Here I am watering in some more seedlings - which mostly by now have probably been munched by the slugs who must believe I am very silly by providing them with such a delectable banquet on a fortnightly basis - seedling we are hoping will begin to feed us soon.
What may look like a bunch of sticks poking out of the ground is starting to have significant meaning for us at Possum Bend. These sticks are marking out our circular beds, partly so we know where to step and also to guide our excitable canine friend, Luke in his lolloping across the lawn.
We now have 6 beds planted and the chooks are into their second week on what will become bed 7. We are steadilly creating paths from untreated macrocarpa sawdust, the waste from a local sawmill at Mahia and the whole garden is now beginning to take shape.
We've definitely been finding out through a bit of trial and creativity what is needed to make gorgeous, nutrient-rich beds for planting into - some of what we are gardening on has been a bio-dynamic, organic vegetable garden before and some is lawn in grass, including couch.
We are now piling as much "bio-mass" as possible into the
chook dome each time they are newly on a fresh 'patch', with the intention that volume depth-wise will kill the grass below and create a thick, lush carpet of richly-fertilised mulch for planting directly into.
In the foreground of this pic is the newly planted
crab-apple, it's placement timed for it to be fruiting (hopefully!) when the chooks return to this bed on their 3rd rotation in Autumn next year. (yes, this is a long-term project :) )
Phoebe is very keen in the garden and this is the beginning of "Phoebe's Patch", just outside the glasshouse. Quite often she is quietly rescuing babies of this and that and potting them up - she has an area of the glasshouse and now this patch, which she has already snaffled up some of the seedlings for.
Well, Mum, this isn't meant to make you feel a little jealous, BUT!
