May 2015

Its mid autumn and Ecobed 1 is now fully sown/planted with winter vegetables.  This year I'm growing light feeders in this bed and it contains (from the top) 3 rows of Garlic, 1 wide row of Carrots, 2 rows of Onions, 2 rows of Leeks, 1 wide row of Beetroot, 2 English Spinach plants and 3 Silverbeet plants.  They are growing slowly because its become cold suddenly during the last couple of weeks after a mild start to autumn.  Still they're looking OK.

Ecobed 2 is being prepared for Potatoes, and has been planted out with a green manure of Field Peas, Vetch and Oats.  The Strawberries at the back of the bed will be trimmed back and thinned so they don't invade the space allocated to Potatoes.  The netting will stop the Potatoes invading the Strawberry's space later in the year.

Ecobed 3 is reserved for heavy feeders this year and has just one row left unoccupied.  The lettuce will be harvested soon and will make way for some seedlings I have growing under glass.

Ecobed 4 is full, but the Leeks will be harvested soon, and the freed space will be sown with Bush Peas after the soil is fed.  The bed contains (from left to right) a row of Broad Beans, a double row of Climbing Peas, a row of Leeks, a row of Carrots, a double row of Peas and some Rosemary and Thyme.

April 2014

The pest exclusion nets have been put away for winter now that pests are easier to control, but I still use wire netting flat on top of the bare soil (where seeds are germinating) and wire net tunnels over seedlings to stop the birds digging for worms.

When the plants outgrow the tunnels, the soil will be protected by a thick layer of mulch.

This is my latest Ecobed.  It doesn't have an exclusion frame yet, but I won't need netting until spring when the flying pests return.  I have a few broccoli and cauliflower seedings at this end of the bed and a row of strawberry runners at the far end.

This messy looking bed has vetch green manure just starting to grow.  It will be turned into the soil in June and the bed top dressed with compost and aged sheep manure in July.  6 rows of potatoes will be planted a month later.  

After the potatoes are harvested in February next year, I will convert my last drip line irrigated bed into Ecobed 4.