20acres

Permaculture Update from Aylston

March 2014 Update

Its been all go at the house recently. In September 2013 I planted up the entertainment area in front of the house. Recently I completed a new part of the garden which is uphill from the house. We planted a range of bushes and plants aimed at increasing shade and penetration on the subsoil and adding lushness. Plants include

  • Agapanthus (love em – a friend got about 50 that the neighbour was chucking out)
  • Birds of paradise
  • Pumpkin – organic matter
  • Horseradish & Comfrey to break up the soil and provide organic matter
  • Oak – For shade and mulch
  • Wisteria – to climb the fence and provide a foliage backdrop
  • and a lot of other things I cant remember

The plants were planted in trenches off contour that followed the water lines as they seep from the irrigation pipe on the fence. In the video I give a tour of the new area along with some of my ideas for the new water feature and grape trellis that should cool down the north face of the house.

At Christmas I bought mulch

and this is what I did with it

A fortnight ago I wrote another post on the the estatae here

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New garden beds above the house

I have been doing alot at the Estate recently and I thought readers might appreciate an update
Below is a view of the property – 20 acres in country Victoria of regrowth gum forrest (formally gold mined). Its heavily damaged withlittle top soil and although its a forresst the gums offer very little shade.

The videos below show a quick walkaround of the property showing the 20 fruit trees I planted in September, and the new area I have planted on the inside of the fenceline and the plan I have for a fountain and water feature that I hope will cool down the house when it is hot.

The fruit trees were hit hard but look like they will still survive by the unprecedently hot week we had about a month ago (where the whole week was around 40 degrees).

There is also now a new area of planting that we put in the previous week that I hope will start improving the soil and water retention.

Us at the Aylston Estate

Mum and Dad visiting

Mum and Dad have been over from the UK the last couple of weeks at the country 20 acre residence. We have decided to fence in the house in to prevent kangaroos from eating all my plants. Dad helped me with my fence .(Mum has proofed this)

Mum “We are having an amazing time here….I am really appreciating the selected sightseeing to all the building merchants/ timber yards and DIY outlets….all very cultural!!”

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Garden Update

Well my front gardens look rather lovely at the moment things are stepping. I have probably about 20 tomoato plants 20 beans and all manner of greens and flowers growing is rather nice. At our house in Melbourne we have an apple,plum,apricot,olive,peach and lemon tree. We have masses of lemons and recoently the plum and apricot trees and been producing fruit.

Meanwhile at the estate the 6 yabbie traps that I bought have come in useful and we dinned on yabbie for the first time the other week, I also have been very busy trying to make the area more green. (I’m not sure if its working) but I have dug a pretty long swale so its now “permaculture” ;-). I also have probably about 30-40 potato plants growing at the moment. See pics below

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Setting up automated irrigatation

I have been busy recently. We have recently moved and the last couple of week I went mad put in a spring / summer garden. I have also made some significant progress at the estate. The contrast is amazing at the home the soil is dark a loamy and full of worms at the estate if I want to grow anything I have to dig a hole first with a pick axe (and it takes a long time).

I have setup automated irrigation in both places – set to go off every 3 days. Like anything its not to hard once you work out how to do it. The timer cost $30 from bunnings. At the estate I also needed to put in a filter ($80). I also needed piping (although theres quite a bit at the estate allready)

Below is a sideshow of my new garden / house in Melbourne

Please do not watch the video below if you are offended by foul language!
When I am not swearing about the irrigation I am showing whats going on at the Estate lots of “big potatoes!”