Hi there, fellow urban gardeners, and welcome back to the Urban Garden blog! First off, let me start by extending my sincerest apologies for the month-long hiatus between posts. You see, life here in our garden in Brisbane, Australia, has been nothing short of a whirlwind lately. We've been so immersed in the day-to-day tasks, that we lost track of time. But hey, at least i managed to get some jobs done.
Now, you might be wondering why there's been such a gap in our posts. I had a rather extensive post written up, However, upon reflection, I realized that so much has changed since then, and it felt outdated. So, today, I'm starting fresh, armed with a basket full of fresh stories from our little corner of urban paradise. (speaking of baskets we have many new hanging ones.. lol)
So, what's on the agenda for today's garden rendezvous? we've got quite the lineup to discuss. And im sorry about the poor humor in the next paragraph i was explaining an English concept to a daughter and she INSISTED i keep it in.
We'll dive headfirst into the captivating world of our new feathered friends, share the details of a brand new chicken roof (yes, you heard that right), reminisce about the biggest front garden clear-out ever, and commiserate about an unexpected aphid invasion. But wait, there's more! We'll also spill the beans on a surprise attack in our beloved vegetable garden, bask in the beauty of blooming flowers that have become a haven for busy bees, and unveil a brand-new addition to our gardening repertoire - a vertical garden space.
So, if you've got your favorite gardening mug filled with a warm beverage, or a glass of nice french rose... let's get into it.
as for me... it is instant coffee as i still have driving to do today so wine later.. lol
actually sorry its a bit long... i just got typing /dictating and it got away from me.. lol
Our latest garden adventure has brought us some new, feathered companions - and we couldn't be more excited! It all started with a casual drive past the local produce store, where we happened upon a trio of charming chickens that simply stole our hearts. we decided to bring them home, marking our first experience introducing new members to our existing flock.
In the interest of harmony among our feathery friends,** we opted for a gradual introduction**. We knew that placing the newcomers directly with the established group could lead to some feathers flying, so for the initial week, we kept them separated. During this time, they had a chance to get acquainted with one another from a safe distance, thanks to a wire fence that allowed them to maintain a curious eye on their soon-to-be fellow coop mates.
However, chickens being chickens, it wasn't all sunshine and harmony. On day five of their segregation, we decided to test the waters by allowing them to mingle. Well, let's just say it wasn't all pecking order politeness; they flew into a bit of a rage at each other. It seemed like our flock had some adjustments to make.
Fast forward to day eight, and things had taken a turn for the better. Perhaps it was the realization that they'd be sharing a coop sooner or later, but they suddenly didn't seem to mind each other's presence as much. The wire fence had been an effective icebreaker of sorts, and it was heartwarming to see them gradually accepting their new living arrangements.
As for our trio of newcomers, let me introduce you to Pepper, the sleek and elegant black one; Rosie, the warm and friendly brown hen; and Snowflake, the pristine white beauty. While they haven't started laying eggs just yet, we're keeping a close eye on their vibrant red combs, a promising sign that egg-laying is on the horizon.
In the midst of these exciting new additions to our feathered family, we did face a somber moment. About a week after welcoming Pepper, Rosie, and Snowflake, we had to bid farewell to one of our seasoned egg layers, Raven. She had been a consistent and reliable provider of fresh eggs for our kitchen, but sadly, she struggled with what appeared to be an egg-related issue. In her final moments, she passed away in my arms, leaving us with a heavy heart. We laid her to rest in the peaceful confines of our vegetable garden, a place where her legacy lives on through the bountiful produce she helped nourish.
While we mourn the loss of Raven, we eagerly anticipate the day when Pepper, Rosie, and Snowflake will join the ranks of our egg-producing champions.
