Next week is actually the 'official' start of the term break, but we can lenient today, right?
What I'd like to do is get stuck into some gardening. There's a bed full of potatoes I'd like to scavenge through before Midgy, our dog, finds any more and eats them. An old bathtub, that's sitting outside, can then be used to raise these potatoes in a space that a dog won't dig them up.
Some of these potatoes look a bit 'green', therefore inedible.
We'll plant these into the old bathtub to get a new crop.
I also have a narrow bed of raspberries being overtaken by some passionfruit root stock. It's as hardy as anything and I don't know how to get rid of it. The grafted part where the fruit develops died years ago. I've found some facts about this root stock here, and it looks like some pesticide (glyphosate) will be needed. From this discussion, it looks like Nelly Kelly passionfruit vines are out, and a better option would be the Sunshine Special.
Too much vigourous grown from a Nelly Kelly passionfruit rootstock.
If I'd known the possible problems I'd have with this years down the track,
I'd never have planted this variety.
I'm also tossing around some ideas for a new chicken run. Our hens have been keeping the grass under the fruit trees down for years, but I'm wondering if the soil there needs a bit of a rest. We still have the three Australorps and a White Sussex. I know our Australorps got very broody last Spring, so I'm also thinking ahead on how to handle that if we need to have separate areas for each hen to raise her chicks. This may need some time doing more research before actually laying my hands to any actual work.
Our hens, Australorps and a White Sussex.
One site I'd like to move the hens too, but we'd need fencing to keep our dog well away.
That may be enough to handle today. After all, we do want a break. At least the 'potato project' will be fairly quick to do.
4 comments:
I didn't know green potatoes were inedible. Is it because they taste bad? I think I've seen green potatoes from the grocery store.
Also, we are moving to the country soon, so will be able to get some chickens. I'm trying to talk DH into it.
Hello Julie,
Yes, green potatoes contain toxins that are quite harmful. You may experience symptoms like gastro, or something worse.
I found an article from the CSIRO about it here:
http://www.csiro.au/resources/green-potatoes.html
This was something that my mum had taught me at a young age, and she'd always tell us to be wary of reduced priced potatoes at the shops. They're usually trying to off-load potatoes that are starting to green. Very naughty, really!
Have fun preparing for your chickens. We've kept them for about 5 years now, and I'm still learning. :)
I can recommend Jackie French's 'The Chook Book', and Linda Woodrow's 'The Permaculture Home Garden' for great info. on starting out with chooks. Both books are usually available in the library.
Yes the Nelly Kelly passionfruit is infamous for the good section dying off & the rootstock rampaging through the garden but I've had issues with quite a few Nelly Kelly branded plants & steer clear of them luckily. Hope you manage to get rid of yours.
Thanks for the Nelly Kelly warning. I was planning on planting a vine on our warm vege garden wall. I will look for a less invasive variety now, thanks to you!
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