Vegetable Garden, Australia Help.

Hey guys, couldn't find a more appropriate section to post if it is wrong please move to appropriate section.

So what I am basically after is some personal experience, tips and what ever else you can give me. This is mine and my mates first every proper go at a garden, we purchased the seeds from, Seeds2Freedom. We are Australian so it is Spring here for those from else where, I am situated on the South Coast of NSW, Well climate and starting to heat up nicely.

We are growing corn, tomatoes, carrot, potato, apple trees everything basically, herbs too (some ideas on herb gardens please)..

Our gards are say 1 meter wide and 3 long maybe little bigger just an estimate. We lined the bottoms of them with news paper about 10 sheets thick then put hay on top of the paper, about 10cm think and compacted it down by stamping on it. Used a few different types of organic soils and add blood and bone to it through out the soils, also a few layers of well made compost.

On the back ends of these 'patches' we have fences with pipes on the top to grow strawberries and the fence to let snow peas and other vine grown vegetables grow freely!

No vegetables are yet to be planted and we have about another 3-4 patches to set and and more to make,

We are considering germinating the vegetables inside under a heat light, to keep them healthier and contained. If we do this I have been told I should use a small fan so that the plant itself can adapt to the whole climate aspects of life before it is planted in its final position?

Also and tips at all to do with anything I need fertilizer opinion(i have been looking into a product called SeaSol, also am I worth while worrying about the ph level in the water I feed them anything at all ways to do things how you have etc.

Thank you in advanced for all help given

reply to post by kangajack


Seems like your off to a great start with your preparation.

An area to consider to ward off pests, diseases and maximise results may be Companion Planting

All the best.

reply to post by kangajack


The first advice is to consider what you plant, i.e. is it worth the effort.

When you start picking the fruit or veggies, so is every one else, so the price in the shops are very low. You therefore want to plant what are expensive all year round. Things like Capsicum, cherry tomatoes, snow peas are good. Apples, ok but a few almond trees are better. Almonds or any nut will keep if in a sealed container for a year or two.

Think carefully about what you plant. Most punkins will keep well for along time if stored properly. Lettuce and other leafy types are good because you do not need to 'pull the plant out' instead you pull off the leaves as you need them.

I would loose the ordinary tomatoes and the potatoes. You may spend more on looking after them than they are worth.

Granulated chicken poo is good as is sheep manure if you can get it for free from a farm.

P

reply to post by pheonix358


Thank you for you feedback, and help..

To begin with the idea is not to eliminate the cost or be better off pocket wise by growing these things. We want to just learn and gain a feel to growing fruit in a nice healthy way.

Defiantly going with the almond and nut ideas such a good idea! Also going to put in a blueberry tree, we have the veggie gardens on a farm with chickens well looked after free range chickens that we grow there food for on the farm.

reply to post by Perhaps


Cheers mate, I took a little read into companion gardening some very good information that I looked and defiantly going to reference too, I will read more tomorrow as I am going to get some sleep Thanks,,

Hi there, just thought I'd let you know the best way I have found to germinate seeds, 90%+ success rate with minimum fuss. What you need, some zip lock bags (sandwich bags) one for each type of vegetable, some paper towel, veggie seeds, marker/pen, water and heat source.
Take you seeds and roll them in the paper towel, 3 or 4 times is enough.
Moisten the paper towel by placing it under the tap and just let the water drip on it, you don't want it soaking wet.Place it in the zip lock bag, zip up, write what seeds are in there. Then find a warm spot out of the way. I place mine on top of my Austar/ foxtel box it's always on and seems to be the perfect temp for germination, but I've read others put theirs on top of fridges ect. Check on them every couple of days, depending on the warmth of the spot, you need to just make sure the paper towel stays damp. You don't want it to dry out otherwise your seeds will too, and die. Some seeds like tomatoes may only take 3 days to germinate others like capsicum and peppers may take a couple of weeks. After germination you want to carefully pick them off the towel before they root down into it. Be careful not too break the root otherwise the plant will die. Plant them in some good seed raising mix in 6cm tubes. Wait until they get about 10-15cm tall then plant them in your garden. Then watch them flourish. I fertilize every second week interchanging between two fertilizers. Stay away from Miracle Grow though that sh!te burns your plants.

Remember it doesn't matter what you grow, everything always tastes better from your own garden. You also get an amazing amount of enjoyment out of it too as well as it being a great stress reliever.
And you'll never stop learning each year you'll learn something new and tinker with it, next season...
Keep us posted with how you go.

GORR

Sounds like your off to a good start, I love to grow zucchini too. Very easy growing. Try and get your hands on Charlie carp liquid. www.charliecarp.com... I love the stuff as a fertilizer and love the concept behind the product.

Butternut pumpkin, easy to grow from just collecting the seed yourself. I haven't got anything planted as yet. But plan too in next couple weeks. I'm in vic and have also grown rockmelon with great success.

I've also had a few fruit trees, pink lady apples, apricot and found them more of a hassle then anything. That is probably just me though lol. Good luck on your growing.

P:S store grown and picked pumpkin on you shed roof untill needed. I don't know why but they last forever lol.


Eta: my dream crop to try and grow is an avocado tree. I've tried to get a few seeds to germinate with no success trying different methods. I might just have to order one in.