So i'm not going to write dreadfully much here ... we cleaned out the front garden. All those dreadful Agavesthat are cool plants, but they got away from us. So 2 days of a 4 person team here ripping them out and they are gone. It is asstounding how much more light there is in the front rooms even though they were meters away from the house. I'm now not worried about NASTY BROWN snakes hiding in those ones. (Everywhere else is still a worry.... yikes)
Unfortunately, our tranquil garden sanctuary was recently struck by a not-so-welcome invasion of aphids. Initially, I wasn't too concerned, as our garden was teeming with ladybugs – natural aphid predators – who seemed to be keeping the aphid population in check. However, as if on cue, the ladybugs mysteriously vanished after laying their eggs somewhere in our green haven, leaving us with a surplus of aphids and an absence of our friendly garden defenders. It's a bit of a head-scratcher, as I'm hesitant to wage war on the aphids themselves for fear of inadvertently harming any yet-to-hatch ladybug eggs. Don't wanna kill the good guys and upset the biome tooooo much.
And then there's the matter of our back raised bed, which has fallen victim to what can only be described as a relentless attack. DECIMATED. lol. Overnight, our thriving vegetables were decimated, leaving us baffled and frustrated. The culprits, whether possums, rats, or mice, have proven to be quite the enigma. To decipher the mystery, we conducted a few experiments by covering the bed for several nights – and lo and behold, no signs of destruction. But, as soon as we dared to leave it unguarded, disaster struck again with leaves devoured and plants reduced to tatters.
In response to this relentless assault, we've resorted to a multi-pronged defense strategy. We've deployed the power of essential oils, hoping their scent would act as a deterrent to the unwanted intruders. Additionally, we've diligently covered the bed to thwart access and set up traps in strategic locations. However, we're approaching this challenge with caution, especially concerning the use of poisons, given our newly acquired chickens who roam freely around the garden.
my poor zucchini is just ruined!!!
As for the rest of the garden, I'm sure many of you are quite familiar with its layout by now. We've got those charming raised beds down at the back, providing a cozy home for our thriving veggies (minus the ones that got eatedn). Our orchard, well, it's not exactly a sprawling grove, but rather a collection of potted fruit trees on the concrete - it's the space we have, and it's where they flourish. And then there are those pots filled with an assortment of herbs and vegetables, nestled alongside the pool. It's a beautiful sight to behold, a true testament to the joys of urban gardening.
The cherry tomatoes, many of which decided to self-seed and make themselves at home, are bursting with flavor. And speaking of self-sufficiency, the mustard leaves seem to have adopted that philosophy, popping up practically everywhere they please. Our cucumbers are nothing short of delectabl And hold onto your gardening gloves, because our chili plant is still going strong after five years in the same pot – talk about resilience!
But that's not all. In our ever-expanding quest for garden space, we've ventured into the vertical realm. The latest addition to our garden is a vertical garden space, a clever solution to our dwindling ground space. In these vertical pockets, we've planted sage, thyme, and a smattering of colorful flowers. It's a beautiful sight to behold, with baskets stacked one atop the other, creating a cascade of green and blooms. We've got our fingers crossed that the wire holding them remains steadfast – so far, so good.
and with that i'm off to have a well needed shower after spending all morning IN THE GARDEN.
lol
Cheers to the green life!
BLINGIT
Love the chickens, they seem to be enjoying strolling around.
Epic update post. Glad things are happening even if we don't get regular updates 😉 sometimes the garden gets forgotten in the day to day hustle. We have a fence around garden to keep out deer then we added chicken wire around the bottom to keep out rabbits. But squirrels and smaller rodents are almost impossible to keep out 🙄 Garter snakes are the only snake we have here. They are small and since they are harmless they are kinda cute. They eat mostly bugs and worms when little then frogs and small rodents when bigger. Ok with me.
bhhaaaa we have the 2nd most venomous snake in the world here... the very aggressive (looks for a fight) Easter Brown snake... bad buggers. and the 5th (i think) Red bellied black snake which is more scary looking but less aggressive. I have to do a snake check everyday i let the girls out to play. Even our toads are poisonous. lol hense we wanna get rid of the jolly mice or whatever. sigh... Australia everything tries to kill you here. lol
Please send me the white bird. Am interested. Eheh, I have special information for you.
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