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Troys two rocks backyard garden
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Author:  Troytworocks [ Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Troys two rocks backyard garden
I have built a small veggie area in my backyard using raised garden beds, and also an enclosed chicken run in which I grow fruit trees. It all works quite well, although with a bit more initial planning I would have made the chicken enclosure slightly smaller and added another raised garden bed.
The soil up here is sandy and limestone cap rock is about 1-2 metres under the soil surface so raised garden beds work a treat.
The three chickens I have provide natural manure, and the bale of straw I add once every 2 months to their enclosure breaks down. I have noticed a great improvement in the richness of the soils and the lemon tree in particular grows really well.
The veggie garden and mini orchid have a drip irrigation system setup connected to the mains and runs on a battery timer. The fruit trees also have drip irrigation via a black and grey waste water recycling system.

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Author:  Snags [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 10:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
How do you stop the soil from falling out?
Author:  Bender [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
Looks great troy
Author:  Snags [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 2:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
Agree
it rivals the hanging gardens of Babylon
Author:  Troytworocks [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 5:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
Hi snags
The soil in the chicken enclosure is contained by a limestone retaining wall alongside the fence line , and there are timber joists screwed in to the posts. The only soil that you sometimes lose is from the chickens scratching around and they can flick it over. I'll take a few more close up photos and post it soon.
Author:  Troytworocks [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 6:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
Hopefully this will give you a better idea of what I was talking about. At present I have three chickens, an old girl and two young ones and I'm getting 2 eggs a day.
The fruit trees seem to be ok, I planted another dwarf orange, lemon and mandarine two weeks ago and just place a mesh barrier around the base of the trees until they become well established to stop the chicken scratching the soil around the base.
I made the chicken coop myself and just made another one for my mum. When I made the last one it was built primarily from waste off cuts and colorbond from building sites where I got permission from the builders. Much more cheaper and good to recycle waste which would otherwise go to landfill.

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Author:  Troytworocks [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 6:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
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,
Author:  Snags [ Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
looks excellent :thumb:

If I right click and select view image I see them anchored by gravity much easier than turning the screen upside down on the desk top :P
Author:  Troytworocks [ Mon Aug 04, 2014 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
When we built the house five years ago we tried to make it Eco friendly. We installed a sewerage recycling system, 20 litres of rain water tanks plumbed into the toilets, dishwasher, washing machine and hot water system. We also installed photo voltaic solar panels. All up it cost a bit extra but over the medium term it will all pay for itself, and in the future most homes will be fitted with solar panels and rainwater storage.

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Author:  Jaymie [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 6:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
Troy, all of your pictures are upside down :)
Author:  Troytworocks [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
I apologise for my pictures being upside down, I'm posting them from my iPad and the preview looks fine and when I look at them on the iPad they look fine. I'm not sure if it's a mac thing, I'll see if I can rectify it.
Author:  Troytworocks [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
sorry about the pics guys, I have managed to get some off the desk top. when I was using the ipad the previews showed all the pics the right way up. I'll get some more of the water tanks and post them later, cheers. and thanks for all the good humour, I'm a bit thick so until someone pointed it out and I had a look on the computer instead of the ipad i didn't click as to what you were talking about.
Author:  Troytworocks [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
picture of the tanks 4 x 4500 litre west coast poly

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Author:  Troytworocks [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
I've left the raised beds empty this winter, put some manure in them and topped them up with some lupin mulch to get them prepped for the summer.
the fruit trees are coming along well, and the passionfruit vine is going gangbusters.
Author:  gazza [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Troys two rocks backyard garden
Tidy as Troy, nice work!
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