Patch Update for 12/5/2010 05/12/2010
Plantings We have nearly finished the plantings for our winter crops. So far we have planted onions, cabbages, parsnips, carrots, broad beans, peas, broccoli (although this has been severely eaten by caterpillars), beetroot, spinach, silverbeet, garlic, lettuce, tomatoes (still growing) and lots more. The weather is magnificent at the moment.....not too hot or too cold...a lovely time for volunteers to come and help with the plantings. For some reason we only have a couple of regulars helping at the moment and it is taking a long time to get the patch finished. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. There is always someone at the TGPatch Wednesdays and Sundays from 3pm. Trees The wind break/screen is growing beautifully. We tried a small experiment where we completely sheet-mulched the ground surrounding the majority of the trees ( killing the grass at the same time. Some of the trees were only mulched around their base and about half a dozen had no mulch. The difference in growth, size, health and survival rate was huge. Although extra work to start with, the thorough mulching was worth the effort. If you are driving past, have a look and you can see the difference in growth etc. We have now mulched all the trees and replanted the ones that died (where there wasn't any mulch). There was also very little weeding required and no watering was needed - even through the hot summer months. The general beneficial insect and bird attracting garden is also growing well. It is particularly pretty at the moment because some of the annuals are in full flower. Again the sheet mulching has meant that we didn't have to do much weeding or watering ( see photos).  Windbreak  Winter Crops Add Comment Patch update for 12/3/2010 03/11/2010
The last few weeks have been very busy at The Tucker Garden Patch. We have spent a lot of time keeping the grass mown and weeding the windbreak. Alan has done a marvellous job with the whipper snipper and Lyn has constantly been harvesting produce for sale and preserving. She has made some yummy green tomato sauces, corn relish and cucumber pickles. They are 4 sale at the community stall at the farmers markets. We had some interesting working bees where we learnt to make paper pots, seed raising mix and planted 100's of seeds. We have already planted some of the seedlings ( peas, cabbages, potatoes (which rotted in the wet), parsnips and lots more coming on). The first seed saving workshop saw 10 people sharing their knowledge about how to grow, collect and share seed. Notes from this course are available on the website. Autumn is upon us and we are starting to remove spent vegetable plants. We are also making lots of wormwood spray to help repel and deter insect infestation. There is a dreadful imbalance at the TGPatch. This imbalance however is gradually being addressed by designing and building beneficial insect and bird attracting garden areas, making shelter for lizards and improving the soil. Our next job is to remove old foliage ad reinvigorate current vegetation to get a few more weeks growth from the current plants. We have just pulled the vines in the pumpkin patch. The sheet mulching has done the job..99.9% of the grass is dead and we are now preparing the area of the EFP sponsored Mandala garden. The plans are for growing and seed saving. The beds will have to be raised above the current ground level due to poor drainage Lyn & Marnie have started the layout of the EFP garden beds and paths so if anyone is wondering what all the sticks are for they are Lyn and Marnie's markers. We hope no one will remove them! Patch is banned from the caravan which he loves to get in...he left his flea(s) behind the other day. Kate was busy picking parsley and watering the new seedlings. The $10000 grant that TGP won is due in the next couple of weeks so we should be able to finish the shade house and micro watering system. There are also plans to engage a consultant to put together some growing/business plans. We are really looking forward to the watering system ( including a solar pump to pressurise the downhill water flow and timers to save volunteers having to be there for watering) Jocelyn and Marnie are busy organising the garlic workshops. This should be interesting and we hope will attract a lot of interested people. Jan and Uli have agreed to demonstrate their biodynamic technique. John Paskins will show how compost tea is made and Joce and Marnie will demonstrate other garlic growing techniques/bed preparation. There is over 30 years of garlic growing experience between them. You never know...Gloucester may become the garlic capital of NSW! 14/02/2010 02/19/2010
