Hi there from Kalgoorlie!

Charlie · **Posted:** Fri Jul 20, 2012 6:44 pm

Most of you know me from the AP website....aka "smooth moderator"

But thought Id join in on the gardening action too. My family and I love gardening and although relatively new at gardening we give it our best.

Ill get some pic's organised of our vegie patch for ya's.

Thanks, Charlie!

gazza · **Posted:** Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:40 pm

G'day Charlie :wave:

Jaymie · **Posted:** Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:47 pm

who are you and who let you in here?

Simo · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:45 am

Well that should keep the post count up at least, 2865 posts in 14 months on BYAP forum :shock:

Welcome on board :thumb:

Charlie · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:28 am

Well what do ya know..... all the smart arses are here too :wink:

Simo wrote:

Well that should keep the post count up at least, 2865 posts in 14 months on BYAP forum

Gee... I hadnt noticed.... man I talk too much. Oh the shame..

Wow look at all these new smilies :shock:

dufflight · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2012 2:09 pm

We have all the cool smilies here. :lol:

Bender · **Posted:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:11 am

Gday Charlie :rock:

Charlie · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:47 pm

Unfortunately living in the burbs of Kalgoorlie city we are a bit restricted for garden space but here is our first effort in potatoe growing. We are not lucky enough to have the big properties most of you seem to have but we do our best with available space. Not a huge haul but they taste great.

Have done carrots a few times but these are by far the tastiest ones to date.

Couple of pics

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hehehe, forgot what it was like to have image size restictions.... had to crop the heck out of them.

Simo · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:29 pm

Gee wizz Charlie, looks like you have some pretty nice soil there, doesn't look like any soil I've ever seen in Kal, did you make it your self or buy it in?

Done well with the shape of those carrots, mine usually get stunted and crooked.

Charlie · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:11 pm

Yea that soil has had some fairly intensive work done to it mate.. lots of mushroom compost, soil improver, every type of manure available and regular fertiliser. Its very well seasoned.

Glad to hear we did well with the carrots.. we mounded the soil very loosely which may have helped. They seemed to take forever to grow though, maybe 3 months.

Simo · **Posted:** Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:29 am

Yeah, I think loose soil is the trick, I think will cultivate the soil first this year rather than be lazy and just sprinkle the seeds and rake over.

How did they taste? I find mine are usually quite bitter and only start to get sweet when they hae been in the ground for ages and I can never get them as sweet as the shop bought ones.

Any one know the secret to sweet carrots? :dunno:

Charlie · **Posted:** Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:16 pm

They do taste very sweet, we usually go for the baby carrot variety but these are the larger ones.

We have had numerous results, whether it has something to do with the brand, time of year or soil quality. I personnally dont have any magic formula sorry.

Simo · **Posted:** Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:43 pm

Just found out from EB's link posted on BYAP forum that potassium makes carrots sweet:

http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/cultivation2.html

I guess I need to add some wood ash to my garden beds :learn:

Charlie · **Posted:** Thu Jul 26, 2012 4:52 pm

Yea I read that too simo, interesting stuff. Its worth a shot anyway.

gazza · **Posted:** Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:01 pm

I wish I got to taste some of our carrots before the little one hogs them all!

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