October 2011 Update

During October the Kids of PCG were busy planting
during the school holidays.

The first week we sowed seeds of Giant Sunflowers and yummy Nasturtiums around the edges of the Kids Beds.
The second week saw seedlings planted into the beds:
Tomatoes "Black Russian", "Big Rainbow" and "Ida Gold"
Lettuces "Black Seeded Simpson" and "Red Coral"
Cucumber "Bushy"
Zucchini "Rondo de Nice"
Squash "Yellow Button Scalloped" and "Acorn Table Queen"
Curly Parsley
Lemon Balm
Chives
Coriander
Thyme
Marigolds "Oranges and Lemons"

A load of fresh manure was delivered from the meatworks but it was a bit too fresh so another more decomposed pile was delivered later.

The new beds have been filled with a mixture of the two manures with the fresher stuff sitting at the bottom of the beds. When the composting worms get to work on these beds they will mix up the manures and make a great growing mixture for vegetables.

The local Council has delivered three plant benches for us to use!

In the middle of the month we held a stall at the Hospital Fete and raised money to go towards building an all weather shelter shed that we have part funding for.

A giant Raffle has been started
to help raise the funds we need too...
...tickets are selling fast!

September 2011 Update

During September ten new tank beds arrived.
The sites for them have been cleared and levelled using crusher dust.

Some of the beds have new seedlings planted,
mainly lettuces,
so the shades have been put up to protect them on warmer days.

August Update

Work has continued at PCG this month with:

More mulching

More straw arriving

The big tank is in place

Sites have been cleared for 10 new Tank Beds

Things are still growing well:

Rocket flowers

Strawberry Bed

Strawberries flowering

and Brassicas galore!!

July 29 Plotter's Pleasures

The Plotter's Pleasures on July 29 saw some new tools arrive.
Some spare end of financial year funding was found
to provide us with a couple of new "big people" wheel barrows
and some useful tools.

For the kids some "mini sized" wheel barrows, some tool sets
and a cute little table and stool set.
These all have a home in the shed now and are put safely away after use.

The weeds were beginning to take over the place
so a couple of helpers got stuck in and weeded and mulched the edge beds.
Great job girls!!

With all the green weeds they loaded up a spare tank to start a compost heap.
Later in the day some pony poo was collected to add to the mix!

July 22 Deliveries

A gradual awakening after a winter lull saw everything spring to life!!!
No it isn't spring yet but things are definitely buzzing around the garden.

The arrival of one of the biggest water tanks around has signalled the beginning of the water harvesting program. The idea is to collect excess water from the Medical Centre's water tank and out buildings and sheds behind the hospital. As these are situated way up on top of the hill we can gravity feed to the tank which will be placed at the highest point on our garden block and use the water around the garden.

Hot on the heels of that delivery was our loo. It is a toilet kit which will be much easier to get through the council system than the original idea of composting toilets...it has worked out much cheaper too.

We have been promised several huge bales of straw too,
the first 2 have arrived.

On the 22nd a few of us got together and cleaned out the shed to make room for some new tools and stuff for the kids.

A cupboard and shelf unit have been donated and a couple more are on their way!
Should allow everything to have a spot of it's own to be put away after use.

Back at the growing beds the winter rains have seen the greens grow well. Time to eat them up to make room for some quick greens crops before the serious spring planting starts in September.

Plotter's Pleasure May 28th 2011

A chilly start to a Saturday (2.1C) morning that proceeded to become a drizzly morning. A brave band of 5 plotters chatted, swapped ideas and drank coffee!! We also had a few visitors come along for a peek at what we are all about!

These lettuces are about to flower...
...they are still providing some colour.
Drunken Woman is the name of this variety.
mmmm...

The kids were looking for jobs to do...
...an in-situ compost heap was started in one of the big tank beds.

We found this curious little grasshopper...
...he was missing one of his back legs...
...I wonder if he hops in circles????

I do think someone needs to tell Spudnip that you can not grow coffee by planting your coffee cup in your tank bed...despite the Broccoli and Kale doing so well!! Even a brave little chilli plant is still growing after all the frosty mornings we have had already this year.

