Sunday 21 August 2011

Weeds, weeds and more weeds...

With the warmer weather, the rain and the sun, the weeds, green manure and grass have just taken off. I spent most of the weekend, mowing the lawn, the weeds and then green manure and then pulling all the rest of the weeds out. Looking much tidier now :)

I finally cut a hole in the coop, so that Lucy and Hilda can now use their run during the day, whilst I'm at work. It's a rough looking hole, but it works. I used gaffer tape to cover the sharp edges.

Chicken run


I bought a tarp to cover the run, to provide shade from the hot sun, until I plant the passionfruit vines.

It's so exciting to see all the sticks come to life, this is a raspberry cane

This is my first bud to open and it's on the cherry tree

The prune tree is also coming alive, the rest are still sleeping

Looking much tidier since mowing and weeding.

Weeded and I have sown Good Bug Mix, which is a combination of plants, that should ensure there are flowers all year round, plus encourage lots of good insects

Same garden with Good Bug Mix sown, plus in the front is a heap of grape vines I chopped into small pieces. It is an experiment to see if they grow roots.

Compost bin is well and truly full! Apologies for blurry picture, bad light and didn't notice until I uploaded photos.

Starting 2nd compost heap (these all all the weeds from just the backyard)

Monday 15 August 2011

I can feel spring in the air...

What an absolutely stunning weekend. I spent a lot of the weekend, basking in the sun, watching Neddie, Jasper and Zena playing in the fresh air, the birds playing (funny little willy wagtails) and soaking it all up :)

My little family

Sweet potato waiting to grow roots and sprout. I'll be pleasantly surprised if this works

Production line setup for planting of seeds

Greenhouse erected and seeds, sweet potato and comfrey put to bed

Greenhouse working beautifully just as it should

Raspberries mulched with newspaper and old straw, as weeds were starting to shoot up with all the rain we have been having

Shade cloth has been hung up to hopefully stop Neddie chasing the chickens in their run, up and down my nicely mulched raspberry cane bed. Will test next weekend before allowing the chickens to roam whilst at work.

Lucy and Hilda scratching my future potato patch for me, found the perfect spot in amongst the bricks and compost pile.

So proud of my baby asparagus shoots coming through, a couple of years and I will be able to try fresh asparagus.

Kale seedlings planted, it's the wrong time for kale, but I will see what happens.

Sunday 7 August 2011

Slightly quiet in the garden this weekend

Planting Comfrey (a herb that has many uses, such as a compost activator, mulch and fertiliser). I'm looking forward to experimenting with this plant.
Planted in an old fruit tree bag

Poor kale has been growing for many weeks, but not looking good. I think it was planted at the wrong time. Hopefully spring it will take off

Veggie beds freshly dug ready for spring

Wild jungle of green manure
Neddie loves playing in the green manure


Freshly mown with the catcher off, only stalled once in a really thick section

Very excited to discover my freshly mown lawn clippings nice and warm this morning

Freshly juiced apple, carrot and ginger. I just love the colour of the juice :)