Non-Aquaponic Gardens

[GaryD]

Hi,

Many Aquaponicists run (or ran) soil-based food gardens.

Here's mine.......they started out life as a 2400mm pit pipe before we had them cut into 600mm sections. They're about 1500mm in diameter.

We set them up as sheet mulch gardens. If you'd like to know more about sheet mulch gardens, see http://www.duckweed.info/duckweedblog/archives/2006/11/raised_bed_shee.html

Of course, these are looking a bit less resplendent since Level 5 water restrictions kicked in.

What do your soil-based gardens look like?

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

With the recent rains, our tank is full and we have surplus nutrient-rich water from our 800 litre fish tanks, so our mind has turned to reviving our raised sheet mulch beds.

We've assembled the cow manure, sugar cane mulch and newspaper that we need to renovate out beds so, next weekend we'll be into it. When these beds get going properly, the amount of produce that they turn out is equal to any other growing system I've encountered.

GaryD

[tumra]

Gary,

Just out of interest, looking at your photos (in particular the 3rd one) i notice you have alot of land there, and wondering why have you decided on planting in the pipes, as opposed to establishing a conventional garden bed in that area... is there an advantage to using the pipes or the raised garden? At my place, dad has been growing vegetables in the backyard for as long as i can remember by digging up the ground and supplementing the soil with chicken manure and planting straight into the ground... the vegetables have never grown so well...

Just want to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

[GaryD]

Hi Tumra,

We have 3/4 of an acre.....about 3000 square metres.....so space is no issue. I like raised sheet mulch beds for the following reasons:
They use far less water than conventional gardens.
They don't usually require weeding or digging.
They resist incursion by weeds.
They are at a comfortable working height.I admire people who are good gardeners (in the traditional sense) but I have too little time to do all of the things that I want without adding digging and weeding to the list.

Gary

[Murray]

I have at long last started on my "No-Dig" non aquaponic garden.
I want to have a no dig garden to grow spuds and the like. Also to grow things like zucchini and squash which take up too much room in my aquaponics garden
I have had this pile of straw for about 9 months and as it is starting to break down I figured it is about time I set up the gardens. As you can see in the pix, the stack of hay has got a bit of a lean on, and is in danger of falling over.
I got the straw/hay for $1.00 a bale.

The iron garden surrounds were given to me by my very good neighbour of 27 years. He is a tank maker and these are left overs from making slimline tanks. I reckon they are just the thing for such a project.

I have filled the first bed with straw.

Step one was a layer of very heavy cardboard in the bottom of the bed. This helps keep weeds from coming up through.....evidently.
Second step was to half fill the bed with straw and wet it down and stomp it down.
A sprinkling of "Rooster Booster" as per usage guidelines on the 20 kg bag.
Then another 200mm deep layer of straw....a wet down and a stomp down.
A sprinkling of Blood and Bone as per the rate on the back of the 10 kg bag.
A 100mm layer of straw, a wet down and a stomp down.

I then planted 6 seed potatoes....two had already sprouted leaves.
at the other end I planted one sweet potato tuber.

[GaryD]

Hi Murray,

Tell you neighbour he can live next door to me for the next 27 years if he wants to give a set of those surrounds. They're perfect for the purpose.

Gary

[Murray]

I will see if I can scrounge a couple more for you.