A new patch & experimental watering system
Well after a long hot summer we took a long hard look at our vegie patchs’.
Time for a revamp was the call.
One particular patch was just really past its useby date, so I started to look around at what we had on hand, so that we could have a bigger and better vegetable garden. Hiding behind the shed were a couple of bits of colourbond (left over from the shed construction), so with tinsnips and a metal grinder we spilt the wider piece of roofing colourbond into two and decided that the two smaller bits would be perfect for the ends. Construction began and in a short time and some random bits of scrap wood we had a new raised vegie garden.
We also found some old garden hose that we put a slit into one side and then placed this on the edge of the colour bond and rivited it to hold it firmly in place. This will help prevent getting cuts from the tin.
In went some lovely compost, chicken manure, soil, blood and bone, plus some wetting agent to help with moisture retention. But before the patch was complete, we decided we would include an experimental watering system, to help save some watering time and maybe improve the efficeincy of the water. So before the last layer of soil was put down, we coiled a weeper hose across the bed and held it down temproraily with some metal pegs. The hose attachment end was left hanging out of the garden bed.Then down went the final layer of yummy soil mix, then the metal pegs were gently removed and we hooked it up to the hose from the rainwater tank.
In went some cauliflower and brussell sprouts and in between these went some randomly placed red onions. This combination I have since found out is a receommend companion planting combination that helps deter white cabbage moths… Fingers crossed on this…
As for the watering system, it seems to be working the cauli’s and brussel sprouts look like they are happy and healthy.
Your seedings looks FANTASTIC! Like wise could not be said for mine. *sigh*. Broccolli are _just_ surviving, carrots are slow to grow…… I think I am loosing my green fingers.
I am sure you are not losing your “green fingers” – You are the Bok Choy Queen!
My carrots are also a little slow also and the seedlings have suffered an attack by the dreaded White cabbage moth… which I am slowly getting under control – you just seem to take your eye off them for a second and the garden pests move in! But am spraying with my own little formula and meticuosly checking and squashing new moth eggs, found a big fat green catapillar yesterday and he was promptly dispatched… the joys of gardening… we seem to have highs and lows in the wonderful world of vegetable gardening.