Gardening Forum

[incisor]

Anyone frequent any decent home gardening forums?

[Lionelgee]

Anyone frequent any decent home gardening forums?


Hello Incisor,

Is there anything in particular you seek to know about from a gardening forum? It used to be my trade - Parks, Gardens & Landscaping.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[incisor]

am a hobby gardener and went looking for a decent au forum and there isn't much out there...

small vege patch nothing flash

always been interested, never had much time but am trying to make time as i enjoy it.

cheers

[jspyle]

Aldi have beds for sale. Might go buy a couple. Doesn't help, but it got me off the couch.

[incisor]

Aldi have beds for sale. Might go buy a couple. Doesn't help, but it got me off the couch.
:D:D:D

[jspyle]

Aldi have garden beds for sale. Might go buy a couple. Doesn't help, but it got me off the couch. I meant to say garden beds.

[Mick_Marsh]

Hey, Inc., couldn't you and Andy have a good discussion going in Outdoor Pastimes.
I'll post up photos of my weeds.

[bob10]

Anyone frequent any decent home gardening forums?

Go to this;

Green Harvest Organic Gardening Supplies (http://www.greenharvest.com.au)

[incisor]

Go to this;

Green Harvest Organic Gardening Supplies (http://www.greenharvest.com.au)

yeah like eden seeds (https://www.edenseeds.com.au/)...

that is where i get my usual supplies of old world stuff...

ta

[bob10]

yeah like eden seeds (https://www.edenseeds.com.au/)...

that is where i get my usual supplies of old world stuff...

ta

Look deeper. A lot more than that

[Lionelgee]

am a hobby gardener and went looking for a decent au forum and there isn't much out there...

small vege patch nothing flash

always been interested, never had much time but am trying to make time as i enjoy it.

cheers


G'day Incisor,

You also have to work out how much time you have - whether you want low maintenance & self watering or if you want to pull every single weed out by hand or stand there with a garden hose. Organic or not. Modern hybrid or heirloom - heritage seeds. Complimentary growing. A garden which you dig or a no dig garden. In the ground growing or raised beds potting mix base.

There is this group that used to be very active Brisbane Organic Growers Inc. | Organically grown (http://bogi.org.au) that have people who are hands on organic growers also do seed saving. They used to be called the Brisbane Organic Growers Group (BOGG). :p The seed shop http://bogi.org.au/bogi-seeds (http://bogi.org.au/bogi-seeds)

Kind Regards
Lionel

[jonesfam]

We tried garden when we first moved to Ravenshoe.
Didn't work out, what we did get to grow the Roo's etc ate before we got it.
Now I'm away to much to get anything happening.

We have gone back to the bush look. Rocks, dirt & straggly grass.
Looks nice if your really drunk & it's night time.

Jonesfam

[LandyAndy]

You could run a poll Dave and see if there is interest in a gardening area,one of my interests is growing vegtables,I have quite a well setup raised vegie garden as anyone who has visited will know.
Andrew

[Don 130]

We also have veges in raised beds, and a few fruit trees. A garden area to swap ideas with others would be good.
Don.

[LandyAndy]

We also have veges in raised beds, and a few fruit trees. A garden area to swap ideas with others would be good.
Don.

Just had a taste of our first Asparagus shoots for the season,LOVERLY:):):):):):)
Andrew

[Dark61]

I've got to make some time this week to have a go at the Veg patch as the weeds and grass is up to my knees. I intend to go in hard with the Stihl and then dig it in. I quite like digging over a veg patch , I find it quite relaxing.
cheers,
D

[jx2mad]

I am just having a break from working in my vege patch. Most of the Summer veges are in now. Pumpkins a little later. I might have to polinate these by hand this year as the ****hive beetle has destroyed my hive over Winter. I am not getting any more bees as I cannot control these pests and it is not fair on the bees. I have tried all different control methods but none are really successful.

[Saitch]

Dave, I've got a lot of corrugated iron sheets here that I'm supposed to be dumping. They're around 3m in length, variable, & 600-800w, if it's any help to you, or anyone for that matter. The pressure from an higher authority to dispose of them has steadily increased in the last few months as storm season approaches (again):D
The pics are a section of our setup. We suffer from kangas, hares, possums & infrequently, deer. The Kookas also destroyed our last broad bean crop.
Steve

[Saitch]

We have grown sme strange carrots over the years because of rocky soil.
The possums aren't fazed by the chilies either :angry:

[bob10]

I am just having a break from working in my vege patch. Most of the Summer veges are in now. Pumpkins a little later. I might have to polinate these by hand this year as the ****hive beetle has destroyed my hive over Winter. I am not getting any more bees as I cannot control these pests and it is not fair on the bees. I have tried all different control methods but none are really successful.

Sorry to hear that, I don't know what you have done to control the beetle, but we seem to have them under control here. Don't give up bee keeping, it can be done.

Small hive beetle ? Bee Aware (http://beeaware.org.au/archive-pest/small-hive-beetle/#ad-image-0)

[incisor]

thats one reason i posted, to see who stuck their nose in...

ta


You could run a poll Dave and see if there is interest in a gardening area,one of my interests is growing vegtables,I have quite a well setup raised vegie garden as anyone who has visited will know.
Andrew

[DiscoMick]

We have an orchard - does that count?

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[LandyAndy]

Don't ditch them sheets of iron,when people see pics of my beds they will grab them.My beds are made from sheets of iron from the tip tek screwed to broken guide posts from the depot and filled with dirt from the oval heap which is road sweepings from the road sweeper,woodchips,all the grass and dirt from the oval when its vertimowed.Its a great compost mix,just gets a tad water repellent which is easily treated.

These pics are from my winter plantings so most are now harvested or getting harvested.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/643.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154718_zpsdi3qqygl.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/644.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154656_zps9zsbv10i.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/645.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154644_zps2n5bkydn.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/646.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154629_zpsmfw4pnfr.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/647.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154618_zpstbo5pxyt.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/648.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154608_zpsngkfylcr.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/649.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/20160417_154554_zpscpsk3q9v.jpg.html)

I have 13 olive trees and get the olives processed most years,best yet has been 18lt of oil.
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

We have an orchard - does that count?

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Yep.
My orchard is also my chook run.I throw 40kg of grain in there at the start of winter,they scratch it in,and cant keep up with the green feed during winter.Some does go to seed,they end up eating the lot.
Andrew

[1950landy]

We have grown sme strange carrots over the years because of rocky soil.
The possums aren't fazed by the chilies either :angry:

The flying foxes kept eating our Paw Paw's :mad: I gave up in the end once the tree got too tall to put a net over it & pulled the tree out.

Our neighbour had a large passionfruit vine growing on two sides of her front fence . She had it covered in yards of mosquito net, I came out one morning & there were about 50 white cockatoo in the front yard all eating her crop & the net had more holes than a sieve . The birds had eaten about 1/2 of the fruit in about 1 hour & the neighbour was left with about 2 buckets of fruit. :mad:

[1950landy]

I am thinking of buying a native stingless bee hive to try to improve the crop. Only thing holding me back is the cost of around $500. I have been trying x pollinating the fruit trees with a cotton bud but I usually end up knocking the flowers off . Bees seam to do better job.

