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Community vegetable garden

Started community Veg garden in retirement village , Brooklyn Park S A . Raised garden beds & potting soil from Bunnings . Growing winter crops , picking radishes & lettuce . Variety of common herbs , Enjoyed by the residents who have missed their gardens since moving into village accommodation

Regards

Don Applebee

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Gardening

DIY July entry

Planting and Growing

Comments

KatieC

Hi @IDIG,

First, let me extend a warm welcome from the Bunnings Workshop community! It is fantastic you have decided to join and share your veggie garden with us. You'll find Workshop to be a great source for inspirational projects as well as advice on things DIY and garden. Have you checked out our Top Ideas Garden page yet? There are many members here who also love working in the garden and planting veggies. Let me tag @Noelle, @annettespanski, @Baretta11, @LisasGarden, @Grub80, and @mich1972 as they will be interested in what you're growing.

It is really wonderful you have brought gardening into your community. What have you planted this winter? Does SA do well with beetroot and spinach?

If you ever have questions about Workshop or the site please reach out.

Katie

Baretta11

@IDIG

Hi Don,

You veggie gardens look fabulous.

My garden beds are about the same height but now I wonder about trying to make them much higher as I still have to get down on my knees to work the garden.
Do you find the residents cope with the height?

I'm somewhat envious of the healthy looking plants!!

I've put some cauli seedlings in this winter, first time ever as I normally only grow corn and beans in summer. I seem to do well with them but here's hoping the cauli's do ok.

Our temp this morning was -0 ha-ha

Cheers,

Barbara

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21227#Comment_21227

Hi @Baretta11 (Barbara)

I totally agree that @IDIG's garden looks fabulous. Unfortunately, the cold temperatures have pretty much decimated my veggie patch and the only thing left alive is my wife's pumpkin.

Eric

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21213#Comment_21213

Katie ,

Beetroot & Spinach good in SA Winter . Have planted HERBS. Mint , Coriander , Parsley - Italian Flat & Curly , Sorrel , Marjoram , Thyme . VEG , Radish , Spring Onion , Silver Beet , Rocket , Pick again Lettuce , Chives , Garlic Chives , Beetroot , Pak Choi , Spinach , Sugar Snap Peas . I am trying out a potato box tower to grow potato’s 1/2 metre high by back filling soil as potatoes grow , just started last week , Regards Don

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21227#Comment_21227

@Baretta11

Barbara,

Regarding height , so far no problems here , but I offer the other residents that I can pick for them . The best solution for you is to buy a raised bed with legs , plastic type , avail Bunnings , you will only need minimal potting soil to fill , Other option is buy high sided raised beds , but needs a lot of potting soil , Third option if you can still buy what you have now is to stack one on top , pop rivet some joining straps to keep in place or bang inside some tomato stakes to hold the top section in place, good luck with your next project , Regards DON

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/73331#Comment_73331

Hi @IDIG (Don)

I would love to see your progress on the potato box tower. Can you please tell us how you set it up and what timber you used to create the box.

Eric

Baretta11

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/73331#Comment_73331

@IDIG

Hi Don,

Thanks for the great suggestions but my garden beds are made from excess limestone blocks that were over from building our home. We could use sleepers and remove the stone but for now at 64 I can still manage and mostly get down on my knees but I know that will get harder in time ha-ha

These are my garden beds which probably are even slightly lower than yours. They are quite large and I now have one bed dedicatred to asparagus and the other to strawberries so only one garden bed for other veggies. Whilst I don't mind trying to grow veggies, my work commitments on the farm at that time of the year between Sept - Dec is crazy busy and there are times I have lost my veggies due to unpredicted neglect but keep trying!!

mich1972

Good Morning @IDIG

Well you just made my day !!!!! I absolutely love this Community Garden, growing lots of edibles, getting everyone involved and encouraging people to Grow Your Own Edibles and enjoy them. Makes me very happy 😃

I love the layout and look at all of those beautiful greens 🥬

Also , welcome to the Workshop Community @IDIG

Can you share with us what soils you used, what veggies are you growing and how the Residents are participating?

mich1972

@IDIG Sorry ! I just scrolled down further and read what you are growing 😂

I’m just super excited about your Community Garden 🪴

KatieC

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/100093#Comment_100093

The garden is looking good @Baretta11! I also love asparagus - something I wouldn't mind trying to grow but I think my husband would prefer strawberries.

Katie

mich1972

@IDIG Don , will you be adding any large potted trees along the fence line? Or just working the raised beds. By the way I love the height of them, easier for the residents to work on.
I love the Raised Garden Beds with legs as well as they are easier to work with too.

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21241#Comment_21241

Mich , no trees, , Veg gardens good for now , will be adding some smaller beds with trellis frames for summer , beans & cucumbers , going to try climbing spinach vine , leaves good for stir fry’s. Regards Don

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21238#Comment_21238

Much. , got Ute load of general raised garden bed mix , added some cow manure , dynamic lifter granules & horse manure from local stables ( free ). , once veggies start to grow I give liquid fertiliser every three weeks . Plantings so far Herb Bed , Parsley Flat Leaf & Curly , Rosemary , Coriander , Thyme , Marjoram, Sorrel . Veg Radish , Pick again Lettuce , Spring Onion , Spinach , Rocket ,, Garlic Chives , Chives , Beetroot , Silver Beet , Sugar Snap Peas , Rhubarb . Trying a Potato Box Tower , first time , will build up to 1/2 metre as shoots grow & keep getting covered , Resident help themselves to ready Veg available , so far Radish & lettuce being cropped .some residents have supplied seeds & fertiliser , We have social committee cash donation to buy more seeds & tools Regards Don

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/100091#Comment_100091

Eric

Have made from building site trash & wooden crate from parts warehouse , only bought the 6 mm threaded rod & nuts , , Corners are 3 pieces bolted top & bottom with the rod so you leave a gap for the side boards to slide in , , the bottom bolt is set just so the first side board is held , the top bolt is your adjuster to tighten / loosen as you build up the side boards & add the soil as the potatoes grow , First time I have tried this method . Once I get to full height I can then loosen the top bolt , remove the side boards & pull down the soil , hoping for lots of potatoes , Then I can pack away & use again next season or leave at 1 side board level & grow some other crop I looked at a lot of ideas on YouTube & internet with screwed side panel but thought I would try this way

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21227#Comment_21227

@Baretta11

Barbara , best idea for you is buy raised bed on legs , Bunnings have a few styles , I have some from hand me downs when new residents move in with their spare bits & pieces when they down size , they are easy to manage , you could buy a tall raised garden bed , wood or iron but they require a lot of soil . Once you have your plants established use a liquid fertiliser every 2 weeks to get good results , Regards Don

IDIG

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/21213#Comment_21213

At the moment currently have planted & being picked & enjoyed by the residents , Spinach , Small leaf perpetual Spinach , Pick again lettuce , Hearting Lettuce , Broad Beans , Radish , Brussel Sprouts , Celery , Pack Choi , Carrots , Snow Peas , Spring Onions Salad Onions , Beetroot , Rhubarb , Parsley , Basil , Mint , Sorrel , Coriander , Sage , Rosemary , Chives , Silver Beet . Spinach grows well & responds to continual picking . Beetroot groves well but takes a long time to mature , Regards Don

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