May 14th Working Bee

Amazing work from a small group saw

the new trees mulched,
shades up on the new beds
and weeds trimmed down.
Well Done All!

Thanks to Spudnip for the photos

May 6 & 7 Working Bees

Planting began on Friday 6th June with more Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) along the rocky eastern 'top' of the garden. Each hole was dug with a motorised posthole digger as the ground is far too hard and rocky to dig by hand.

Each hole was filled with water then the plants were laid out and later planted.
Along the southern and Northern boundary fences a selection of Eremophilas, Acaias, Melaleucas, Eucalyptus and Callistemon trees/shrubs were planted.

Saturday's Working Bee crew got to work adding the irrigation hoses, covering each young plant with a protective 'hat' (see here) and adding a dripper to each plant! Phew there were a lot of plants. Now the are windbreak plantings on each of the fencelines.

The sleeper lined edge of the top layer of the garden has been planted with some tough flowering plants. Rosemary, Lavenders, Pigface, Silverbush (Convolvulus cneorum), Melaleuca and Acacia. These too have drippers attached. As these plants grow they will provide shelter for other herbs and flowers to be planted for beneficial insect/bird attraction.

The other low children's bed has been planted with some leftover Brassica and Parcel seedlings along with some Tree Onions (Walking/Egyptian Onions) which should provide some interest later in the season when these plants flower with their tiny onions instead of petals!!

There will be a quick Working Bee
on Saturday 14th May
to spread mulch around the new windbreak plants.

Plotter's Pleasures April 30 2011

The last Saturday in April it was time for the Plotters Pleasures!!

The Sunflower plants have survived the caterpillar attack
and grown to produce amazing flowers!

All the beds are growing well.
Summer crops are just about finished
and the greens have taken off.

A local gardener who lives close by, wandered up to have a chat, came back later with a bag full of strawberry runners to donate. He helped us plant them in one of the Kiddies tank beds. Thank you so much for your kind donation. We hope to see you soon as a plotter in the garden!

Meanwhile work has begun filling
the three new plots/beds for some waiting members.
See this link for how these Wicking Bed systems are built.

And some new native plants have been purchased
for more windbreak and general plantings.

Plotters Pleasures 26 Mar 11

A chilly morning greeted us but the second Plotter's Pleasures was well attended!

The shade covers were moved to the back of the beds
to allow more sun for the plants
but still provide much needed wind protection from the western side.

Eeek!! Something was eating away at the leaves...

...luckily we had some children present
to collect a few and off they went to squish them!!!

Our carpark was nearly full...

...thanks to the local Lions Club
who had accepted our invitation
to join us for morning tea/coffee!

March 12th Working Bee.

A great attendance at the working bees meant much was achieved!

We didn't really need this fellow's help though,
so he stayed in the shed!

That windbreak bed was weeded and mulched,
more of the plants had outgrown their protectors so these were removed.
Some of the Saltbush needed to be pruned/tidied
to allow the smaller tree seedlings some light!

The sharp edges of the cut-down tanks
were made safe by the addition of hose.

Sleepers were dug in to the edge of the roadway.
Then manure and soil mixed ready for planting.

After all that work we enjoyed some food
and coffee of course!
By lunchtime it was too hot to continue
so we called it a day!

Thank you everyone for your help!

First Plotters Pleasures!!!!

Saturday March 5 saw the first of our new Plotters get-togethers. A time for Plotters to tend their plots in the company of fellow plotters. A great way to share hints and learn new garden stuff.

With summer drawing to a close it was time to make some room in the beds for new plantings. Fresh seedlings of Lettuce, Rocket, Silverbeet, Spinach, Coriander, Broccoli and some small Cabbages went in. A small container of healthy compost worms was added to the beds to keep the wicking systems activated!!

The beds were tended and areas around them weeded. Then it was time to check out that Coffee House!!! Sheltered from sun and wind it's a great place to relax with a warm drink, friendly chat with fellow gardeners and shared goodies to eat.

Remember that Saturday 12th March
is a Community Working Bee.
Come along and share the fun
(not to mention some weeding...)