[incisor]

my new bed i planted about 2 weeks ago

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=113862&stc=1&d=1473720653

[zulu Delta 534]

A couple of years ago we had a bit of a drought and as a result of this we found that recycling old bath tubs mounted on old school desk bases was an ideal way to keep the vege patch reasonably weed free and also gave an opportunity to collect and recycle water that was surplus to the plants requirements when watering.
An added bonus is that it tends to eliminate bending over and believe me Dave in a few years you will appreciate that. I have manufactured out of PVC tubing a couple of frames that stick into the garden and support an insect screen, not that insects are our major problem, more so the possums and it takes more than netting to stop them.
You would be surprised how easy it is to accumulate bath tubs once the general populace knows that you want some.
I have another couple that I have sealed off the plug holes and use for water lillies but these ones are located at ground level. Gold fish keep the mossies down and a bit of plastic netting keeps the birds from the fish!
We used to grow redclaw in a couple of 15' swimming pools but getting the waste (ideal garden fertiliser) was getting on top of me so they have all ended up on a couple of plates and the tanks chucked out.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/632.jpg
Regards
Glen

[zulu Delta 534]

Frames are simple and adjustable (no glue.)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/629.jpg

Water lillies grow happily
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/630.jpg

Sweets grow on the fence.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/631.jpg

Regards
Glen

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Another approach is Ester Dean's No dig garden from the 1970s, Here is a Gardening Australia Fact Sheet. Accessed 13th September 2016 from, Gardening Australia - Fact Sheet: Step-by-Step No Dig, (http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s867068.htm)

Here is another source describing the same concept Accessed 13th September 2016 from http://communitygarden.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/no-dig-brochure.pdf

A more modern take of the same idea, Accessed 13th September 2016 from http://www.sgaonline.org.au/pdfs/factsheets/no%20dig.pdf

A variety of Ester Dean's gardens can also be made as raised beds for people with back issues. Ester Dean did publish a book which is still available if you want to go to the original source of the idea - Esther Deans No-Dig Gardening & Leaves of Life there are a number of booksellers and gardening organisations who sell it.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[DiscoMick]

Interesting thread. I think Incisor has shown there is enough interest to justify a gardening section on AULRO.


A couple of comments:

Be careful if using corrugated iron for garden beds. It has very sharp edges which cut hands. It also goes rusty, which is bad. On the other hand, my daughter got her boyfriend to knock up a large compost bin using corrugated iron, so it can work.


Re. bathtubs, that works well. Also, our neighbours scored a bootload of toilets from the tip and have turned them into planters as well.

[DiscoMick]

We have dragon fruit in our Maleny garden. They only flower for one night a year, if they have been fertilized.

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[Don 130]

I am thinking of buying a native stingless bee hive to try to improve the crop. Only thing holding me back is the cost of around $500. I have been trying x pollinating the fruit trees with a cotton bud but I usually end up knocking the flowers off . Bees seam to do better job.

I'm told you can get one from a friendly local tree lopper if you ask nicely and perhaps grease a palm;)
Don.

[ramblingboy42]

I just threw a couple of dunnies out.....if I'd know they make good planters I might have used them

[1950landy]

I'm told you can get one from a friendly local tree lopper if you ask nicely and perhaps grease a palm;)
Don.

I will have to ask the guy I use , I recomended him to a friend today so if he gets the job he will owe me.:D

[LandyAndy]

I just threw a couple of dunnies out.....if I'd know they make good planters I might have used them

There is a garden shop(home business) in Albany that specialises in succulents.She has hundreds of old dunnys with all sorts of spikey plants growing in them.
Andrew

[BMKal]

Don't ditch them sheets of iron,when people see pics of my beds they will grab them.My beds are made from sheets of iron from the tip tek screwed to broken guide posts from the depot and filled with dirt from the oval heap which is road sweepings from the road sweeper,woodchips,all the grass and dirt from the oval when its vertimowed.Its a great compost mix,just gets a tad water repellent which is easily treated.


Andrew

Hey Andrew - what is the best way to treat woodchip so that it can be used as mulch ?

We've just had two huge eucalypts cut down around at the young bloke's place and the stumps ground out earlier today, and there's at least a couple of trailer loads of woodchip around there that I will pick up when I've finished cutting and carting all the firewood.

SWMBO doesn't want to use it as mulch, as she believes that the eucalypt oil will leach out of it and make the soil hydrophobic. If it isn't suitable for mulch, will use it to build up footpaths / walkways between vegie garden beds. They were done with woodchip when I first built the raised beds a few years ago, but the original woodchip is pretty much rotted away and full of weeds now - some fresh stuff won't go astray.

The back corner next to the gate is rapidly filling with green timber that will be good for the fire in a couple of years. Have brought three large trailer loads around here so far, and at least that many again to come once I've finished cutting it all up. Running out of room to store it. :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/581.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/f9syt4fvv/)

[bob10]

Hey Andrew - what is the best way to treat woodchip so that it can be used as mulch ?



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/581.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/f9syt4fvv/)

Wood chips used as mulch are a termites smorgasboard.

[LandyAndy]

When fresh Brian they can be a problem,yes the oil does make the soil hydrophobic,the professional grade water wetter granuals with the big green frog on the packet are excellent.
Worse still when green they can attract white ants so be carefull where you use them.The footpaths and perhaps a huge compost heap.
Andrew

[DiscoMick]

Hey Andrew - what is the best way to treat woodchip so that it can be used as mulch ?

We've just had two huge eucalypts cut down around at the young bloke's place and the stumps ground out earlier today, and there's at least a couple of trailer loads of woodchip around there that I will pick up when I've finished cutting and carting all the firewood.

SWMBO doesn't want to use it as mulch, as she believes that the eucalypt oil will leach out of it and make the soil hydrophobic. If it isn't suitable for mulch, will use it to build up footpaths / walkways between vegie garden beds. They were done with woodchip when I first built the raised beds a few years ago, but the original woodchip is pretty much rotted away and full of weeds now - some fresh stuff won't go astray.

The back corner next to the gate is rapidly filling with green timber that will be good for the fire in a couple of years. Have brought three large trailer loads around here so far, and at least that many again to come once I've finished cutting it all up. Running out of room to store it. :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/581.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/f9syt4fvv/)

You could do what the local council does and just stack it in a big mound and leave it for a few weeks to go hot inside and for the oil to leach out. When you use it just make sure it isn't right up against the house walls - leave a gap.

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[BMKal]

Thanks for that. Think I'll pick a spot up the back yard somewhere and leave it in a heap for a while and then see what happens. Vegie garden beds and paths that I was thinking of using it on are not against the house, but are close to the back of the laundry, which is outside under the back verandah.

This is one of the piles of woodchip that I have to clean up - there is another pile about half the size of this one on the other side of his yard. It is already mostly very fine, so should break down fairly quickly.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/569.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/5zbqylcsj/)

[LandyAndy]

If you want to make a really good compost out of it get a couple of bags of dynamic lifter.Then call into the local bowling club and see if you can get a couple of trailer loads of grass clippings(assuming they don't have astro turf).Mix it all up and soak it,it will brew real quick:):):):):)
Andrew

[DiscoMick]

In another life I used to get trailerloads of muck cleaned out of the local racecourse stables. Stored it in a big compost bin for a while to break down, then mixed it into the garden. I chose not to think about what chemicals might have been in it. Might only be a problem if used on food crops.

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council makes mulch available free at its local recycling centres - they even load it free at certain times. You can get three cubic metres a day. Great stuff. Might be worth checking with your local council.

Incidentally, I see this thread is already attracting gardening banner ads. Incisor's plan for world domination rolls on!

[Tombie]

If you want to make a really good compost out of it get a couple of bags of dynamic lifter.Then call into the local bowling club and see if you can get a couple of trailer loads of grass clippings(assuming they don't have astro turf).Mix it all up and soak it,it will brew real quick:):):):):)

Andrew



Mix it with a spot of Diesel and it will spread itself with a small spark [emoji48][emoji15]

(Note: do NOT do this [emoji41])

[1950landy]

We used to have a slow combustion heater until we bought a load of fire wood that contained white ants . they worked there way up to the roof of the garage between the hardwood post & down pipe, once they got into the pine rafters they had a good time until the roof started to cave in. We built a new garage out of metal , got rid of the fire place & had the house treated for white ants.:mad:

[Lionelgee]

We used to have a slow combustion heater until we bought a load of fire wood that contained white ants . they worked there way up to the roof of the garage between the hardwood post & down pipe, once they got into the pine rafters they had a good time until the roof started to cave in. We built a new garage out of metal , got rid of the fire place & had the house treated for white ants.:mad:


G'day 1950 Landy,

A similar thing happened at the State Primary School that my kids attended. They had garden beds with hardwood chips as mulch. Next thing some of the old timber "Queenslander" 100 year old original school buildings got invaded by white ants and they needed drastic treatment.

No more hardwood chip garden mulch at the school. None here at home either = old Queenslander - the house that is... :p

Kind Regards
Lionel

[1950landy]

Yes I only use Cyprus mulch now not suppose to attract white ants & I have put a 200mm trench of stones between mulch & house.

