The good news is the Deluxe Canopy ($195) is easy to retro fit, just drill 10mm hole in the four corners of the bed. The net is commercial grade, lasts for years, and is only $45.
Note it's nice and high to accommodate tomatoes, climbers and you won't bump your head.
Remember you can grow $200 plus of vegetables in one of these in six weeks, avoid ColesWorth and feed the family decent greens,
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This is how I do it: put the kitchen waste in the bin. I don't care what goes in so long as there is not too much of one thing. Occasionally put some green grass/dead leaves to break it up a bit.
When I get around to it I buy 12 bags of horse stable manure plus free green grass clipping off the mower lady. I also shred the Melbourne Age (best use for it) by hand. I only get the paper because the digital subscription comes with weekend papers for 'free'.
So in the above bin: a layer of dung, layer of grass, then shredded paper, then the contents of the green compost bin. Repeat until you run out. Ideally you should end up with about a cubic metre (for heat generation).
The cork screw thing above is a must have. Occasionally I fit that to the cordless drill and turn over the compost: so easy!!
This is what you end up with , teaming with worms. You can't see many because they get sunburnt easily and don't have access to sunscreen.
Don't get tied up with all the science, you will be checking the temp, the ratios the Ph etc. It's a bit like a hair cut. Yes if you do it according to the science advice it will happen quicker and be a little better. But hey I have a life so I wait a little longer and still get a great product to keep my gardens healthy.
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The two Jumbos are sold. Sorry all sold.
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Jumbo: Gully, Manor Red, Shale Grey, Dune.
Large Slim: Surfmist, Evening Haze, Cottage Green, Deep Ocean, Ironstone, Zinc, Basalt, Jasper.
Space Saver: Pale Eucalypt, Zinc, Shale Grey, Jasper.
Herb: Surfmist, Ironstone, Deep Ocean, Windspray, Pale Eucalypt, Monument.
I close this Wednesday (20th) and re-open on the 29th Dec.
Jobs after the break will be done in date order so put your order in for a timely delivery.
Thank you to all my customers, have a great break if you can, enjoy!!
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To save digging when harvesting I have shallow planted the potatoes and made a frame out of corflute that the colorbond comes in. Bit of mulch on top and then just keep adding the mulch as they grow. The one you can see came up on its own accord. That simple.
Planted
Add the mulch
And away they go
Yellowing and wilting, ready to harvest
Soil looks great. No digging involved means no damage to potatoes or my back.
Looking good
Looking better!!
]]>As soon as this was harvested I added lots of compost and some Earthlife vegemate to the soil then planted lettuce, Q's, spring onions, tomatoes and basil.
]]>coming along nicely 9 July
Been away in Melbourne visiting daughters so this has got away on me. You can see just how much you can grow without the effort, and save money. Photo 29 August.
]]>We grow our own here. Buy the seed from an asian supermarket and plant six seeds in each hole.
This is particularly important in summer as they tend to 'bolt'.
Water till their proper leaves form and then let the watersaver garden take over.
Snip them off as you need them but leave some in the ground to get the roots for curries.
A whole lot better than the tired stuff from the supermarkets.
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Just sending you the promised photos and update on my XL and Jumbo wicking beds, installed late March 2022. Current crops include bush beans, bush sugar snap peas, capsicum, Golden Nugget pumpkins, onions, sweetcorn, bush watermelon, various determinate tomatoes, determinate cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, early yellowrocket and Spacemaster Cucumber. I live in a coastal area with very high winds, so have chosen bush versions wherever possible rather than climbers.
Wind was also an issue with my veggie-net. The bulldog clips that you sent with the canopy kit just didn’t cut it, unfortunately. I’ll outline what I did in case it helps anyone else. At first I threaded clothesline wire all along the bottom edges of the veggie netting and tied it to the poles. It took ages to tie and untie when I wanted to work in the garden and I often couldn’t be bothered doing it if I only had a short amount of time to do gardening.
Next I purchased bungee cord and bungee hooks on eBay. I threaded that along the netting edges then used the hooks to clip the netting to the frame. The extra netting on the corners is hooked to the poles opposite like “hospital corners” when making a bed with a flat sheet. I also purchased spring clamps similar to the ones in the photo to place over the netting on the poles. So far, so good – and we have had some pretty hairy storms this year. I have attached a photo in case that helps. So far the netting has kept out the possums, birds and rats that are known visitors to our garden. The veggie net excludes many insect pests but means that I have to either lift it in the day time or manually pollinate.
I’m using square foot garden spacing in my beds to maximise the use of space. I created my “permanent, prominent” grid with poly pipe.
The planting media is a 50 / 50 garden soil / compost mix as per your suggestion. When I harvest a crop from a square I mix in 1 to 2 hand trowels of compost before replanting.
After the initial fill in late March, the long, wet winter weather due to La Nina has meant that I only filled the reservoir again in December.
