tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post408091411633315580..comments2024-02-10T18:50:01.193+10:00Comments on Gully Grove: Veggie talesChris http://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-13881026395640760972015-08-27T14:40:33.905+10:002015-08-27T14:40:33.905+10:00Definitely hit the nail of the head. It was harder...Definitely hit the nail of the head. It was harder being my own motivator in that particular area, but as I've been gradually doing more to the bed, I realise how much easier it is, since taking that first step. I don't feel like superwoman, I just realise it can be done - with or without help. :)Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-59163548581931494742015-08-27T06:10:22.442+10:002015-08-27T06:10:22.442+10:00Maybe there is a lesson for you to have come fill ...Maybe there is a lesson for you to have come fill circle-that you can do this by yourself and successfully at that. Just throwing it out there because I remember the trauma you endured and I know it was very hard for you to be alone on top of everything else. I can only guess at the meaning here of course-just offering one possibility. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-65328389498038839782015-08-25T08:39:48.351+10:002015-08-25T08:39:48.351+10:00Yes, doing this was a great exercise for me overal...Yes, doing this was a great exercise for me overall. It cleared out a lot of internal cobwebs. I didn't realise it at the time, but there was some issues from the flood hanging around that area. It was one of the first places to let go, as we focussed on repairing others. <br /><br />Flood meant separation for me - being cut off from everyone I knew, so here I was, about to attack an area that represented flood, all by myself again, lol. I guess (realising later) I wanted David there as a mental reminder I wasn't cut off. I didn't get what I wanted, but life often works like that. I enjoyed the experience anyway, and I'm making new memories. Which is something I needed to do. :)Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-26226339763080719832015-08-25T08:24:48.993+10:002015-08-25T08:24:48.993+10:00At different ends of the spectrum, we're getti...At different ends of the spectrum, we're getting used to working differently with our partners. There are many times I work in the garden alone, I call it my pottering time, lol, but on big projects, its great to have someone else in the mix to motivate each other. :)<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your experience, and it was interesting to see how we differ but still require that self-adjustment stage.<br /><br />I thought my advocado tree might flower this year too. I saw some bumpy bits developing that didn't look like leafs. I had to cut back two roots, in order to get the roofing iron in place, so maybe that will stimulate the tree to fruit as well? I hear if you stress them, they desperately try to put fruit out. <br /><br />Plan B, if I keep the tree, is to remove the beds and put in perennial herbs as an under-story. <br /><br />Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-34422620884347642112015-08-25T08:09:45.235+10:002015-08-25T08:09:45.235+10:00I wondered if they got shade during the day. I fou...I wondered if they got shade during the day. I found I couldn't keep plants alive in my regular planting containers without that shade, because the soil would cook and become hydrophobic. <br /><br />Though I imagine wicking boxes would do a better job at keeping cooler. It would be very interesting to discover what your soil temperatures are in your wicking boxes. Thanks for sharing your experience with them. :)Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-36602278375040080852015-08-25T07:52:28.780+10:002015-08-25T07:52:28.780+10:00I'm glad you found that green light at long la...I'm glad you found that green light at long last! I forgot to say how nice it all looked! I do know you value my opinion:) I'm sorry you felt that you had to fight it all. Did you find that by doing this on your own, it became less of a fight and more of something else? Something more peaceful? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-80451820226979147502015-08-24T15:39:15.226+10:002015-08-24T15:39:15.226+10:00PS. hope you dont dig out your avocado tree, it lo...PS. hope you dont dig out your avocado tree, it looks like it will fruit soon :o)Nicole and Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07463146316953697505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-59120103493847668052015-08-24T15:32:54.764+10:002015-08-24T15:32:54.764+10:00your learning to work on your own and sometimes th...your learning to work on your own and sometimes thats a good thing, until we sold up and moved to our next adventure here at Early Bird Farm, i worked alone on pretty much every thing as Andrew was either working or wasn't interested in helping out with all the things i was doing. <br />now i have to learn to work along side Andrew and it can be a challenge as we both work at different rates. im a go all day kind of person, i like to get jobs finished, and Andrew works at a slower pace. I think it has been a challenge for both of us and will continue to be as we learn to work with each other and spending pretty much all of out time together has helped and has been stressful on both sides. It has probably been harder for me as i have pretty much worked on my own for most of our marriage, now i have someone else who can lend a hand, share ideas and someone to stop and have lunch with. <br />I am