[bob10]

G'day 1950 Landy,

A similar thing happened at the State Primary School that my kids attended. They had garden beds with hardwood chips as mulch. Next thing some of the old timber "Queenslander" 100 year old original school buildings got invaded by white ants and they needed drastic treatment.

No more hardwood chip garden mulch at the school. None here at home either = old Queenslander - the house that is... :p

Kind Regards
Lionel

Another trap is leaking taps. Termites/white ants love moisture.And don't think because the mulch is not against the house you will be safe. I've seen them form their mud tunnels, and crawl up concrete posts. Not here, thankfully.

[DiscoMick]

We have a termite barrier around the house and the council's mulch we use doesn't have much woodchip in it. They also let it sit there steaming for a while which might discourage termites, maybe ...

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[Dark61]

spent a couple of days down in the veg patch weeding and on the barrow etc and have done my left knee, even though I was using one of those padded stool things that you can turn over . Just went while I was standing at the sink doing the washing up! Had to be helped into the recliner by the Mrs. Luckily youngest sis is Osteopath and reckons its just ligament/ soft tissue damage and will come right. On light duties for a few days.
cheers,
D

[1950landy]

Just goes to show you, you should have been working on the LR instead of doing the washing up :D That's when my back hurts the most when I am standing at the sink doing the washing up, I can stand at the parts washer all day with out a problem.

[LandyAndy]

spent a couple of days down in the veg patch weeding and on the barrow etc and have done my left knee, even though I was using one of those padded stool things that you can turn over . Just went while I was standing at the sink doing the washing up! Had to be helped into the recliner by the Mrs. Luckily youngest sis is Osteopath and reckons its just ligament/ soft tissue damage and will come right. On light duties for a few days.
cheers,
D

Hope you come good soon.
Raised beds mate,they make a huge difference!!!!
When we were in Carnarvon recently a plantation we visited were growing Asian greens in raised beds,I asked were they hydroponics due to the plastic tubs.
No they weren't,they need to keep them very wet,especially in summer.They were filled with a mix of riversand and peat.
The biggest mistake I made with my beds was not sealing the bases,the neighbors gum trees and my olive trees send their roots into them bigtime:(:(:(
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

Just goes to show you, you should have been working on the LR instead of doing the washing up :D That's when my back hurts the most when I am standing at the sink doing the washing up, I can stand at the parts washer all day with out a problem.

I have big issues with my back,washing dishes sets it off no end.I don't mind doing the dishes,the sink is too low so it causes the back to bend at the wrong level.Tried the knee bend,no good,I have enough issues with sciatica without doing squats.
Plus,Deb always complains that I don't wash them good enough:twisted::twisted::twisted::twisted:
Andrew

[Dark61]

The last time I did the sausage sizzle at the carols by candlelight, I couldn't walk hardly for a week. I'd spent so long leaning over the barby. I need to break tasks up a bit I think from now on.
Cheers,
D

[incisor]

i have real trouble standing at any workbench for too long these days.

playing with cars is getting to be a chore, not the joy that it used to be for me, so i like playing in the garden and am trying to reignite my love of fishing as well...

the watermelon plant i sowed in the new garden is going nuts and is leaving the pumpkin miles behind...

looking forward to some end results heading into christmas!

[LandyAndy]

Hey Inc.
If you want a special Xmas day desert pick a nice watermelon a few days before.Buy a quality Vodka,a cheap one will hurt your head.Cut a hole in the watermelon the same diameter as the neck of the bottle,insert the bottle and leave it to infuse into the melon.Even the white becomes edible:):):):).
ENJOY.
Andrew

[bblaze]

and don't take it to the school formal like my son and his mates did :)
cheers
blaze

[cuppabillytea]

I'm going to subscribe to this thread to see if I can grow a green thumb.🍀

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[DiscoMick]

I can report that avocados, as well as being ruddy expensive in the shops, are damm noisy when they land on your bedroom's iron roof in the middle of the night. In fact, after considerable consideration during the wee hours, I would even say they are noisier than bush rats falling out of the avocado tree, where they have been dining, and landing on the same iron roof.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[trog]

Noisier than mangos ? Also for those interested or keen plenty of work to be done at my place. The flat weed and bindii could be swapped for grass. Will accept lawn or other !

[DiscoMick]

No thanks, I have more than enough bindi of my own to deal with.
I haven't tested the noise generating capabilities of mangoes, but I guess being bigger would also make them noisier.
I dread to think about the noise if a grapefruit ever hits our roof!
Maybe I should do a calculation using a formula with weight and distance travelled and volume of noise generated. Then I could add a figure for supermarket price. Then we could have cost per gram times speed equals the expense of
generating a certain volume of sound.
Gives me a headache just thinking about it.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[1950landy]

The guy next door to us at out last house started fertilizing clover in his front yard & when I asked him what he was doing he said that in Adelaide having a clover lawn was good . I told him when it goes to seed he wont think so.
So 1month on it had gone to seed & he was out there spraying it. I told him it was too late now .
The next year as soon as the clover appeared he was out with the clover spray trying to kill it.

[DiscoMick]

No thanks, I have more than enough bindi of my own to deal with.
I haven't tested the noise generating capabilities of mangoes, but I guess being bigger would also make them noisier.
I dread to think about the noise if a grapefruit ever hits our roof!
Maybe I should do a calculation using a formula with weight and distance travelled and volume of noise generated. Then I could add a figure for supermarket price. Then we could have cost per gram times speed equals the expense of
generating a certain volume of sound.
Gives me a headache just thinking about it.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

I found a quicker solution to the falling avocado problem - I pruned the tree so they won't fall on the studio roof any more. Good excuse to fire up the Stihl! Plus more firewood for next winter.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[DiscoMick]

Got another bucket of bindi today, this time from our backyard.
Visited the youngest heirs new place today while he is away for work so I could mow the lawn and decided to do something about the carpet of bindi on the footpath, so off to Bunnings for the nastiest bindi-killer spray I could find. Used the whole bottle to spray the bindi and other weeds. I joked there were so many bindi and weeds there wasn't much room for grass, so the footpath will look brown for a while, but it will go green in the end. I am the bindi-killer!

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[LandyAndy]

Ive done more time in the vegie patch yesterday/today.
A few more jobs to do and I will post some pics.Extra long weekend over here:):):)
A little bit of hard work makes thing look so much neater.
Andrew

[BMKal]

While on the subject of bindi's - there may be a dollar to be made from them if you are as enterprising as some kids I watched many years ago ...............

I was visiting a mate in Geraldton, who had just moved into his new house - the first to be built in a developing area. Much of the land around him was still undeveloped. While we were having a beer out the back, his kids and their friends came in, removed their thongs and started to scrape what were obviously bindi's (elsewhere known as three cornered jacks) into plastic buckets.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/222.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/g1pkn1ku5/) https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/223.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/3vzwnjxs7/)

When they had completed this, they started putting about a spoonful of the bindi seeds into small calico sample bags which they had in a box.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/224.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/z1aie2p5v/)

When I asked the kids what they were doing with these bindi's in the calico bags, they told me ..............

The US Navy is currently in town with a couple of ships down at the wharf. We show the sailors our pet Thorny Mountain Devil ....................

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/225.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/ectsv6li7/)

and a lot of the American sailors ask us what it is and where can they get one. We then sell them a bag of our "Mountain Devil Eggs" for five bucks, and tell them to keep them in a warm dry place until they get home, and then spread them in the garden in places likely to get regular water and plenty of sunshine, and they will soon have the same small lizards living in their back yards. :D

Aussie ingenuity at its finest ....................... http://www.jonrb.com/emoticons/tumbleweed2.gif

[1950landy]

When my daughter got her first teachers posting in Charleville she had a government house & we went up to visit her. She was saying she had these large prickles in the back yard & couldn't go out the back. I was wearing my new work boots& these prickles would go through the soles of the boots.
These prickles hade 4 prongs on them & which ever way they lay on the ground there was always 3 prongs touching the ground & one sticking straight up. The prongs were 12 to 15mm long , long enough to go through the thick soles of work boots & stick into your foot. :mad: Not sure what there name was , I think it was Devils something :twisted: but worst prickle I have ever seen.

