The Start
We have an area in the back yard which was once a small dam filled with an invasive weed. The weed was a great additive to our compost piles as it added heaps of nitrogen and was a great mulch but we were concerned about the weed escaping during heavy rain and washing into the surrounding creeks. A friend of ours did a great job of filling in the dam with a front end loader. |
| After filling the dam in 2012, thanks Steve. |
This will be the start of our grove. Over the last two years we have been scattering any spare green matter that I didn't want in the compost, like weeds or woodier stems which break down slowly and chook poo and horse poo to try and improve the soil.
Our grove is underway with 2 x native tamarinds, two finger limes a lemon and a black mulberry.
In 2016 we visited Daleys Nursery in Kyogle and purchased a few fruit trees to add to them. A Grumichama and a Cherimoya as well as another Macadamia.
Fast forward to 2017
And one of the Tamarinds died, as did one of the native Finger Limes, the rest are doing well.
 |
| Cherimoya doing well., doubled in size ! |
 |
| Eureka, it's a Lemon ! |
We've since added Dragon Fruits x4 , a Blood Orange.
 |
| Blood Orange |
Around the yard
Down in the netted Orchard we've also added 2 x Avocados (a Type A and a Type B) , a dwarf Mulberry and 2 more varieties of Figs.
We also added a Liquid Amber Tree to replace the two Oleanders that were in the back yard that we removed,
 |
| Liquid Amber |
as well as a Crab Apple for its bee attractant properties and it's fruit is full of pectin for jam setting.
 |
| Banksia in flower ! |
In the garden
Winter is coming, some things are lovin' it, some not so much.
 |
| Oranges getting close |
 |
| Asparagus getting closer to needing to be cut back (when they brown off) |
 |
| Bok Choi |
 |
| Echinacea as a bee attract and Insect deterrent for naughty insects ! |
 |
| New Passionfruit, seeds courtesy of Trevor's Mum ! |
In the kitchen
Toni has been busy as always, making her own Mayo, Rosella Jam and Sauces etc. Bread and Cheese of course, Mozzarella this time.