Algae was a problem in winter, especially on any squares that were left unplanted. This can’t really be avoided here as algae grows on the roads, footpaths and garden beds in winter anyway. This year I will be sure to plant cover crops to reduce the problem though.
In addition to the crops listed above, I have successfully grown silverbeet, cornsalad (mache), garlic, various lettuces, bush peas, snow peas and spinach.
My onions were not very successful because I think it was far too wet for them, this winter although a couple that did survive are starting to look good now that the weather is drier and has warmed up.
I am growing carrots in deeper wicking pots than your beds but am going to try Parisian Market (small, round baby carrots) in your beds very soon.
Slugs and snails have been a bit of an issue but earwigs are by far my worst pest problem. I have tried controlling the earwigs with snail traps filled with soy sauce and oil but they seem to go for the yeast and sugar mix for controlling molluscs better. I will also try putting some lengths of old hose in the bed to trap them in.
Well that about sums it up. I’m looking forward to hopefully a more normal year climate-wise this year so that the wicking beds can really hit their stride.
Thanks for a great product!
Regards,
Deb in Burnie, Tas.
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Existing stock ready for dispatch:
Jumbo: Surfmist, Classic Cream, Basalt, Pale Eucalypt, Monument
Extra Large: Paperbark, Basalt, Pale Eucalypt, Classic Cream, Zinc (silver), Surfmist (I have three surfmist)
Large Slim: Dune, Woodland Grey, Zinc (silver), Basalt, Jasper
Space Saver: Evening Haze, Shale Grey, Classic Cream, Wallaby, Jasper.
There is a link to the colour chart on my home page.
Thanks for your kind patronage over the year and have a great Xmas.
Alan
]]>Hi Alan,
Our school ordered 4 Raised Garden Bed - Extra Large in Dune a few years ago and they are terrific. We would like to order 2 more just the same. Could you please send an invoice for payment with shipping details.
Thanks
Best wishes
One huge advantage for schools is because of the reservoir long suffering stuff do not have to go to school during the holidays to water the gardens.
]]>If the colours don't suit still put in an order so I can order the colorbond while away and pick it up as soon as I get back.
I have one of each of the following in stock:
Jumbo: Ironstone, Basalt, Zinc (silver)
Extra Large: Surfmist, Basalt, Zinc, Pale Eucalypt, Woodland Grey, Classic Cream, Paperbark.
Large Slim: Jasper, Classic Cream, Basalt, Zinc
Space Saver: Jasper, Wallaby, Deep Ocean, Pale Eucalypt, Classic Cream, Shale Grey
Herb: Jasper
There is a link to the colour chart on the home page.
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Hi Alan
We planted our first garden on the 18th July and left on holiday on the 20th. The rain settled the seedling in and they went from there like a house on fire with no one having to care for them. We got back last Friday then planted the second bed and fixed the net over the whole lot which works well. Just waiting for carrot seeds and others to sprout as well. I didn’t lose a single seedling which is unusual for me lol. Have explained the process to others including passers by along the path just over the fence so it’s all good advertising by word of mouth. Told them to check out your website.
Below are a couple of pics of where the 2 jumbo bed are at now. I think I’ll need another 😂
Regards and many thanks
Pam and Bill
Ps. We’ll be eating lettuce, spinach and bok choy from the garden next week I’m sure.😋
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Hi Alan,
Here are some photos of the 4x wicking beds we purchased earlier in 2021. We have had great success with the produce. Thank you.
Regards,
Ben and Erinna
Hi Alan
Forwarding photo of our water saver flower bed. Veggies doing well too, but just not as pretty as the flowers!
Thanks so much.
We love them.
Judith
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So for the duration of the lockdown if you live in Victoria use code 3606 to get free freight on any garden and as many as you like.
Don't forget, offer ends when lockdown ends-hopefully soon!!
]]>That's what they looked like in the afternoon. Unfortunately a possum dropped by Monday night and ate all the Broccoli seedlings. Didn't care for the others apparently. Bought more Broccoli and put up the frame (yes I sell them too).
This was a chicken coop I modified to show folk what a double height Watersaver Garden looks like.
Hint: if your not getting a good crop of Caulis or Broccoli add some of EarthLife's Flower Blend.
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There's still time to get a Watersaver Garden before Christmas if you order by Monday December 6. Very likely but no guarantees, we are all at the mercy of the freight companies.
As a Christmas bonus and my way of saying thank you for a successful year, orders from Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunny Coast, Melbourne and Sydney will get free freight via cash back.
Simply put your order in anytime before Christmas, pay the freight at the check out, and receive the cash back enclosed in your order.
Merry Xmas!
From Alan and the team.
]]>So there you have it, buy one now and by the time you get it (about a week) the rain will have stopped and you can get started.
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Doesn't this look great. Bit complicated to get the supports right but we got there. Every home should have one.
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