GETTING STARTED

SELECT YOUR SITE

Choose a site that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day – a north facing site is ideal.
For easy access, locate your vegetable garden near your home – fruit trees can go further afield.
A handy water source is essential.
Avoid planting near existing large trees that will rob your plants of sunlight, moisture and nutrients.
Avoid windy, steeply sloping and areas prone to water-logging.
Most soil types can be improved by the addition of compost, composted manures, worm castings and humus.

SELECT YOUR GROWING METHODS

There are many ways to grow plants while using organic principles.

Selecting one or more of them depends on your situation and preferences.

Traditional beds in the ground: e.g. where there is enough space and no nearby trees.
Pots and bags: e.g. on balconies and patios – they can be used for climbing plants if placed near a wall or climbing frame.
Wicking boxes on tables: e.g. in small gardens or when bending down is becoming difficult.
Wicking beds on the ground: e.g. where there are nearby trees, digging is not allowed on rental properties or water is limited.
Growing without soil (but not hydroponics).
Banana circles: e.g. on large blocks where there is enough water to keep them wet.
Hugelkultur: e.g. on large blocks where there is a need for a water-conserving way of growing especially small trees, shrubs and perennials.

FEED THE MICROBES

We are only as healthy as the food we eat.

To get healthy plants we need to feed the microbes that feed the plants that feed us.

They need minerals, water and an abundance of organic matter such as compost, aged manures, wormcast and mulch.

And an absence of killer chemicals.

Regardless of your growing methods, feeding the microbes is essential.

There are countless ways to do this. The following is a simple recipe to start with.

It uses approved organic fertilisers or your own sources such as your own compost or aged manures if you can get those.

The aim is to build up organic matter and minerals in a gradual and balanced way over the years.

Step 1. Prepare your bed.

on a new site - dig the soil to 20 - 30 cm (on a well-established site the digging may be skipped, especially if a layer of 5 - 10 cm mulch is applied after planting) ); if the soil is soft just use the mulch and plant.

Step 2. Apply the base food for microbes.

apply a base fertiliser, for instance Katec Organic Super Growth, at 100 - 300 gram per square meter,
add manure or compost or mill mud at 1kg or more per square meter,
especially in new beds apply liquid lime and other stimulants such as liquid seaweed, fish emulsion at rates given below,
mix all this into the top layer of 5 cm,
water the bed to get the microbiology started.

Step 3. Planting:

Step 4 Maintenance food during growth.

once the plants are up or the seedlings are established, apply seaweed at 2ml per square meter (see below)
two weeks later, apply fish emulsion or similar at 2 ml per square meter (see below)
two weeks later, apply molasses at 8 ml per square meter (see below)
two weeks later start again with the fortnightly use of seaweed or fish or molasses
and so on thill harvest.

Step 5 Maintain easily accessible calcium.

re-apply liquid lime as a soil drench after 2 and 4 months, after that every 6 months.

Where to buy these fertilisers.

Molasses and Katec Organic Super Growth are available from Northside Produce, corner Queen and Gavin Street, Bundaberg North.

Different brands are available in most gardening shops.

Liquid lime, liquid fish and Organibor are available from the BOGI shop (sorry, members only).

BUNDABERG ORGANIC GARDENERS Inc