5 Acres block in Darwin

[Humpty Doo Dude]

Hi,

I moved into a house just outside of Darwin this year and now that the house renovation is complete I'm focusing my attention on the garden.

We're lucky to of bought an established block and so far we have found: lemon, lime, mandarin, cumquat, pineapple, tamarind, Jackfruit, Curry leaf (too much) Moringa, kafir lime, lemongrass, rosella, tumeric, galangal and ginger. Oh and we also got the Massey Ferguson, slasher, sprayer and rotavator as well as a ride on Husqvarna mower and chainsaw as part of the sale.

When I write that all down it really makes me appreciate the deal we got.

It's been great nursing them a long and my limes are going really well. The Jackfruit is also going well and I recently sold two for $70 wholesale!
I have a heap of 50mm irrigation pipe and metal sheets, star pickets and other steel bits and bobs so I'm looking to build a hoop house.

3mtrs wide by 20mtrs long. Split in half with a chicken coup in the middle. One half being a dry season garden the other a wet. The chooks will live in the off season part and scratch around as fertilisers for the next season. While giving us eggs.

Has anyone here any experience building a hoop house like I described?

I'd be interested to hear how it went and if there is any advice etc.

More to follow.

Cheers.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Welcome to the forum @Humpty Doo Dude !

That sounds very exciting
And already having that many plants... amazing. I'm so happy for you.

Do you have previous gardening experience?

I am unfamiliar with the chicken hoop. When we had chicken, we would always keep them caged as we didn't have the space to let them graze.

I think @DThille and @JoshW might be some of our handiest members. @Lunai and @daveb have a good amount of knowledge, though I'm unsure if they ever had chooks... @nayday or @ItsJustBriar any ideas? I know you guys have chooks

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

Hi Mandy,

Yeah we are blessed to have such a place to call home. I've always been interested in gardening but don't have much experience. Can't be that hard right??

I'm currently trying to get my cumquat and mandarin to flower. I have changed fertilisers to a flowering blend. Still nothing. I'll be patient and see how it goes.

I should probably start a diary and keep track of things to see what works and what doesn't.

Thanks for the reply,
The dude.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

It sounds like a gardener's dream, not going to lie.

As for gardening being hard... it can depend. To some people it comes easy, to others it's a learning curve. But anything can be learnt regardless. You're also most welcome to ask any questions you may have along the way

It might just not be the right weather/season for the cumquat and mandarin. So long as they stay looking healthy, they will flower in due time. Over here we are having a warm Winter, so I'm noticing a lot of my plants behaving differently this year. You might have an odd season as well, so your plants might be a little confused also.

You're always most welcome to keep a diary thread here on the forum! There are multiple members who do it, including but definitely not limited by @Lunai , @JoshW and @DThille . And you might find some inspiration there.

Happy gardening

 

[JP 1983]

Morgan Gold of Goldshaw Farm (Vermont, USA) built two hoop houses of about those dimensions.

Mk I. was built temporary and in fact did not survive that same year's winter blizzard season (13 mins + 13 mins):




Mk. II was intended to be permanent (23 mins):


Hopefully that will give you some ideas, especially considering you may very well have tropical cyclones and dealing with wind strengths exceeding Vermont blizzard season.

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

It sounds like a gardener's dream, not going to lie.

As for gardening being hard... it can depend. To some people it comes easy, to others it's a learning curve. But anything can be learnt regardless. You're also most welcome to ask any questions you may have along the way

It might just not be the right weather/season for the cumquat and mandarin. So long as they stay looking healthy, they will flower in due time. Over here we are having a warm Winter, so I'm noticing a lot of my plants behaving differently this year. You might have an odd season as well, so your plants might be a little confused also.

You're always most welcome to keep a diary thread here on the forum! There are multiple members who do it, including but definitely not limited by @Lunai , @JoshW and @DThille . And you might find some inspiration there.

Happy gardening

Thanks for the info. I'll scope it ou for sure.

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

Morgan Gold of Goldshaw Farm (Vermont, USA) built two hoop houses of about those dimensions.

Mk I. was built temporary and in fact did not survive that same year's winter blizzard season (13 mins + 13 mins):




Mk. II was intended to be permanent (23 mins):


Hopefully that will give you some ideas, especially considering you may very well have tropical cyclones and dealing with wind strengths exceeding Vermont blizzard season.

Hi JP,

Thanks for the links i'll have a look. I'm looking at this: 50mm Rural pipe hoop house.
I have all the materials onsite bar the shade cloth and snake mesh and will be tackling it in the next coupple of weeks.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,
The Dude.

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

Well been a minute. It's now dry season and weather is much more applicable to building.
Just about done with a few bits and pieces to tidy up.
We got chickens on the weekend so they're going to go in and will start scratching and fertilizing.
Time will tell how it will hold up over time with wind etc.
I used fishing line to sew the shade cloth to the snake mesh and fencing wire ran through the hoops clipped with mesh clips.
Two 2.5 meter wide gates either side so I can get the trailer in there when needed.
Grow house

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

It sounds like a gardener's dream, not going to lie.

As for gardening being hard... it can depend. To some people it comes easy, to others it's a learning curve. But anything can be learnt regardless. You're also most welcome to ask any questions you may have along the way

It might just not be the right weather/season for the cumquat and mandarin. So long as they stay looking healthy, they will flower in due time. Over here we are having a warm Winter, so I'm noticing a lot of my plants behaving differently this year. You might have an odd season as well, so your plants might be a little confused also.

You're always most welcome to keep a diary thread here on the forum! There are multiple members who do it, including but definitely not limited by @Lunai , @JoshW and @DThille . And you might find some inspiration there.

Happy gardening

Got some Cumquats the last while. Seems to have woken up.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Sounds like you've got an amazing season ahead of you! Have you ever owned chickens before?

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

No and we had a fatality this morning one of the really young chicks was very weak and could barely stand. I want to the shop to get electrolytes and some syringes to hand feed but when I came back she was dead and had been thrown out of the cage.
She's now buried under a mulberry tree I planted today.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

That's so sad. Any clue what might've happened?
Chickens often have a pecking order. But there can be bullies as well, which can end up killing other chicken.

 

[Humpty Doo Dude]

Not too sure TBH. It's getting down to 12 degrees at night here at the moment was thinking maybe that it's too cold.
I've started putting a hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket in now overnight.
The other chick is fine. I clean up the cage every day. Hopefully a once off.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

It very well could be. Just pay a close eye
Just like growing a garden, we learn over time. We improve and start seeing tell-tale signs. If it does happen again, it might be worth having the dead chick checked out. Sometimes you can learn a lot from the body.