Northern members were intrigued by Pam's food garden in November. A sheltered position in a bush setting 200m downhill from the house, the garden has presented many challenges. Challenges include the wildlife, black sticking clay soil and learning from trial and error.
The garden is fully enclosed to provide maximum protection from paddymelons, possums, native hens, rabbits and wallabies. The fruit trees have been pruned low for ease of harvesting and to prevent possums accessing fruit from above. The only netting Pam needs to do is fine covering over the brassicas for the cabbage moth.
Despite her best efforts there are occasional breaches, however Pam has accepted that is part of gardening in a bush setting. She is happy to live with them rather than continually fight them.
A recovering peach tree after being attacked by a possum prior to netting
A healthy apple tree within the enclosure
A not so happy apple tree growing outside the enclosure
Pam has been building one raised garden bed each year, and fine tuning the construction as she goes. The first bed has ended up with rather bulging sides, with the latest bed looking like she has perfected her technique. The beds have been built extra high to accommodate any physical challenges she may face in the future.
The bulging sides of the first raised bed
Pam demonstrated the depth of the coir used to fill the latest raised bed. The coir was spread thickly above a layer of entire pea straw bales. This bed was not filled to the top in order to allow the cold sensitive plants to be planted out early with a sheet of laserlite covering them, creating an easy and effective cold frame.
Well established tomatoes in the raised bed
Pam mentioned that she waters her peach and nectarine trees very well when they are forming leaves to control curly leaf. There was no sign of curly leaf on them.
Blueberries are grown in pots due to the condition of the soil
Healthy crop of broadbeans looking very pretty
Espaliered thornless blackberry
Many of us were inspired by Pam's determination and preparedness to have a go despite the challenges confronting her. Pam is future proofing her garden in a very methodical process and working within her limitations. We took away a lot of ideas and inspiration from this visit.
We enjoyed morning tea in the sunshine back up at the house. Thank you to everyone who contributed to morning tea and the produce table and thank you to Pam for hosting this visit.
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