Week beginning 12th December 2011

A busy week in the garden!

We filled our apple crates with straw and then put soil on top. These four beds will be left with a green manure crop growing in them over the summer. 

To quote the Green Harvest Web-site http://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds/green_manure.html :

"Green manures are a cornerstone of ecologically sensible agriculture. They can provide outstanding benefits for the soil, crop and you, the gardener by:

• Increasing organic matter, earthworms and beneficial micro-organisms
• Increasing the soil's available nitrogen and moisture retention
• Stabilising the soil to prevent erosion
• Bringing deep minerals to the surface and breaking up hardpans
• Providing habitat, nectar and pollen for beneficial insects and reducing populations of pests
• Improving water, root and air penetration in the soil
• Smothering weeds"



 Next, Pauline and Craig went out and purchased a trailer load of 'Veggie Mix" to put into the beds that will be planted with vegetables before the holidays.

Three of our raised metal beds will get a top-up with "veggie mix"; one was filled this week.

The bed was covered in straw













The next job was to take a look at what is still growing in our beds and decide whether plants should be transplanted or used as compost. Herbs were moved by Jennifer to the Red Class bed - our herb garden. Pauline transplanted pumpkin, zuccini and cabbage into the first replenshed bed - not sure how they will cope with transplanting - we will give them till next week to see if they are up to the challenge!

Jordan did a great job watering the transplanted veggies.

 

Next week (the last week of term)

• we will continue to empty out the existing class vegetable beds, transplanting anything that looks like it can survive the school holidays
• top up two more metal beds with "veggie mix" and straw
• plant vegetable seedlings in these two beds - for harvesting in Term 1 2012
• sew green manure seeds in the remaining two metal beds and the four apple crates

And then we have to hope that our seedlings will survive the summer and be ready for harvesting when we return to school in mid-February. Fortunately we have a number of very much appreciated volunteers who will water and watch over our vegetables over the summer.