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Kevin Tracey starts with ... Gwabegar school is a small school, 15 children, I am trying to start a "no-dig" garden and orchard. I am a rank amateur. My beds are about 10 inches deep. They consist of layers of newspaper, lucerne, chook poo, sugar-cane mulch, compost/potting mix. We want to grow exotic things like coloured chard, mixed colour capsicums, etc. Trees will be grown into the ground, red sandy soil, we have adequate water; ant suggestions? I want to plant an avocado, black sapote, passionfruit, apple, maybe even "dragonfruit". HELP!! I am the only volunteer doing this garden. | About the Author Kevin Tracey Gwabegar N/W NSW 27th March 2008 11:00am #UserID: 811 Posts: 3 View All Kevin Tracey's Edible Fruit Trees |
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D says... Try and get a hold of a Gardening book called The Practical Australian Gardener by Peter Cundall (ABC Gardening Australia show). It is a week by week guide on gardening telling you what to plant when, all about fertilising, pruning, pest control etc. If you can't get the book search their website for factsheets from the show. Sounds like you've already got lots of organic matter in the beds so you're off to a good start. You'll also need to mix some organic matter in the soil where you plant your trees if it is a bit sandy. My daughters love tending to the fruit & veges and I gave them some bean seeds to plant last Thursday afternoon and in just 6 days they had powered along and were about 10cms tall. Children also love cherry tomatoes, mandarins and strawberries that they pick and eat straight off the bush. They surprise themselves with what they like when the grow it and have a taste. Good luck! | About the Author D Tamborine Mountain 27th March 2008 10:40pm #UserID: 779 Posts: 8 View All D's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author aNON 28th March 2008 2:42pm #UserID: 700 Posts: 194 View All aNON's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Kevin Tracey says... Thank you, I will really try to get that book. I have got the Bureau of Meterology to tell me definately what our climate is in Gwabegar, we are temperate bordering on sub-tropical. This project has developed into a "monster" there seems to be no help and I am doing it all myself. The distances that have to be travelled sre considerable. Not to worry, it will keep me out of mischief. Thanks again, that was my main problem, when to plant what. Kevin Tracey | About the Author Kevin Tracey 1st April 2008 5:19pm #UserID: 811 Posts: 3 View All Kevin Tracey's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Correy says... What a great idea Kevin. To get you off the ground may I suggest you check out what the most popular fruit trees mail ordered to Gwabegar are. (You might like to select the checkbox for surrounding suburbs and plants not in stock.) That is great about the environment you live in. It means you can grow some of the higher chill fruit trees check out all these temperate fruit trees such as cherry trees, pear trees, apples trees as well as some of the subtropical fruit trees like guava Trees, Lychee Trees and Avocado Trees It means some of the tropical fruit trees like paw paws and jakfruit are out though. So now that you have an idea of what fruit trees are good for where you live the next thing is to ask yourself now what do I like to eat or since it is for the kids what will the kids like to eat. If you get frosts I think you may have problems with avocado trees so perhaps make sure you get the Bacon Avocado Tree because it is more cold tollerant and popular with southerners. The dragon fruit Pitaya should be alright just make sure it get's a good sunny palm tree to grow up. The Black Sapote or Chocolate Pudding Fruit may be a bit too tropical as it is not very frost sensitive but as with most people who live in even colder climates then you they love to experiment and see if they can get them to grow.
| About the Author Correy Woolloongabba, QLD 1st April 2008 10:33pm #UserID: 3 Posts: 493 View All Correy's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Kevin Tracey 2nd April 2008 1:07pm #UserID: 811 Posts: 3 View All Kevin Tracey's Edible Fruit Trees |
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