HI folks,

This blog is all about creating an urban garden in a previously grass and concrete lot in suburban Australia.

This is our week 14 video and text all in one.

Please forgive lateness my lovely friends we have had a challenging two weeks. with a very sick we chicken that has not made it. The story is still two videos away however. But for now... lets keep going in week 14.

For the second time in a row i forgot i need the ACTUALY thumbnail... not a placeholder one... sigh... silly me.

PLANTING FRUIT TREES - How I planted the fruit trees

CHICKEN CAM

So for those of you that know this... skip to the Update section.

We have been in this house for 6 years now and it is a concrete wastleland of concrete and grass with a pool. we decided that this needs to change and are creating a little urban farm in.

We had a very GREEN back garden but it was just yukka plants. AND they planted this big rooted trees right on top of retaining walls. They are huge and are pushing on the walls. They needed to come out. Roots and all down into the earth we had to go...

You can see here the view when we moved in.,... green... but not "pretty and productive.."
Certainly no biodiversity. Not good for bees. Just green yick.

WHAT ARE WE CREATING?

We are trying to create a little mini urban farm.

• Fruit and vegetables
• Chickens Worms and Mealworms
• flowers
• Bee haven and maybe bees
• biodiversity
• pesticide free where possible
• native plants as well. So not JUST food but also food for the insects that will live in the garden.

So i would love it if you would follow along

ITS MY BIRTHDAY ... lol

ok so technically im filming this AFTER my birthday But today i am planing my birthday treats which were some Fruit trees.

We initially went to a fruit tree orchard north of Brisbane to get the trees. We got there and the person serving was dismissive and unhelpful at best. I wasn't very impressed that we had driven hours to go somewhere specially and we got vague handwaves and a tired and uninterested reply to our questions. I had an empty boot and the money to spend. So we drove away empty handed. This WAS my actual birthday day... so i was a bit annoyed. But after a busy day and a long drive i was happy just to get home.

BUYING THE TREES

the next day was a week day, and i decided that i would pop off on my own and grab the trees.

1. Meyer Lemon
2. Valencia orange
3. Washington Naval Orange
4. Imperial mandarin
5. Marsh Grapefruit
6. Extra lemon tree

Its is nearly Spring here, so its a good time to be planting the fruit trees and get them settled in before summer heat.

FRUIT TREE PLANTING TIPS

Grafted trees

see the nodule about 8cm above my fingers (just below the green tape) that is the graft side on this tree.

If your trees have a graft site be careful not to plant it under the surface of the soil/mulch.
certainly don't cut it.

remove any branches from the graft site or below it. They are likely the graft and wont have fruit.

Watch the feeder roots at the top of the tree. Make 100% sure they are covered with soil. Sometimes they can get exposed and the tree won't like that.

make sure you remove air pockets and water in well

A seaweed solution might help to reduce transplant shock

Best to give a bit of water everyday (even twice a day) until its all settled in. Don't drown it, just keep it "not stressed" for a week or so.

Mulch is good.

HOW WE PLANTED THEM

Where possible we got dwarf trees and large pots. We need to keep these small enough that if we need to net them due to fruit fly we will have to do that.

I lugged all the soil like 50 meters from the front of the house down the back... its SUCH a mission. I used the following 2 types of soil.

I personally like the Searles soil. There are other cheeper brands around and they just don't cut the mustard really. They have poor growth. Even if you amend with fertilizer at the start. If you plant in this... you know if your plant isn't doing well that there is something wrong. Although, there are a couple of exceptions for plants that like VERY specific soil types. but most veges and flowers. This is a good start for most people.

Amending your own soil, and creating a fantastic soil biome is best, but when you have pots this is tricky. Best you can do is create good compost to add to the pots.

When planting, make sure you don't stress the tree too much. try not to yank it and disturb the roots to much. Carefully place in the pot. Not too low that the soil will come to high, but CERTAINLY not to high in the pot that you need to dome the soil really really high to cover all the little surface roots on the fruit tree. They won't like having those exposed and certainly not right after planting when it is already stressed

compact the soil around so there is no air pockets, and water in well, for the same reason.

I like to use the seaweed tonic that i make up in a water can to water in. It helps with transplant shock. NONE of these plants looks shocked even 2 weeks later as i write this.

GOOD watering everyday in the two weeks following is important. Keep that soil nice and moist, not drowned though, in the next couple of weeks to ensure it is going to take well. Any drama, and try a seaweed solution. Don't liquid fertilize as the soils should have enough for the moment.

On one of the trees i planted 3 weeks earlier, it was a bit stressed when i got it. The leaves were a bit yellow. I gave it a drink with some trace elements and it fixed it right up. This is an option if it is looking a little poorly. Especially with some yellow leaves.

CHICKENS

We have had a rough couple of weeks, and they have been sick, One of the little darlings didn't make it even with antibiotics and vet trips. The kids are sad, but i will do a video on that at a later stage... poor Snowy.

Here they are all happy and running around. Cookie escaped again and is so jolly hard to reroute. Although she is getting more trusting as time goes on.

CONCLUDING MESSAGES

Just another very busy week all in all. I will now sign off and start the next video.. lol... as its already late as well

talk later

happy gardening

Sarah

Anyway thanks so much for stopping along and reading my posts I am just loving my HIVE experience so far. Such a fun platform for sure.

For those that don't know my i'm currently focusing on Daily painting and somewhat amusing my self and my family with Acrylic pouring.. lol.. i wish i had a separate studio for that as it is so messy.

My other HIVE interests are:

• cooking
  sunset photography (i take photos of the sky every night)
  Art
  Graphic Design
  Gardening (just a smidgion)
  Ballet
  Sewing - I make Tutus and ballet costumes too...

Here are a couple of snaps of some of the stuff i do outside what you see up in the posts above.

LOVE AND LIGHT

BLINGIT