No Dig Garden

This was my weekend project.  I took Fay to Big W to get some school stuff.  Fay's worst fear came true - I just have to 'have a look' at the garden department.  I couldn't resist this bargain - instant garden bed. So I decided to build my very first no-dig garden.

The packaging is the first layer - this will stop the weeds from growing.

Next some soil (with chicken manure) from the chook house

Saw dust is added to retain water

I decided to do an experiment.  I am putting a 'mini worm farm' in the middle which in theory will provide nutrients to the plants.

Next I add some coffee ground

More soil from the chook house as top layer before planting.

I was preparing one of the patch for spring planting, and dug out some potatoes that I missed from last harvest.

Autumn in my garden

I have bad news, a neighbour's dog got into our chook house and killed all the chicken.  Here is the photo of the criminal. The house was fox-proof, they know if they get in, they won't be able to get out, so no fox would attempt the crime.  But the dog, she knows she could get away with murder, well she did.  She said 'sorry' in her own way, face down and wagged her tail while I gave her the lecture.  This happened in late March.  I missed my chicken.  I have to wait till spring (September) to get new chicken.  Meanwhile I have to lower my standard of living - buy eggs from the supermarket!

This is the first time we actually sow seeds in late March, which translate to having plants growing over autumn.  I have since harvested beans, lettuce, silverbeet and bak choy.

Due to climate change, our chilli plants are still producing kilos of chilli - I now have jars of chilli sauce, dried chilli flakes and frozen chilli.

a few red ones, most are still green and black with lots of flowers

We have harvested some of these

Seeds recently sow, protected with a net as birds seem to like this particular veg

moved the lemongrass against the fence to protect from winter cold.  The brick fence will  provide some heat

I used to feed the silverbeet to the chicken.  Now that they are gone, we have surplus

I tend to broadcast seeds over the patch without actually planting them neatly in rows.  So this look like a 'little united nation' of veg.  The silverbeet was self-seeding, I harvested some seeds, whatever was left on the ground have decided to pop up.

Climbing bean

Climbing beans have higher yield than the low standing ones.

non climbing beans

This is what I harvest this morning - Mother's Day present to myself!

My Pride and Joy

No, it's not about my children.  This is about my garden!

I have always wanted to grow my own lemongrass but have failed previously.  While in Tasmania last year, I visited the market and there was a stall that sell seeds.  I decided to try and grow lemongrass from seeds.  We have actually picked and cooked a meal from this home grown plant.

3 lemongrass plants

 My one and only rockmelon, the rest have been killed by the scorching sun.

rockmelon

 This is my Malaysian garden - snake beans and lady finger (okra).

I am keeping the first 2 for seeds.  They are about 2 foot long.  I got Fay to hold the ruler to indicate the length.

It was very hot for the past few weeks in Melbourne, the bean came out curly, instead of straight.

Now some photos of lady fingers.

Keeping the seeds from this one

About 1.5m tall

flower

another view of the flower

growing 'furiously'

Asian green

Beans - new season

I bought the seeds from the same stall in Tasmania, it taste like Asian Kai-Lan, but I prefer the texture of this plant.  Still waiting for it to seed.  It grows like a bush.

Tasmanian green

End of tomato season, these will be the last of them to harvest

chilli plants back in action

This one has started flowering

Another bean I am growing

Closeup of the flower

Fay called this our 'mini Christmas tree' (lettuce)

I wonder how many beans I will harvest from this plant

What the heat did to the veg

 Got back from my holiday from Batesman Bay NSW to the scorching heat of Melbourne (with temperature in the 40's).  Look how 'naked' the plants look and the leaves were literally burnt.

Closeup of the leaves

Luckily, most beans were ok.  I harvested 2 kg of them.

 Same with the zucchini - only the leaves were burnt, the zucchini were protected by the leaves.