[LandyAndy]

A few pics of my vegie garden.Its now set-up ready for spring/summer.
Tomatoes/Capsicum/Chillies/Zuchini waiting for warmer weather.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/155.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152949_zpslxeqxtjq.jpg.html)

Chookies jungle,we haven't seen eggs in the hen house for months,Deb went into the jungle today and found 4 hidden nests full of eggs,1 for each chook,naughty chooks!!!!!
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/156.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152247_zps7s7b2nqj.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/157.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152409_zpssfztskg0.jpg.html)


Asparagus patch,just coming into season,we get a huge crop each year.The rolled tin/white posts is a compost heap,I set it up in spring.Ive got a commercial chipper/mulcher.All the prunings/branches go thru it,plus all our newspapers/cardboard.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/158.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152328_zpskq1jyh9y.jpg.html)

Spare beds,ready to plant out.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/159.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152319_zpsiu84rshe.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/160.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152305_zps0ecg0u2b.jpg.html)

Beetroot.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/161.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152257_zpsdijnd5hk.jpg.html)

Garlic.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/162.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152236_zpsoobmdw5l.jpg.html)

Broadbeans,just starting to produce.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/163.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152218_zpsythq6p1g.jpg.html)

Olive Trees.
We have 14 trees,best sofar has been 17 litres of oil for a season.Most are Calamata,which can be used for oil or pickling.Deb makes some really nice olives!!!!!
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/164.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20
Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152151_zpszpmbu4ek.jpg.html)


Onions.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/165.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152357_zps0moa3dym.jpg.html)

Strawberry bed.They don't like our cold winter,starting to grow now its warming up a bit.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/166.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152349_zpsmnfja41k.jpg.html)

Broccoli/Cauliflower,the Broccoli has been harvested,still has useable side shoots.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/167.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152337_zps6xc0jq9i.jpg.html)

Late Broccoli/Cauliflower.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/168.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152229_zpsqkaboqqd.jpg.html)

The fruit trees in the Chookies Jungle don't get much love but do produce quite a bit of fruit.There are oranges ready now,we get apples,mandarines,plums,nectarines,apricots and peaches out of there.Meditteranian Fruit Fly is a big issue,we bait to reduce numbers,many don't.There is no longer suitable sprays on the market.There is much more blossom on them this year so we should get a feed.All our grey water is piped to the trees.
Andrew

[trog]

Well with the abundance of flat weeds and bindii it seems that there is not any nut grass about. That was the majority of my lawn when living in the house. I still expect to see it coming up through the balcony slab.

[V8Ian]

When my daughter got her first teachers posting in Charleville she had a government house & we went up to visit her. She was saying she had these large prickles in the back yard & couldn't go out the back. I was wearing my new work boots& these prickles would go through the soles of the boots.
These prickles hade 4 prongs on them & which ever way they lay on the ground there was always 3 prongs touching the ground & one sticking straight up. The prongs were 12 to 15mm long , long enough to go through the thick soles of work boots & stick into your foot. :mad: Not sure what there name was , I think it was Devils something :twisted: but worst prickle I have ever seen.
I know them as Goat's Heads, had them in Karumba and Pt Hedland.

[1950landy]

Yes that was the name , trying to remember back 10 years ago. Thanks they were all over the back yard , could not go out the back with out walking on one. I felt sorry for her dog.

[rar110]

A few pics of my vegie garden.Its now set-up ready for spring/summer.

Tomatoes/Capsicum/Chillies/Zuchini waiting for warmer weather.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/155.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152949_zpslxeqxtjq.jpg.html)



Chookies jungle,we haven't seen eggs in the hen house for months,Deb went into the jungle today and found 4 hidden nests full of eggs,1 for each chook,naughty chooks!!!!!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/156.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152247_zps7s7b2nqj.jpg.html)



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/157.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152409_zpssfztskg0.jpg.html)





Asparagus patch,just coming into season,we get a huge crop each year.The rolled tin/white posts is a compost heap,I set it up in spring.Ive got a commercial chipper/mulcher.All the prunings/branches go thru it,plus all our newspapers/cardboard.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/158.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152328_zpskq1jyh9y.jpg.html)



Spare beds,ready to plant out.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/159.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152319_zpsiu84rshe.jpg.html)



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/160.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152305_zps0ecg0u2b.jpg.html)



Beetroot.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/161.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152257_zpsdijnd5hk.jpg.html)



Garlic.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/162.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152236_zpsoobmdw5l.jpg.html)



Broadbeans,just starting to produce.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/163.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152218_zpsythq6p1g.jpg.html)



Olive Trees.

We have 14 trees,best sofar has been 17 litres of oil for a season.Most are Calamata,which can be used for oil or pickling.Deb makes some really nice olives!!!!!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/164.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20

Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152151_zpszpmbu4ek.jpg.html)





Onions.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/165.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152357_zps0moa3dym.jpg.html)



Strawberry bed.They don't like our cold winter,starting to grow now its warming up a bit.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/166.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152349_zpsmnfja41k.jpg.html)



Broccoli/Cauliflower,the Broccoli has been harvested,still has useable side shoots.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/167.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152337_zps6xc0jq9i.jpg.html)



Late Broccoli/Cauliflower.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/168.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/user/LandyAndy_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/20160926_152229_zpsqkaboqqd.jpg.html)



The fruit trees in the Chookies Jungle don't get much love but do produce quite a bit of fruit.There are oranges ready now,we get apples,mandarines,plums,nectarines,apricots and peaches out of there.Meditteranian Fruit Fly is a big issue,we bait to reduce numbers,many don't.There is no longer suitable sprays on the market.There is much more blossom on them this year so we should get a feed.All our grey water is piped to the trees.

Andrew



Andy
That's a fantastic effort. I'm surprised you have time for anything else. How are the corrugated sides on the beds held together?

[LandyAndy]

Larger than normal tek screws,they were second-hand too from the tip recycle shop;);););)
There are cross braces inside the beds,some tek screw heads popped when I filled the beds,most didn't.None have collapsed and they are 4 years old now.
Andrew

[rar110]

Ta. Is there flashing or similar in the corners holding it together?

[BMKal]

Ta. Is there flashing or similar in the corners holding it together?

He's the shire grader operator ..................... "flashings" are all the white posts he knocks over. :p:p:p:p :wasntme:

[V8Ian]

He's the shire grader operator ..................... "flashings" are all the white posts he knocks over. :p:p:p:p :wasntme:

He can't need that many. :p

[Tombie]

Good old Caltrop... friggin nastier than bare feet on a floor full of Lego..

And it grows like mad.

[LandyAndy]

Ta. Is there flashing or similar in the corners holding it together?
Nope,dosent seem to need them.There is a guide post in each corner.
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

He's the shire grader operator ..................... "flashings" are all the white posts he knocks over. :p:p:p:p :wasntme:

We are going PVC Brian,they are much more resistant to graders.Unless you tear them out of the ground they stand up again.
The squatters get much more than the grader drivers with their seeding equipment!!!!
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

Was in Bunnings today.
They have upside down tomato planters.You put 15L of potting mix in them and watch the plant deal with gravity:cool::cool::cool:.
I bought 2,going to try tomato in one and cucumber in the other.
They are $5.95.Had a quick look n Ebay,much dearer there.
Worth a try,will keep the crawlies out and negate stalking,at the end of the season you could put late plants undercover.
Andrew

[1950landy]

Good old Caltrop... friggin nastier than bare feet on a floor full of Lego..

And it grows like mad.

Your spot on :BigThumb

[1950landy]

This is our small herb & vegetable garden , we are growing Snow Peas, Butter Beans , Q Cumber's , Strawberries , Asparagus, Mint , Parsley, chives, Basil & Sweet Corn at the moment, There is also a miniature Lemon . Orange & Lime tree.
There are quite a other herbs but the mint has taken over at the moment. We are also growing Potato in large plastic pots.
There are 3 French Lavenders to attract the bees.:D

[1950landy]

Our pool garden. At the back of the garage there is a large fish pond with a couple of different type water lily's & some grass.
The garden between the pool & fence has Gardena's & Agapanthus. There is also a small lizard pond with a solar pump pumping water through an old cast iron hand pump.

[1950landy]

This is our lizard pond that I put in to stop the Water Dragons rom eating the fish in the main fish pond. There are hundreds if baby fish in the lizard pond that eat the mosquito wrigglers . Seam to have worked haven't seen the Water Dragon swimming in the main fish pond for quit a wile.

