Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Bed rest

After much toil, I think I can finally put my new beds to rest. Or should that be, I can now rest, while my new garden beds kick into production? Because its been quite a lot of work indeed!


Click to enlarge


What started with just one bed, initially, then two, I've finally finished at four. These will be my main vegetable production beds. At least for this year.

Inspired by the avocado tree, which will now be staying, I plan to mix perennials, with annuals, so there will always be something in the ground. I can pull out the annuals, but the perennials will always be there.

I also had to change out my pineapples, as I recently discovered they only flower once, and you have to put in a new pineapple top. I had one plant, flower several times, only to discover it was the suckers that flowered.

These haven't produced for over 12 months, so it was time to retire them and plant anew!

I'm glad to have my vegetable beds back now, and I hope to get much out of them.


4 comments:

  1. That is a fair effort. Yes , pineapples - hardly worth the effort in some ways but maybe I am mistaken. What are you using for mulch there?

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    1. Hi Phil. I'm using shredded sugar cane mulch. It will break down really quickly in summer. It's a Queensland mulch, suitable because we grow so much sugar cane in the State. I think pea straw, is the Southern States, mulch of preference - or at least that's the impression I got watching Gardening Australia, way back when.

      If you have the space for them, I think pineapples are worth the effort. They give off several suckers, after the main plant has flowered and fruited - which will also develop fruit. I've gotten 2, possibly 3 fruit from the one plant. You do have to wait for them though, so its really only worth investing in, if you have the space to wait.

      Some people might prefer a fruit tree that will produce more, in the same allotted space. My pineapples are far less fussy than my fruit trees, but then I have the climate for them. I've heard they can take longer to fruit in colder climates, so maybe not worth it in those locations.

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  2. You earned a rest! This looks just fantastic. I hope you write more about what you have planted and how its going. I need your garden to get me through our upcoming winter. lol.

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    1. Thanks. I really want to keep the garden going - though I imagine summer will bring its regular challenges with pests. I'll keep plugging away, and hope for the best. ;)

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