Farmers Market a great success. Congrats to the Community Stall.... What a great effort. Ken and Norm finished the new bins. Lyn and Marnie did more sheet mulching for the orchard. Alan maintenance work! 29/01/2010 - 12/02/2010 02/19/2010
Lots of maintenance work. Excessive rain has drowned the EFP/ Pumpkin Patch. We must make this bed a priority to improve for Autumn plantings (oxygen and nitrogen starved). Lots of picking of produce (tomatoes, beans, cucumber, silverbeet, salad herbs). The honeydew and rockmelon growing despite the humidity. Zucchini finished due to powdery mildew.... must spray foliage with organic remedy next season and feed - therefore lots of seaweed and nettle emulsion. Mowing and Weeding 02/15/2010
27/1/2010 Beds 3 and 3B 02/15/2010
24/1/2010 Beds 3 original seed raising beds are now not in use as such. Corn, parsley, beans and silverbeet are growing in them. Seedlings will be raised mainly in paper pots and tubes at Misty Ridge and at TG patch volunteers' home gardens ready to be transplanted into beds at the Patch. Beds 3B - raised edged beds. Eco cover placed on grass and bed frames placed on top. Mulch on paths - grass clippings and horse manure mixed put in beds with one water can each of fish emulsion and left to stew - to be planted soon. Herb circle tbcont. Tony Murphy donated a trailer load of horse manure - Ken / Marnie loaded it and delivered it to TG Patch. Alan unloaded it. Garden loved it!!!! First Pick of Patch veggies. 02/15/2010
16/12/09 Sue Kingston picked some veggies. Great to see produce being used by community. Planted more veg in the Family Plot. Lyn and Kate a great help as usual. Kate brought some comfrey for the Pumpkin Patch and "Patch" the mascot thought he was helping but as usual he just got in the way (he is lovely though!). First pick of patch beans, tomatoes, lettuce, coriander, silverbeet (chard), cucumber. Paper cup transplants working very well.... no transplant shock. Will try with parsley next. Roots establishing well and deep. Very important. When planting into mulched garden make sure the hole goes through the cardboard / newspapers etc to the ground below. Seedling Beds 10/25/2009
Volunteers have raised 2 beds of mixed seedlings in our new raised beds. We used the no dig technique and built up the soil above ground level. The procedure used is described below 1. beds placed in a trench and the trench backfilled (for weed management) 2. gypsum and blood and bone spread over un-dug ground (grass, rocks,weeds) 3. ground covered with newspaper and cardboard 4. cardboard covered with mulch which filled the bed to about 30cm below top edge 5. mulch parted in rows 6. cleared rows filled with Misty Ridge planting medium* level with height of mulch 7. growing medium watered 8. seeds planted and watered, labelled and dated 9. beds covered with shadecloth 10. beds watered by hand 2-3 times per week We have now planted out some of the seedlings which are all looking very healthy. These include tomatoes and lettuce,(sold 100g of the baby spinach). Volunteer TGP members are encouraged to take seedlings for plantings on their properties. We have also sold some seedlings to growers. * see Tips and Facts for Misty Ridge growing mix recipe  Raised Beds 10/25/2009
TGP (thanks to Ken Johnson) is making available to growers, Ken's trialed and proven design for raised garden beds. At the tucker patch we are currently planting some of these beds. The beds are made of recycled materials and range in cost for materials from $20-$50. New materials will cost more. If you build them yourself there is no labour cost. Mick O'Brien, who has improved the design, has also offered to make them for the not so practical amongst us, for $50 each bed...you supply the materials. The bed design includes - metal frame (which can be buried in the ground for a weed and animal barrier. - metal tube support for strengthening bed and holding polypipe hoops - hoops to support bird netting, shadecloth and plastic. - tie down holes to attach the netting and shadecloth to the bed The beds can be seen by visiting the Tucker Patch site. If anyone would like to order some beds please contact Mick O'Brien (65582369) or Ken Johnson (65583191) First Post! 10/23/2009
In a short space of time, a small group of volunteers have begun the process of transformation from a bare paddock to a productive garden. • A couple of our friends have offered their professional skills and volunteered to design a site plan and attractive signs. • A shade area is planned and will be erected as soon as possible. It is hoped to have some wet weather cover as well. • The trenching for the watering system was started on Wednesday 14th October and the pipes, pump and tank installation will follow. • Garden beds have been started and are now ready for planting. • Some herb and vegetable seedlings are ready for planting. |