[Saitch]

This may be of interest to people who like a little spice in their dish.
It's a "Giant Red Leaf Mustard Lettuce" & true to the name, it has a nice mustardy bite to it. They do take up a fair bit of room too.
Steve

[LandyAndy]

This may be of interest to people who like a little spice in their dish.
It's a "Giant Red Leaf Mustard Lettuce" & true to the name, it has a nice mustardy bite to it. They do take up a fair bit of room too.
Steve

Steve.
Do you get the seed from Diggers etc?????
WA ag dept have implemented an $80 inspection fee on any seed orders from the east:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
You cant sneak either,Im told they find them whilst looking for drugs.
Andrew

[Saitch]

Steve.
Do you get the seed from Diggers etc?????
WA ag dept have implemented an $80 inspection fee on any seed orders from the east:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
You cant sneak either,Im told they find them whilst looking for drugs.
Andrew
Andy, the original plant came from the Big Green Shed in a punnet of lettuce called "Asian Mix". There were three or four varieties of lettuce in it.
We just buy once & then (hopefully) propagate by letting one or two go to seed. The one in the pic is 3rd gen.
We keep seeds/stock from most of our best crop harvest i.e. pumpkins, rock melon, potato, sweet potato, brocollini, shallots etc. Some, such as our peanuts, just regen by themselves in their patch. We're forever removing tomato seedlings from around the place :p
Steve

[DiscoMick]

This is our lizard pond that I put in to stop the Water Dragons rom eating the fish in the main fish pond. There are hundreds if baby fish in the lizard pond that eat the mosquito wrigglers . Seam to have worked haven't seen the Water Dragon swimming in the main fish pond for quit a wile.

I have done something similar using shallow plastic trays in the front and back gardens, which I regularly top up with water. I set them at the low points in the gardens to catch some run off. the lizards love them and having the water there attracts all sorts of crawlies and makes the garden lusher.

[bob10]

This is a good site for info." About the Garden",put out by the Searle family, of Searle garden products fame.

http://www.aboutthegarden.com.au/

[incisor]

just planted a sweet chocolate capsicum plant..

haven's seen one since i was a kid...

https://www.diggers.com.au/shop/edibles/capsicum-sweet-chocolate/s063/

[LandyAndy]

Must put some more pics up on the weekend.My tender seedlings have survived a few frosts and are really powering away now they are in the beds.Ive also been giving my lawn some lovin now its out of dormancy,its starting to look good.Already mowing it every weekend,luckily its a small lawn.
Andrew

[DiscoMick]

Continuing to pull bindi out of my lawns. Getting on top of it, but it keeps coming up, so I have to stay on it through the growing season. Better long term to pull it out than spray it, I think.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[incisor]

bloody bugs!

come down to water the garden this morning and all my tomatoes have been assaulted!

not a happy puppy!

[DiscoMick]

Netting? Not the local possums?

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[incisor]

i have some fruit fly net coming but it isnt here yet...

they left all the cherry tomatoes alone and nailed all my big ones...

grrrrrr

[Saitch]

Has anyone else in S-E Qld been having an infestation of the Orange Black sap sucking stink bug?
We've never had them before but our citrus have really copped a hit from them in the last month. We're reasonably isolated so I'm not too sure where they came from.
Steve

[1950landy]

Been away last 2 weeks will have to check my trees tomorrow , may just give the trees a spray just to be on safe side.

[Saitch]

Been away last 2 weeks will have to check my trees tomorrow , may just give the trees a spray just to be on safe side.
I have bought some pyrethrum & am hitting the bugs with it & when I reckon I've got 'em all off a tree I'm spraying it with Confidor.
The buggers are hard to see I give you the drum.
Steve

[incisor]

bought a can of pyrethrum my self the other day...

seems to do the trick..

will have to check my lone citrus tree in the morning...

ta

[DiscoMick]

Got to Maleny tonight so I'll check the orchard tomorrow.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[LandyAndy]

IF the weather doesn't destroy the place I will try and get some pics on the weekend.We had mild frosts last week,just had some high 20's.They are talking high 30's tomorrow,way too early:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
Andrew

[1950landy]

I was having trouble with something eating all my plants that were coming up from the seeds I planted & nersery told me to mix up pyrethrum in a watering can & pore it over all the seedlings only trouble was it killes all the worms in the garden bed. :mad: was not a happy camper.. Now i mix it in a spray bottle & spray it .

[DiscoMick]

I know someone who just spays a water mixture with canola oil on and he says the bugs won't eat it.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[Ranga]

Been meaning post in here for a while - was wondering if any of you would like to see my old aquaponics set up?

It's in a state of limbo at the moment, since I moved it from under the back deck to the far back yard near the chook pen. When it's up and running again I'll let you know.

[bob10]

For bugs, boil up water, chilies, and garlic. Cool, spray on the plant.

[LandyAndy]

For bugs, boil up water, chilies, and garlic. Cool, spray on the plant.

It does work Bob.
When sprayed on lettuce you don't need salad dressing;);););)
Andrew

[Saitch]

Well, sprayed all the citrus with a product called "Confidor" early this morn & an inspection after smoko showed a goodly number of the sap suckers bum up on the ground :)
Steve

[bob10]

Well, sprayed all the citrus with a product called "Confidor" early this morn & an inspection after smoko showed a goodly number of the sap suckers bum up on the ground :)
Steve

Confidor works, but it kills bees.

https://jerry-coleby-williams.net/2009/06/04/honey-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-bayer-yates-confidor/

[Saitch]

Confidor works, but it kills bees.

https://jerry-coleby-williams.net/2009/06/04/honey-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-bayer-yates-confidor/
Bob, quite aware of that fact (it's in big letters on the label) but none of our trees were in flower, ergo, no bees, although European bees have just wiped out a hive of the stingless native bees I mentioned a while ago:angry:
Each to his own, I suppose.
I think you'd like our place with all the flora & fauna.
Steve

[bob10]

Sorry to hear about your stingless bees. How do you know the honey bees did the deed? That would be the first time I've heard that. Extreme heat, or insecticides, will kill a hive. Having the hive in the right place is important. Some members of our association have been keeping stingless bees for years. I'll quiz them next time I see them. Always relaxing to have nature around.

[LandyAndy]

Bob.
Last week we dropped a tree,well lots of trees,for a road widening and seal job.
One of the trees had native bees in it unfortunately.The bees aren't as aggressive as normal bees.The honeycomb was black,not very healthy looking at all,the honey coming out was very dark too.They may not have been aggressive as European bees,but there was no way we were allowed near the honeycomb.
We have had to drop plenty of trees in the past wich have the native bees in them,never seen such dark honeycomb or honey.
Andrew

[Ranga]

I've got a native bee hive (well, currently on loan to a mate to split it). The honeycomb is indeed dark, and the honey is extremely rich in taste. Apparently native bee honey fetches well over $100/kg to restaurants and the like. You only need a very small amount.

Interestingly, it has a very low freezing point. After keeping it in the freezer, it has the viscosity of room temp European honey. If you can be bothered, when you drop another, you can take the log home - they're good pollinators!

[LandyAndy]

I've got a native bee hive (well, currently on loan to a mate to split it). The honeycomb is indeed dark, and the honey is extremely rich in taste. Apparently native bee honey fetches well over $100/kg to restaurants and the like. You only need a very small amount.

Interestingly, it has a very low freezing point. After keeping it in the freezer, it has the viscosity of room temp European honey. If you can be bothered, when you drop another, you can take the log home - they're good pollinators!

