[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thanks for your comments. I set to researching it these past few weeks. Not sure I would spray it based on my research. Composting it in specific compost piles over a year seems to see it right according to the videos and reading I’ve done. No broad forks needed when soil is this friable… LOL…

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

I Googled it and got links to a load of wedding venues. Is this a business name or is the name of the business something esle and it’s located in Chillington near Birmingham ?

Thanks for clarifying this Richard.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Wow. I was born in ’63. I think from the way you were raised Richard, it might have been a lot simpler. I only said to my wife today as we drove back from Scotland that we’ve just made it too complex. The simple, highly rewarding things I am finding at 50 are… great health, great family, special times with lots of good photos and memories and a way to buy/produce food that nourishes, rather than depletes our bodies. I think I could live without TV now. As long as I had a comfy chair, a warm fire in winter and lots good books to read when not chatting about the day with my wife.

I like the internet as a way of connecting with like minded folk and learning. So I would still want to be able to access that.

I would gladly save money on unnecessary tools for a better, more harmonious way of working with nature. Methods like No Dig gardening and permaculture work for me.

I could buy more books too with the saved dosh hey Charles!

I still haven’t got your No Dig Gardening Course manual yet. I am hoping it will become available on Kindle soon as we have so many books to ship back to Australia…

My wife has asked me not to buy any more.
If we are still here in May, I can make it to the weekend market gardeners course and I think one signed copy might be able to slip by her gaze perhaps.

Thanks for sharing your story Richard.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thanks RTJ 1211 for your comment. Worms mean healthy soil. Sounds to me like they’ve been doing their wormy thing for sure if you get them “hanging onto their produce”…LoL

I am convinced No-Dig works. I dug less when I did it years ago and focussed on getting compost piles raging and finding lots and lots of horse/animal manures for keeping piles active.

Thanks again

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thank for your sharing your comments/experience Charles. It simply makes sense.
I like the whole permaculture/no-dig thing. Let animals like chickens, ducks and other appropriate helpers like worms, microbes, fungi and nature itself do the work as it loves to do it.

I am reading Teaming With Microbes right now. I can only take it in in bite sized chunks as it’s all new to me.

Also, my wallet thanks you too. Any tool not needed is a tool not bought. My wife would also thank you too.. LoL

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thanks for your input. I was/am planning to broadfork only because it was how I did it years and years ago when in Queensland, Australia (1994/95). It was the way I was taught no-dig veg production back then. I used a simple garden fork and my hands and back paid for it for a week. The ground was properly baked after a long dryish summer. I am almost 20 years older now, so the concept of a broad fork spreading the load just made sense. The pain barrier was met back then forever… so I am a coward for all un-needed pain now! I avoid it like the plague… Oh, and Belgium drivers.

I don’t think you sharing your experience is negative at all. It’s great!

We’ve just come back from being on Loch Lomond. We went to a small local farmers market and I listened to their stories with real joy. Thanks for taking your time to comment.

I have to say Belgium is one place I hate driving in. I’ve done it twice and both times it was pouring with rain and they drove like maniacs… lol.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

I will find their site. Thanks for the heads up about where to find the resource. Cheers mate. David

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Making it is only because there is one I really like the look and design of. That one is only available in the USA and sadly they don’t ship them outside of the USA.

I will not be doing it until I get back to Australia, as my F.I.L has all the welding equipment on hand. He was a welder tool maker / machinist.

I have also been reading about using tools made from copper/bronze on this site.
My F.I.L has some smelting equipment too. Not sure how we can make it work or if Bronze might be too brittle? Don’t know enough about metals sadly. It should be OK as a broad fork is not for turning soil, only creating aeration.

I like your idea for practicality though.

I want to use the broad fork, on every bed before I do a cover layer of cardboard etc and mulch, just to aerate the soil a bit more and allow the nutrients from compost/manure to soak/leach in more easily. I wouldn’t want to break it up too much as I don’t want to break any fungal strands that might already be in the soil etc.

Thanks for taking the time to share your idea.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thanks for taking the time to comment and share the link Richard. I am probably going to make one as my Father In Law has all the kit to do it.

I like the look of that site and I’ve now found that the Taylors sell those Soil Block making Tools. What a great idea they are, from perspective. Kind of like a simple Air Pruning pots, without the large cost of the air pots. Gives the plants a chance to grow super vigorous roots before they even hit the soil.

Thanks again sir.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thanks for this info about your experiences with Pumpkins/Squash on canes.
I have been planning for almost a year now to do this with anything that has a trailing vine. Trellising them that is. At 50, moderately healthy and with the desire to continue gardening for self sufficiency and in the long term for small gains $$ to cover council tax and replacement of tools etc.

I see any system that helps preserve my back, neck and shoulders as a good thing.

I was only last night looking at a variety I found in a “Down Under” on-line seed store called;

RED KURRI (Cucurbita maxima)

Also,

JACK BE LITTLE (Cucurbita pepo)

Red Kurri is from Japan originally. I’ve read somewhere that others have successfully trellised Uchiki Kuri on trellises and various poles and supports. Thanks again.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

I like the idea of using to cool down and at the same time create a weed barrier. I guess it’s unlikely to hurt a matured hedge…? Thanks RTF for sharing the ideas.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Like your suggestion a lot Spadeless Ade… Great idea using trellising to lift things off the ground.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

This is what I am going to be doing with my future crops. Growing only varieties of Squash/Pumpkins, Cucumbers and Watermelons that can be trellised so that it also provides some semi shade to leafy greens, which grow best in dappled sun light.

The primary reason is it offers more growing space for other plants and can help create different micro climates within the garden beds.

Derek Fell’s book on Vertical Gardening was excellent resource for vertical gardening, jam packed with ideas on the what to grow and how to do it.

Also, I’m 50 now and I don’t want to ruin my back by always bending for everything. If it can be trellised it will be. If not then… a bending we will do.

Charles I do like your suggestion of pumpkin/squash in this string of posts.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

Thanks for the great news Charles. It will work if we haven’t sold our home and moved back to Australia. I will make it work if we are still here. I know we will be here in late March purely because of the time it takes to convey a property. Sincere thanks for your kindness running another course to help people, learn your learnings and gain value from your experience.

[RedSkyOrganicsMember]

The 29th of March weekend class. We are heading back to Australia before the summer so I’m kind of hoping that either a spot is created…wink wink… Or a spot opens up. I would really enjoy the course before leaving these wet and windy shores, which have been a home for us for just under half my working life. Also, as it’s not only about gardening… I find I’m the sort of bloke who needs to see things and read them to learn more effectively.

Thanks for info RTF. We’re in Ashton u Lyne which is not far from the M56 as you rightly say.

Cheers David.

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