent than pesticide.

 

[wynnum1]

They say to use neem oil but if its not good for the bugs then not a good idea to eat and there have been reports about weed growers using and smokers getting effected.

 

[LiquidGold]

Dipel works pretty well for caterpillars. It's actually a bacteria that the caterpillars eat which then kills them. I've used it a few times but am never good at keeping a spraying regime, even organic ones.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Dieldrin... Cause it works

 

[spog]

Dieldrin... Cause it works

Farrrrk. That **** would drop an elephant.

 

[spog]

We got a bunch of pea straw on sale from the usual outlet one time and used it to mulch the front gardens. Fast forward a week later after some rain, some more rain, then some sun and there were shoots busting out everywhere!
Would only ever use it again as a compost.

Yep had heaps of growth from the peas in the pea straw I let them get about 300 mm high then pulled them and stuffed them under the mulch for more compost.

 

[drsmurto]

Used a whole round bale of pea straw to mulch the vegie garden. Does a great job of suppressing weeds and for $55, a cheap solution.

Raised garden beds are all wicking beds.

 

[LiquidGold]

That's awesome, I was about to ask on here if anyone was doing wicking beds. Nice looking crops

 

[Dave70]

Its a great concept and works on any scale. A little effort initially that saves a **** load of bending, weeding and water to boot in the long run.

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s4010599.htm

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Pea straw is great as a mulch, don't worry about the peas sprouting they will be putting nitrogen back into the soil plus you can eat the peas, maybe wouldn't be a good look in the front garden. Personally I use the sugar cane mulch as it seems to get the worms moving probably because there a traces of sugar still in there. The absolute best mulch I have used, and the cheapest was dag ends off the sheep, benefit of the **** still on the wool and the wool breaking down itself releases amino acids into the soil another plus is the worms and microbes love it I paid $20 for a bale weight around 200 + kilo.

Dusting the veg with Derris dust a natural insecticide from some sort of bean, got taken off the market once before but now it is back so I am not sure whether it is safe, they advertise it as 'natures way' does kill most bugs and caterpillars.

If your starting with a blank canvas shaunous I would be looking at Aquaculture especially if you have the space, I was thinking of starting from scratch next year but I have to many established fruit trees I would have to take out, plus I have started working again so I will be time poor :unsure:
Will PM you when I find my invoices of where I bought the mesh and poly, the floor I rolled out with shade cloth from eBay heavy duty and cheaper than Bunnings.

 

[LiquidGold]

Couple of shots of my deep water culture lettuce comparing growth over 19 days.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

What lettuce are you growing there LG? I have tried iceberg, could have been a bit to warm and didn't form a tight ball, going to give them another go and some Little Gem (hydro)
Well my Wasabi Rocket has appeared and it really does taste like Wasabi.
View attachment 91390

The warm spell we had the other week spelled the end of my Cauli, will have to give them an earlier start next year, didn't expect the temp to rise so much in a green house built with 1/2 insect exclusion net.
View attachment 91391

The care we take to grow tomatoes and these have come up over winter off the roots of last years plants, got a feeling I have tried second year tomatoes and the y didn't produce so well, must keep a diary.
View attachment 91392

Came out of the pub on Fathers Day and noticed this poly tunnel, thought there must be a community garden over the fence, no, eat your heart out WEAL, was just in someones backyard.
View attachment 91393

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Double posted

 

[LiquidGold]

Most were Cos, the darker oak sorta shaped leaves is Mizuna and the more yellowy ones were self sown All Year I think. we tried tying the Cos with string for the first time and it worked pretty well to form a big head but the recent hot spell sent a fair few of them bolting in a very short period of time. Needless to say we've been giving some away and eating plenty of salads over the last week.