The honeycomb that spilt onto the road was around 2m x 2m x 300mm thick.We left it for a few hours before I graded it into the road,we couldn't get any closer than 3m before we were told to leave it alone.If they were European bees more like 30 or 50 meters after destroying their home.
Andrew

[Saitch]

Sorry to hear about your stingless bees. How do you know the honey bees did the deed? That would be the first time I've heard that. Extreme heat, or insecticides, will kill a hive. Having the hive in the right place is important. Some members of our association have been keeping stingless bees for years. I'll quiz them next time I see them. Always relaxing to have nature around.
Bob, the hive is a natural one in a dead tree, not man made. I may have wrongly assumed the feral bees invaded but I observed several at the hive over a week or so, moving small pieces of wood around at the entrance which, to me at least, looked like an attempt to increase the size of access. Two weeks later the natives have gone & there are, on yesterdays census, at least 20 feral bees at the hive. Perhaps they're just foraging.
for the remnant honey?
We are well catered for, pollination wise, by several species of native bees so don't require feral bees.
I'm not a "Greenie" by any means but we are trying to keep our property as native as we can.
Steve

[bob10]

Native bee keepers are as passionate as honey bee keepers about their bees. The native bees produce a very small amount of honey, compared to the honey bees. Natives are mainly used for pollination. Fascinating animals, it's called sugar bag honey, you will see why in this video.


https://youtu.be/1pHXrZFFRt8

[bob10]

Bob, the hive is a natural one in a dead tree, not man made. I may have wrongly assumed the feral bees invaded but I observed several at the hive over a week or so, moving small pieces of wood around at the entrance which, to me at least, looked like an attempt to increase the size of access. Two weeks later the natives have gone & there are, on yesterdays census, at least 20 feral bees at the hive. Perhaps they're just foraging.
for the remnant honey?
We are well catered for, pollination wise, by several species of native bees so don't require feral bees.
I'm not a "Greenie" by any means but we are trying to keep our property as native as we can.
Steve

Way to go Steve. You are one of the good guys. My take on the missing bees is perhaps an outside influence, such as small hive beetle, may have forced them to move on. Honey bees , being opportunists, may have taken advantage of the weakened hive to rob the honey. Or they could be Asian Honey bees, hives of which have been found in Townsville, coming in in shipping containers. The danger here is, Australia is free of the varroa mite at present, and mites were found on the Townsville Asian bees. Its supposedly under control.

https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/16422f90-1acf-4223-a347-740f48401ced/files/asian-bees.pdf

[bob10]

Just some more on the Asian bees in Townsville. Any unusual bee sightings should be reported.

Response team make a bee-line to Asian honey bee nest ? Bee Aware (http://beeaware.org.au/archive-news/response-team-make-a-bee-line-to-asian-honey-bee-nest/)

[jx2mad]

I am considering changing from the European honey bee to the native bee. i find that getting into the brood box difficult with my physical problem. I have to dismantle the honey box, that is remove the frames so I can lift the box off. Not fair to the bees to be disturbed so much. I have a lot of native bees around but I cannot find the nest. I can buy a starter kit so I might do that. Jim

[bob10]

I am considering changing from the European honey bee to the native bee. i find that getting into the brood box difficult with my physical problem. I have to dismantle the honey box, that is remove the frames so I can lift the box off. Not fair to the bees to be disturbed so much. I have a lot of native bees around but I cannot find the nest. I can buy a starter kit so I might do that. Jim

I know where you're coming from. If my sons aren't available, I have a small cohort of wrinkly friends who can be bribed with free honey, they have also put their hands up to look after the chooks when the wife & I travel [ when we get them,again]. Just my luck ,they are thirsty old coots, the beer fridge takes a hammering.

[Saitch]

Over the last month I've noticed extra damage to some of our smaller planted trees & some vegies. Yesterday arvo I think I located the culprits.
That's a full grown Redneck wallaby behind them. Even the rough, tough, farm dog that was with me turned the other way & pretended not to notice them. :D
Can't say I blame her really as they're big buggers.
Steve

[jonesfam]

I would accuse the Wabbits!

[bob10]

Just put a black jumper, with a fern leaf on your dog, those Wallabies will move on.

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I used to use a 3 tine pitchfork a lot around gardens when I was in the trade. I thought I would go online to find out if any are available and what is a rough starting price. I even went to the "B" site and typed in "Pitch fork", Pitchfork, hay fork and just "fork". Nothing came up that was like what I am after.

I wound up finding an idea of a price for one with a fibreglass handle on eBay under "hay fork". It was not really what I was after - at least it had three tines and a long handle.

Gee I thought it would be easy. Now armed with a price I will check out the local produce store in person. You know a more rural mindset! Then I will check out the hardware stores.

I want some distance between some piles of branches that the grass has grown through which I want to move and the local Joe Blakes - the King Browns, the red bellied blacks and such that we get here.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Saitch]

Just put a black jumper, with a fern leaf on your dog, those Wallabies will move on.
The hounds & marsupials don't clash. It's the hares that have shown up recently. Perhaps reducing the cat & fox numbers has come into play?
I do know that hares are not too damaging so better off with them than bloody cats.
Steve

[LandyAndy]

Check at your rural supplier for Pindone baits if you have rabbits/hares.You should be able to make bait stations if you don't want the roos to get it.BEWARE it will kill parrots that eat the grain bait,these parrots and the rabbits will be poisonous to your dogs.
There is a new wild version of Rabbit calisie virus out,its doing wonderful work destroying rabbits in the south west of WA at the moment,much more virulent than the original virus that escaped in South Australia.Its only a matter of time until it gets around the country.
Andrew

[bob10]

Over the last month I've noticed extra damage to some of our smaller planted trees & some vegies. Yesterday arvo I think I located the culprits.
That's a full grown Redneck wallaby behind them. Even the rough, tough, farm dog that was with me turned the other way & pretended not to notice them. :D
Can't say I blame her really as they're big buggers.
Steve
Thought that the two at the bottom of the photo were hares. I wasn't aware you had them up there. I remember years ago on the property dad managed near Bungunyah, west of Goondiwindi, the rabbits had Myxo. Not even worth shooting, poor devils. But good. Talk about rabbits, when we went on the road west of Ayres rock, near Lassiters cave, there was a rabbit plague. Whoulda thought.

[jonesfam]

We get mobs of Hares or Wabbits (what's the difference?) around Ravenshoe.
I always thought that was odd.

It's funny, there are lots of them up on the main road & in the yards there but a couple of K away where we are (in a rocky valley) you rarely see them?
We have stacks of wallabies, Paddymellons & so on but not the Hares/rabbits.

Jonesfam

[Saitch]

From what I can glean off Google, rabbits are very destructive little ****s, whereas hares are sort of cruisey blokes who don't chomp plants or grasses to the point of non regeneration.
Having said that, I've just ripped out the vegies in an area, removed the fence, rotary hoed the old beds, built up mounds & planted fruit trees. Had to rearrange the irrigation a bit too so, time will tell with the hares.
Also knocked up a few timber beds while I was having a spell.
Steve

[incisor]

figbirds are the blighters knocking off my strawberries and cherry tomatoes

caught them at it today the sods...

:o

[Ranga]

So, when is this thread going to be turned into a sub-forum, so different topics can have their own thread? :angel:

[incisor]

So, when is this thread going to be turned into a sub-forum, so different topics can have their own thread? :angel:

soon :p

[Dark61]

what's eating my Apple Trees? First year I moved in (2009) I had a bumper crop. Since then a bit hit and miss. Last year a good crop - this year B/A.
I don't see any Possum poo around the base - I don't see any bugs / caterpillars either. 100 yards to the left of the shed - I have two rows of young trees - which don't get touched. The damage starts when the first flowers and leaves appear. I'm assuming at night. Any ideas gratefully appreciated.
cheers,
D

[Don 130]

Hello All,

I used to use a 3 tine pitchfork a lot around gardens when I was in the trade. I thought I would go online to find out if any are available and what is a rough starting price. I even went to the "B" site and typed in "Pitch fork", Pitchfork, hay fork and just "fork". Nothing came up that was like what I am after.

I wound up finding an idea of a price for one with a fibreglass handle on eBay under "hay fork". It was not really what I was after - at least it had three tines and a long handle.

Gee I thought it would be easy. Now armed with a price I will check out the local produce store in person. You know a more rural mindset! Then I will check out the hardware stores.

I want some distance between some piles of branches that the grass has grown through which I want to move and the local Joe Blakes - the King Browns, the red bellied blacks and such that we get here.

Kind Regards
Lionel
Cyclone tools have a hay fork, but not many will stock them. You may be able to order one from bunnings, but check the price first. Last time I saw one for sale, it was close to $100.00. Second hand, (ebay?) or a clearing sale might be the go.