Personally, I like to soak my seeds in water for 3-5 days some I've even soaked a full week. Then I plant them, indoors if your soil is so wet that its clumpy. I've had bad luck with using chicken poop... great for a yard not the garden. Thick grass grows anywhere I would sprinkle it. Ruined my garden. You just want to loosen the soil before you plant, if you till too much you will rob it of nutrients. Be careful growing things on the fence around your garden so it does not shade things that need the sun. Melons are a good thing to plant between your corn rows too!!

Good luck!! We just moved so I'm in the process of building mine and hoping to have it done, my trees planted, chicken coop built and filled before the first snow fall.

OH and when you are done for the growing year, throw out some mustard seeds all over your garden beds. their big leafs will guard your beds from weed seeds AND it will provide green fertilizer for your garden. Just sweep off the stems that are left next spring and plant away.

reply to post by feelingconnected

Thank you for the input,

I did a little bit of reading into the Charlie Carp, what I found was a few different types,
Organic Concentrate, Natural Fish Fertiliser, Liquid Concentrate Fertiliser.

Now you mention the pumpkins in the roof makes good sense, I use to always ask my grandfather whilst I was growing up, 'Why are the pumpkins on the roof?' he always told me I will learn one day. haha

And are trees best of going in the ground? What I have been thinking is planting a tree in a pot that can be well looked after from a young age and hopefully getting to a big size.

reply to post by GoodOlRogerRing

Thanks a lot, really appreciate it some well thought our methods will give it a go. Can't see why this wouldnt work very well!

reply to post by mrsdudara


So what 'poo' do you recommend using?

reply to post by kangajack


I'd recommend cow poo, it's not as harsh. As for the fruit trees, I had mine just planted in the yard. I think the biggest thing with the trees is some varieties you'll need to look at pollination.

Some will need another flowering plant near by. If you see orchards they'll quiet often have a pollination group of trees or even something like roses.

You'll have to research the varieties you plant to see what's recommended. I don't know heaps about it, but I do know with some it's needed to get fruit.

Most trees need a pollinator, typically the same type of fruit but a different variety. A crab apple will pollinate any other apple tree for instance. Your blueberry will need another blueberry bush of a different variety as well to pollinate. Some trees now have been bred to be self pollinating. You will have to talk to your nursery workers or read up on the varieties that you are planting.

I don't know if you are near the coast or not, but seaweed is an excellent fertilizer on its own. I also use a fish emulsion.

Sounds like you are off to a good start. Good luck!

reply to post by woodsmom



Hey, I do also leave near the ocean but the farm we are growing the fruit on is situated about 1.5km from the ocean with a clear view as it is up a small mountain,

Our plan was to use a home made compost eventually too, so I was thinking I could put seaweed in the compost.
Also plan on using a fish emulsion as we do you use it every time you water?


So I have no chance getting berries off a blueberry bush if I plant one?

I will post pictures too after we progress some more, been making up more patches

Thanks!

reply to post by feelingconnected


Sweet as I will do a little more research and find out because we do plan on making the area look nice with plants too so just changing it up we are planting a lot of plants to self medicate with too

kangajack
reply to post by mrsdudara

 

So what 'poo' do you recommend using?

Cow poo is good but remember, a little goes a long way. I actually mix a few shovels worth in a couple of weeks before planting though.

About herbs... I live in the southern US so we do get some some snow and freezing weather here. But I have sage, Rosemary, oregano and lemon thyme. They all come back every year. The rosemary is the darndest thing. After a snow when it starts to melt, my Rosie will immediately and I mean within hours, start to get full of hundreds of little lavender flowers. I planted it over 10 years ago when it was only about a foot tall and now it's as big as a shrub.

Just keep them watered well the first year, then they'll come back each year and do just fine. I actually transplanted some of my sage to different spots this year cause it was getting too thick.

reply to post by maybee


Thanks for that, I am defiantly going to try hard with herbs as we do enjoy herbal herbal remedies and other things.

kangajack
reply to post by mrsdudara

 

So what 'poo' do you recommend using?

Cow poo is ok but NOT fresh.

Rabbit poo are pellets and can be sprinkled on your garden. No tilling or anything needed. Just don't use a lot but that goes with all of them. Really good eating and cheep to raise if you want to go that way.

Alpaca is a really good choice if there any around. it can be fresh. They are becoming quite popular here. Their hair is cut and made I to the softest yarn I've ever felt. People will pay good money for their yarn.

Just don't use things like dog poo as it can contaminate your food.

Oh and I'm putting lemongrass and marigolds around mine. They keep away the bugs. If you have issues with slugs and snails, either edge your bed with a copper strip or sprinkle bonemeal around it. They won't crawl over either.

I hope you post a pic when you are done.

reply to post by kangajack


The compost loves the seaweed, I have even chopped it up and laid it down as mulch for a few well loved plants.

Sorry, no, unless you somehow got ahold of a self pollinating blueberry, you will need another if you want berries. Depending on it's size, it probably won't produce for a year or so. They really like acidic soil as well, most berries do.

Fish emulsion is cool enough that you can use it every time you water. I don't use fertilizer every time I water personally, but it can't hurt. Compost tea is another drink the plants love. Soak some compost overnight in a bucket of water and give that to the plants.

Good luck and have fun!

Edit to add: I just noticed your interest in the herbs as well. A few that I have grown are St. John's wort, pulmonaria, Veronica, bergamot, mullein, chamomile and mint along with some culinary herbs. My medicinals are actually hardier than the culinary herbs and don't have to be replanted every year, except the thyme, chives and mint. I am pretty far north though, I bet the culinary herbs will love your climate.