sure you both will find a balance and even if David cant be there all the time to help out, he can still admire the work you have done when he gets home and share in the fruits of your labour. Nicole and Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07463146316953697505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-57345694566538700792015-08-24T13:00:56.831+10:002015-08-24T13:00:56.831+10:00I wondered about the hot sun on black plastic too,...I wondered about the hot sun on black plastic too, when I first set them up, but I didn't want to use clear plastic, because I felt algae would grow all around the sides. I do cover the soil with mulch and it seems to stay moist, but I do just give them a spray in summer when I'm passing with the hose and in some cases I have 60 litre rubbish bins near the wicking boxes that collect rainwater over the winter and if I'm not passing with the hose, I use a dipper to water the wicking boxes from the bins. I like to be able to see water through the viewing pipe at all times, then I know the soil at the bottom is saturated and the water-loving roots will be there OK.<br /><br />I also felt that the black plastic boxes would be an advantage in warming up the soil quicker in spring than ordinary veggie beds in the ground. I haven't had any plants die over summer in wicking boxes which might have been due to hot soil. You've given me an idea, though. I'll start measuring the temperature of the soil in the boxes each week, both near the edges and in the centre, just to see how hot the soil actually gets, from spring to summer. My boxes aren't in full sun all day though, they get part shade for some of the day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-11388962316924030242015-08-23T16:46:53.681+10:002015-08-23T16:46:53.681+10:00Thanks for sharing your thoughts here too. Going w...Thanks for sharing your thoughts here too. Going with the flow is easier than fighting something you cannot possibly win. For me, I've reached a point now, where I can push my boundaries out a little more. But its challenging, doing it alone (at first) when you're used to working as a team.<br /><br />I've often thought of wicking boxes, and have some appropriate containers. What's preventing me is the thought of putting all that effort in, only to have the same effect as my container plants currently - cooking the soil in full sun. Do you find your soil remains moist, or does it go like dry potting mix at the top third? Do you use mulch to cover the soil? Does the container get so hot it cooks the soil anyway?<br /><br />I wasn't sure if wicking beds would require me to water overhead, just to stop the top section of soil drying out. I have a couple of containers I want to try wicking beds on, so I'll have to start experimenting.Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-54416813629437151562015-08-23T16:28:27.030+10:002015-08-23T16:28:27.030+10:00PS, thanks for sharing your experience and thought...PS, thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts here. I do value them. :)Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-47445662128092008522015-08-23T16:25:46.947+10:002015-08-23T16:25:46.947+10:00Definitely going with the flow, but I also need to...Definitely going with the flow, but I also need to fight for what I want as well - and I hadn't really been doing that. I've been patiently waiting for David's availability, in our time honoured tradition of breaking new ground, in the garden together. <br /><br />By breaking that ground myself recently, I got to enjoy all the things I love about gardening. Albeit, a little differently. ;)<br /><br />When accidents or natural disasters first happen, letting things go is an absolute must. We're into four years after our particular incident though, so I was ready to take back some ground. More than ready. I just had to figure out, how to do it differently to time honoured tradition. ;)<br /><br />I know you guys will get back into the gardening flow, when all the signals are there to do so. Meanwhile, give yourselves the time you both need to heal. I guess I found my green light though, and just had to learn how to respond, appropriately. :)Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-58027434566104356022015-08-23T12:22:52.202+10:002015-08-23T12:22:52.202+10:00I remember those walls being built. They were so b...I remember those walls being built. They were so beautiful, I was envious. I remember the floods and the photos of water everywhere and felt your devastation at the time. Your previous commenter has wise words: go with the flow and hang on. I'm sure you'll do that.<br /><br />With the veggie growing, have you thought of trying wicking boxes like I do? They're easy to set up, can be put on a sunny patio and will at least grow you something. And you can build on the collection, putting in extra when you have the space, compost and time. Easy to do on your own, you won't need David's help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284944855633609232.post-67421930698212825362015-08-23T08:29:34.814+10:002015-08-23T08:29:34.814+10:00We changed our gardening in a very serious way due...We changed our gardening in a very serious way due to Garry's accident and haven't really done much towards growing much food this year. We have some things that are holding on-green beans namely-but instead of worrying about it, we just went with the flow of it. <br />There is really nothing more a person can do. Just hang on and see where things go. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com