3 Tine Hay Fork - long timber handle - Cyclone Tools Pty Ltd (http://www.cyclone.com.au/products/cyclone78/3-tine-hay-fork-long-timber-handle)

Don.

[Don 130]

what's eating my Apple Trees? First year I moved in (2009) I had a bumper crop. Since then a bit hit and miss. Last year a good crop - this year B/A.
I don't see any Possum poo around the base - I don't see any bugs / caterpillars either. 100 yards to the left of the shed - I have two rows of young trees - which don't get touched. The damage starts when the first flowers and leaves appear. I'm assuming at night. Any ideas gratefully appreciated.
cheers,
D

I'd suggest it's a brush tail possum.

Don.

[DiscoMick]

Could be. Or a bush rat.
Is the tree apparently healthy? Any fungus?
If you spray a soapy water mixture on it, you may deter any possums and combat any fungus at the same time.

[Lionelgee]

what's eating my Apple Trees? First year I moved in (2009) I had a bumper crop. Since then a bit hit and miss. Last year a good crop - this year B/A.
I don't see any Possum poo around the base - I don't see any bugs / caterpillars either. 100 yards to the left of the shed - I have two rows of young trees - which don't get touched. The damage starts when the first flowers and leaves appear. I'm assuming at night. Any ideas gratefully appreciated.
cheers,
D


Hello D,

Does the damage look like this? Accessed November 15 2016 from, something is stripping the bark off my 15 yr old lime tree - I suspect possums - Yates (http://www.yates.com.au/garden-expert/answers/fruit-citrus/4052-lime-tree#FzKqH7Wk3GbEZ4eX.97).

How to make lime wash for citrus - you would have to check how apples like lime? Accessed November 15, 2016 from https://www.organicgardener.com.au/articles/lime-based-whitewash

What is good for the Rutaceae Family = Citrus may not be good for the Rosaceae Family = Apple. .... time passes .... research .... research okay . All good in the Loir Valley, Accessed November 15, 2016 from, http://beyondclean.org/2011/03/23/day-49-whitewashing-the-apple-trees.

Perhaps a cheapish motion activated camera could assist identifying the culprit? What about painting the branches with something unpalatable such as lime wash or soapy water? Or good old physical intervention of netting. By protecting one tree though you could be endangering others.

Oh by the way I bear no liability for results from my suggestions.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Dark61]

Thanks for the replies. When the tree comes out in blossom , looks good and healthy. Then it all goes pear (apple)shaped. I've not seen any Cockatoos and the bark isn't being stripped - just the new shoots/blossom being nibbled.Can't see any fungus. I hadn't thought of the soapy water - that sounds nice and gentle - I didn't want to spray anything unpleasant on it. I've ringed both with some chicken wire loosely supported and will have a go with the soapy water. I haven't seen any possum poo about and I have other apple trees that aren't being touched - also two nectarines and a plum with no issues either. I've wanted one of those farm cameras for ages and keep hoping they come down in price - but they don't seem to. I'll report back.
cheers,
D

[Dark61]

I gave the SWB a bit of a trim.
cheers,
D

[bob10]

what's eating my Apple Trees? First year I moved in (2009) I had a bumper crop. Since then a bit hit and miss. Last year a good crop - this year B/A.
I don't see any Possum poo around the base - I don't see any bugs / caterpillars either. 100 yards to the left of the shed - I have two rows of young trees - which don't get touched. The damage starts when the first flowers and leaves appear. I'm assuming at night. Any ideas gratefully appreciated.
cheers,
D

Contact this mob. If any one knows, they should.

Pests and Diseases (http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity/plant-biosecurity/pests-and-diseases)

[1950landy]

Something has been eating the leaves on our Calla Lilies the last couple of weeks & I have been spraying with Pyrethrum every second day but they are still being eaten.:mad: When I was out there early this morning & there are a lot of small green grasshoppers around the garden.:o Does any one know what is best to kill the hoppers with out poisoning us when we eat our produce?

I also don't want to kill the native bees that are pollinating out fruit trees & Q cumber vines , ect.

[Lionelgee]

Hello D,

You could buy some old fashioned fly paper strips. Cut it up into thinner strips then wrap them around the branch or twist tie the strips sticky face up near where the damage is occurring. If it is insect damage it will capture whatever it might be and then you can identify what it is. Then treat accordingly. If it is some type of animal it will at least grab some hairs for you to work out what it might be.

Oh a better photograph in close up would be helpful too. It was hard to work out much from the earlier snaps.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Ranga]

The makings of our new Christmas tree, a lilly pilly (Syzygium australe) ?Bush Christmas?.

Much nicer than the plastic crap I reckon, plus cleans the air a little. ;)

[Lionelgee]

what's eating my Apple Trees? First year I moved in (2009) I had a bumper crop. Since then a bit hit and miss. Last year a good crop - this year B/A.
I don't see any Possum poo around the base - I don't see any bugs / caterpillars either. 100 yards to the left of the shed - I have two rows of young trees - which don't get touched. The damage starts when the first flowers and leaves appear. I'm assuming at night. Any ideas gratefully appreciated.
cheers,
D


Hello D,

I drew a red circle around something. It could either be a dying leaf laying flat to the stem; otherwise it looks like something has chewed the bark.

Is there vehicular traffic going close to this tree and not the others?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[incisor]

my poor little garden was flattened by a tree....

and i had to pay the arborist to inflict the damage..

of well

time to regroup.

[Ranga]

my poor little garden was flattened by a tree....

and i had to pay the arborist to inflict the damage..

of well

time to regroup.

Without wanting to appear as a saddest... :ttiwwp:

:D

[incisor]

you want a picture of the missing tree or the now half repaired garden?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TCBwxT77lJYjkk1qeD3-pxpEIsGfnyKQmtJsFnynWq5HqIzfrZ9IknFaNGKFYxYBNeIp5J Aw-r65aErWsb1V50LMSGJQeb2lEsyTVrJuOObQvX5_IIULbFBa0lw eqWXH_91EXYGgPqU3qvo-RTMRsNETITjwVVKSUj-3B4c-5kwwXpQiBTCSt0tb_LAlbEny0I8VxJ5n0iT8twh4AiDXHl9rQH D-qqlnHcK7N2xuFWMFLD_Sff3ugRGmihYQbxAJNGqdgAIeSyo0Uv T_1tiTXZY2tz-632AskVI5PYoYRoga7tdekSaNxTgSlgMj9G7la-qCHz82JkmllSaHuUIAYC2IBG_9yGWcIzbZYaNlzMQ7q_GxKTEt 3OCh-Nc3gvo1XaXf2PuGGPNPntI4I2rJodF3r2_asG8zy-zWMXADLIZ3Q8s_08suxWT7nI27-4U-D0ljjtwPe2W93jLXku6JLLVXLkL1U-uT8THHon-jQwT6J8t8Oo3dcCw5MG63MywcSt3tySXozGNZcQu5PRCTx56ZP yxIVuRwxfj8rsmk0G0_0orxyv7FWUWlPC8yF7B1uRHVWq3vgEh lzuf45-p6FhH3H9eFeEfUChpc4jBXNtsFX2Pj=w1156-h651-no
https://goo.gl/photos/YQbGsCcbK85vPGgP8

the photo makes it look better than it is in real life by gov...

:angel:

[Lionelgee]

my poor little garden was flattened by a tree....

and i had to pay the arborist to inflict the damage..

of well

time to regroup.

Hello Incisor,

Did the arborist drop the tree on the garden? Or did the tree drop on the garden due to a storm and the arborist then cut the tree up for you?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[incisor]

one branch dropped and hit it while the aborist was working on the tree...

was a gust of wind out of nowhere and it spun the branch around

was a bloody tall tree, higher than the silky oak so well over 15m and he did a great job of keeping it away from the shed :p

rather a few broken tomato stakes and a bit of busted wire than a dented shed...

