ASP wk2 Wrap up

APS wk2 wrap

It's amazing how much I take in when I'm being taught in my own language 🙌

Wk2 started with a deep dive in Water, in real terms, directly relevant to our climate, and from th lived experience of our facilitators many yrs of experience in our region, and translated to how we will use this info in th field as practitioners, consultants and teachers.

Th theory was immediately married with practical application in th task of managing th Northey St City Farms Kitchen Garden. It's th literal translation of starting at our back door. We set up camp under th office building, straight out from there is th kitchen garden, and then th bush kitchen is behind that. As we progress through th year long course, we will radiate out from this point as we would through our permaculture zones on a home site.

Th kitchen garden is a show piece, one of th first things you see when entering th farm, and for practical use in th bush kitchen, providing cooked meals for volunteers and staff. We started by weeding out anything that was not productive. This showed us where there's space to add new produce.

Composting in situ, right there on th garden bed saves so much energy. This compost consists of a half frame of a IBC,  tarp lining it, and layers of organic matter that was gone very close by, plus a little commercial inputs (manure pallets? My memory is so shit, soz). Its been in place for around 4wks. Th frame was lifted, th contents spread out and its ready to roll! So quick and easy. Literally took less than five min. It was thoroughly hosed in, then we planted out.

Im a complete noob with annuals, ive tried a few times but never really had much success. Ive no idea how big a average eggplant grows to, or when Kale should be harvested. Im ok with toms, but that’s a bout it.

We used Square-foot gardening to map out where each plant goes and I am amazed at how much we fit in such a small space, and apparently there's still heaps of room for more! Mind blown. Th intention is for them all go grow close enough to basically create a living ground cover,..even though a lot of then arnt directly on th soil surface.

Two gardens in particular were basically just grass, old Amaranth, native and exotic tradescantia, and a few other random bits that needed to come out. there yet to be fully replanted but already th difference changes the feel of th area around it. We planted out some very root bound pots of Costus Erythrophyllus, much to my disappointment! hahah would have loved to bring them home like a full fuvkn weirdo on train hahha, but nope, they went in and tbh, while they are slow growing shade lovers, and I genuinely fear for their life in this position, if they do pull through and bulk out in a yr or so they will look wonderful,..just not what id personally put in a kitchen garden. We were unable at this minuet to mulch every thing, which is a bit of a blessing in disguise, with so much tradescantia pulled from here, next wk there's bound to be a few reshoots and bits we missed. it gives a chance to get back in there and be thorough. In th mean time I placed a few Arrowroot leaves around th newbies. whada thing? rough enough? will keep th sun out a lil, but will it block out any rain from direct seepage? 

Points of interest, everywhere I look there is aways something new I see, like a  clay mask randomly placed, details in a mosaic I didn’t notice before, a plant I hadn't noticed even though I was looking straight at it. Seeing plants in person that I've heard of but never seen, already starting to build my plant brain bank, th good and th bad. Such as Singapore Daisy, Yarrow, Mugwart, Capeside Gooseberry.