I've been busy of the past few months

[Mark Seaton]

I have posted before stating that after a run in with the hospital, I got a little addicted to Mark's you tube videos. I built some raised garden beds and used the huger culture method to fill them and even ordered some different seeds which I normally would go for or just cannot get in a local garden centre.
Well this weekend, mainly because I am in a weird climate where we get late frosts but hot summers, I decided I needed a greenhouse in order to get a head start on some seeds. Up until now, I have used a mini plastic thing attached to a table, which I ok, but if I want to go the extra mile, then why not go hard.
So I purchased 3 lengths of pine. Aside from that, I had everything laying around the yard just taking up space. (mostly earmarked for projects that never happened)
At the end of today, I only need one more length of pine to finish the door and I am done.
I am pretty happy with the result and cannot wait to get growing
I also uploaded some photos of my raised beds

 

[Ash]

Great work there Mark. And yes, (the forum) Mark's videos have been amazing. He's a real gem.

 

[Mark Seaton]

Well I haven't been on here in a while, but I have been busy planting seeds in my new greenhouse.
I am amazed at just how quick some of them pop up when they have their cosy warm little room.
I have actually got so many seeds coming up that I am searching for new places to put some raised beds
Yesterday I spotted a space that I had originally planted lawn, only a fairly small area, but decided that as it was only ever there for the dog to have somewhere to go to the loo and now we don't have the dog any more, so off it goes!
I think at this stage I will just put some either gravel or maybe a thick layer of bark down and put a couple smaller beds and plant water melons or pumpkins or the like as it is an area that they can ramble and not be in the way.
I also got inspired by Marks Gord tunnel and decided that seeing as I had purchased so many different varieties on cucumber and beans, I need to save garden space and go up!
So with more stuff that I had lying around (yes I do hoard a lot of junk) I created this. I can grow three different varieties of plant even if they like different conditions and have them climb the same frame

Unfortunately the cherry tree didn't get it's prune that I had promised it, but what the heck, it has been over 10 years now, whats another year.

 

[ClissAT]

Did you make all of that yesterday?!?!?

Quality infrastructure is always a benefit to both you and the plants.
The cherry tree won't know itself with all that extra fertilizer around it's feet!
Those old fence sections certainly come in handy!
I hate seeing them thrown away.

 

[Mark Seaton]

Did you make all of that yesterday?!?!?

No I made 2 of the raised beds first, I had my daughter help put them together as I was on light duties after an operation. But the greenhouse I made in one day.
There is a bathtub behind one of the raised beds you can see, that was my first raised bed. I had attempted to grow veges for years and they never grew well because of poor soil and uncontrollable weeds etc, So one day when I was cleaning up i decided as I couldn't sell the bath i would just fill it with dirt and it grew the best veges I had grown.
That was when the penny dropped and so I have been building raised beds as fast as I can find room and am addicted.
The bath will be retired as soon as the last lot of Caulies and cabbages are harvested in favour of another matching fence type bed.

 

[ClissAT]

I have my worm farm/compost in a bathtub. Best one I ever had, worms love the coolth.
I had to build a close fitting screen 'door' for it though to keep the rats out.
This area is crawling with bush rats. I work so hard to not have anything around that they might use as food including my garden which is all protected from them.
But the numbers are astronomical. Someone around here must be careless with their chook food, horse feed, garden produce, or I don't know what, that lets them breed like flies.
Anyway, I also have a pawpaw growing in a tub producing nice big fruit and this winter grew beaut carrots around the tree. Another tub has great purple sweet potatoes growing like triffids although the wallabies mow the leaves off.
The last one has the big 5ft tall bird and fly proof tomato frame perched on it with special tomatoes, snow peas, garlic, purple mustard greens and ginger in it this season.
I start out filling the tubs with potting mix, perlite and coir then at the end of each growing cycle I add some compost. I have an old fridge vegie drawer under the plug of each tub to catch any runoff which I pour out on adjoining gardens.
So I will be getting more tubs as soon as my shoulder get a bit stronger and I am able to maneuver the tubs onto my landcruiser tray.

Just remember with raised beds that the water takes the fertility down with it. Its pointless having growing medium any deeper than vegie roots can reach.

 

[Mark Seaton]

Yep, I did fill the base with branch's then heaps of wood chips, cardboard, leaves, basically any organic stuff that was lying around, then got a trailer load of loamy soil from a mates place and topped it mostly up, before adding a layer of potting mix blended with sheep manure, dynamic lifter and blood and bone. I then add a layer of mulch so as it breaks down it will add more to the soil.
I have almost filled my little greenhouse now also. I have already potted on the tomatoes and some beans and cues. i am going to need to keep them in there for another few weeks until the frost goes as last year I got all excited and planted out some tomatoes, they were doing great , then we had a really bad frost and killed the lot.

 

[GKW]

I have posted before stating that after a run in with the hospital, I got a little addicted to Mark's you tube videos. I built some raised garden beds and used the huger culture method to fill them and even ordered some different seeds which I normally would go for or just cannot get in a local garden centre.
Well this weekend, mainly because I am in a weird climate where we get late frosts but hot summers, I decided I needed a greenhouse in order to get a head start on some seeds. Up until now, I have used a mini plastic thing attached to a table, which I ok, but if I want to go the extra mile, then why not go hard.
So I purchased 3 lengths of pine. Aside from that, I had everything laying around the yard just taking up space. (mostly earmarked for projects that never happened)
At the end of today, I only need one more length of pine to finish the door and I am done.
I am pretty happy with the result and cannot wait to get growing
I also uploaded some photos of my raised beds

View attachment 3644 View attachment 3645 View attachment 3646 View attachment 3647

I'm liking your DIY greenhouse. Gives me some ideas for building one rather than buying a poles and cover type from the hardware store. I like.

 

[Mark Seaton]

A little update on my greenhouse.
DON'T DO WHAT I DID
I didn't add a window or a vent source. I am modifying it now and making a frame to put over the roof with shade cloth on it. When we started getting hot weather, it started getting hard to keep the water up to the plants, then after a few weeks I saw why.... Look at the photo of the seed trays....
I did have the door open, but that wasn't enough. I ended up taking everything out and didn't use it at all over the last few months.
Now with the winter crops needing to be sown, I have modified it slightly and will do a little more in the coming weeks to make it more usable all year round.
Stay tuned.
Oh. also I added a photo of some of the success in my chilli crop. I have several plants that are producing a HUGE amount of chilli all thanks to the early propagating in my new house

 

[Wedgetail]

Good to see you back Mark looks like it got a bit warm in there. Chillies are looking great. Cheers Dave

 

[Mark Seaton]

So my daughters came home to visit for a few days and what better activity than to get them help in the garden
I had Ashleigh pick all of the cayenne peppers and red hot embers and cut them up as required and they are drying in the dehydrator as we speak... er write.
Once done I have enough jalapeno's to refill it again, so will need to get on to that.
I have made a frame and attached shade cloth to it and put that on top of the green house to stop it overheating, I am still on the look out for a window to fit in the back, but it has certainly helped drop the temp inside.
On that subject, I have planted a heap of Cauliflower, Cabbage and Broccoli seeds. I also have sweet peas in for my front garden. I would normally put them in around ANZAC day, but I decided i am not showing them, so want them in earlier so I have a longer flowering of them
Anyway, enough for now, I am heading out to finish my other project for the front yard.... A giant chair

 

[Mark Seaton]

A big weekend in the garden needs a big chair to relax on

 

[Wedgetail]

Awesome chair Mark just missing the giant esky have a good day. Dave