[Pedro_The_Swift]

you want a picture of the missing tree or the now half repaired garden?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TCBwxT77lJYjkk1qeD3-pxpEIsGfnyKQmtJsFnynWq5HqIzfrZ9IknFaNGKFYxYBNeIp5J Aw-r65aErWsb1V50LMSGJQeb2lEsyTVrJuOObQvX5_IIULbFBa0lw eqWXH_91EXYGgPqU3qvo-RTMRsNETITjwVVKSUj-3B4c-5kwwXpQiBTCSt0tb_LAlbEny0I8VxJ5n0iT8twh4AiDXHl9rQH D-qqlnHcK7N2xuFWMFLD_Sff3ugRGmihYQbxAJNGqdgAIeSyo0Uv T_1tiTXZY2tz-632AskVI5PYoYRoga7tdekSaNxTgSlgMj9G7la-qCHz82JkmllSaHuUIAYC2IBG_9yGWcIzbZYaNlzMQ7q_GxKTEt 3OCh-Nc3gvo1XaXf2PuGGPNPntI4I2rJodF3r2_asG8zy-zWMXADLIZ3Q8s_08suxWT7nI27-4U-D0ljjtwPe2W93jLXku6JLLVXLkL1U-uT8THHon-jQwT6J8t8Oo3dcCw5MG63MywcSt3tySXozGNZcQu5PRCTx56ZP yxIVuRwxfj8rsmk0G0_0orxyv7FWUWlPC8yF7B1uRHVWq3vgEh lzuf45-p6FhH3H9eFeEfUChpc4jBXNtsFX2Pj=w1156-h651-no:angel:

either that or I have to buy another cake--;)

[incisor]

either that or I have to buy another cake--;)

hmmmm cake!

[Don 130]

I've wanted one of those farm cameras for ages and keep hoping they come down in price - but they don't seem to. I'll report back.
cheers,
D
Trail cams here (https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-trail-cam.html'spm=2114.01010208.0.0.bomRK3&initiative_id=SB_20161116013435&site=glo&groupsort=1&SortType=price_asc&g=y&SearchText=trail+cam).
The fly paper idea sounds good. If it's a possum, quassia chips are said to be a deterrent.
Don.

[pop058]

either that or I have to buy another cake--;)

you are probably going to do that anyway :D

[Lionelgee]

Hello D,

I drew a red circle around something. It could either be a dying leaf laying flat to the stem; otherwise it looks like something has chewed the bark.

Is there vehicular traffic going close to this tree and not the others?

Kind Regards
Lionel


Gee where is D.?

Maybe D is out near the apple tree with net in hand and being very very quiet ... Accessed November 16, 2016 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MWpnGI6qxQ

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Dark61]

Sorry - I had to wait for the Mrs to do the stuff with the camera as my eyes are pretty poor. Hopefully this is better. It does look slightly gnawed. The trees are about 20 feet away from a road - not all that busy. I like the fly paper idea. I have some aphid paper somewhere ( I hope) that might do.
The farm cameras have certainly dropped in price since the last time I looked.
cheers,
D

[Lionelgee]

Sorry - I had to wait for the Mrs to do the stuff with the camera as my eyes are pretty poor. Hopefully this is better. It does look slightly gnawed. The trees are about 20 feet away from a road - not all that busy. I like the fly paper idea. I have some aphid paper somewhere ( I hope) that might do.
The farm cameras have certainly dropped in price since the last time I looked.
cheers,
D


G'day D,

Thanks for the new photographs. Does your access to the shed in your house yard mean that you are driving close to this one particular apple tree?

One of your earlier photographs - the one that I copied and drew a red circle on showed a shed in the background. It looked there were wheel tracks to the side of the apple tree and the tracks lead to the shed.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Dark61]

Yep I drive past at least a couple times a day.
Cheers,
D

[Lionelgee]

Yep I drive past at least a couple times a day.
Cheers,
D


G'day D,

Vehicles equals soil compaction equals unhappy plant. Plant gets stressed which pests pick up on as an easy target. All manner of nasties then hone in on the plant.

A plant under stress is vulnerable for attack and is an attractive host to a wide range of predators and diseases.

You need to do some research on treating compaction in soils. Otherwise it will still be vulnerable and pest treatment will be a waste of time and money.

The other option is to wait until just after next dormant season and dig the tree up. Relocate it into a well prepared nicely composted hole. Place the new home somewhere well away from regular vehicular traffic and you probably have to tie the tree down because it will want to leap out of the ground in a new spurt of growth.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Dark61]

That makes a lot of sense. I have been wondering why they are so small and never seem to get much bigger. I'll get the fork out as a first option.
Thanks for the heads up.
Cheers,
David

[Lionelgee]

That makes a lot of sense. I have been wondering why they are so small and never seem to get much bigger. I'll get the fork out as a first option.
Thanks for the heads up.
Cheers,
David


G'day D,

No worries. Good to use some of my old trade brain cells again.

Garden forked holes tend to close over very quickly and can actually compact the soil laterally in between each tine.

You could visit your local hire place to see if they have a manual hollow tine corer available for hire. From the trunk to the drip line and then go out a third further of the radius past the drip line.

The first couple of minutes of this YouTube clip shows the type to get the hollow core. Accessed November 18, 2016 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ6v3DG2bHM The second part about spiking will not be good enough for compacted soil around trees

Make up a mix of fertiliser at the recommended rates, some Perlite, plus some fine compost and coarse sand. Spread over the cored area and rake in, then add water. It will make your apple tree happy. The Perlite keeps the soil open so it will not compact too quickly.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Dark61]

That's an interesting bit of kit - haven't found it anywhere near yet - but I'll keep looking.
Cheers,
D

found one in Bunnings $60.00 ish.

[Lionelgee]

That's an interesting bit of kit - haven't found it anywhere near yet - but I'll keep looking.
Cheers,
D

found one in Bunnings $60.00 ish.

G'day Dark,

No that is not an interesting bit of kit.... this is an interesting bit of kit ...

Accessed November 25, 2016 from, https://www.facebook.com/bloomingofnature/videos/1218583628164231. :)

You could just move your tree away from the compaction zone. I used to work with a much smaller example of a tree spade years ago. It was definitely not as pretty as the one in the clip though.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[trog]

Great bit of engineering , but not that quick. A larger tree might need a couple partial goes with the blades to break and encourage new roots prior to the transplant. I once helped move a large oak where the tree spade was mounted on a semi trailer. Another time the council planted out an entire park with mature maples using a smaller unit. Wish I had pix , it was a great experience.

[Dark61]

Agreed. That is a nice bit of machinery. You would think they should be able to scale it down and hire them out. Nice hole that it leaves. I was taking the hound for a sniff once back in pommy land and came across three large holes similar in shape and size in a small wood. At first I thought it was bombs , but the sides looked too sharp and they were too close together - but then someone told me later that it was where the local Hospital used to dump their rubbish and treasure hunters had dug the pits out looking for old medicine bottles. They had put in a great deal of effort. I could stand in it and my head was only just above the edge.
cheers,
D

[cuppabillytea]

I'd like to see that thing try to get through the top quality sand stone that's 30mm under the soil at my place. :p

[Dark61]

spent a bit of time preparing the wicket for the Christmas day "test". Wrinklies-v-Nippers. I quite fancy my chances against the youngest (just turned 5) as his eye hand coordination hasn't quite kicked in yet. Just in case though, I've left a few bits of cape weed a couple of feet in front of the stumps and have been practising lobbing a few quick ones down there. If successful, I will of course say that I haven't held a cricket ball since school.
cheers,
D

[trog]

Will the first innings be televised ?

[Dark61]

First ball of the innings caught the 6 year old fair in the mouth and he had to retire hurt. He didn't speak to me for most of the following lunch!
Cheers,
D

[jx2mad]

He was being polite and not talking with his mouth full :)

[1950landy]

I must have been a good boy this year . Here are a couple of things Santa bought me , along with some bits for the 80".:D

[cuppabillytea]

spent a bit of time preparing the wicket for the Christmas day "test". Wrinklies-v-Nippers. I quite fancy my chances against the youngest (just turned 5) as his eye hand coordination hasn't quite kicked in yet. Just in case though, I've left a few bits of cape weed a couple of feet in front of the stumps and have been practising lobbing a few quick ones down there. If successful, I will of course say that I haven't held a cricket ball since school.
cheers,
D
Is having a tank in slips cheating?

First ball of the innings caught the 6 year old fair in the mouth and he had to retire hurt. He didn't speak to me for most of the following lunch!
Cheers,
D
He probably wasn't talking to anyone.