I moved to this property in South Gippsland Victoria Australia in 2018, completed a PDC during 2019, and am now on a journey to bring back natures abundance to this once bare paddock. I hope you will join me as I slowly work towards this dream!
If you would like to support me in returning this little patch of earth to abundance please consider buying me a coffee!! Link below and thank you!! www.buymeacoffee.com/QJU7W3agEp
As we're in the US here and just starting summer, my chop and drop work has been focusing on grasses much more than trees. Many new tree plantings from this spring have been getting mulched with grass and briar clippings. I've had enough briar to cut back that I've been able to put thorny barricades around some of my nut and fruit trees ;)
Hi Peter! I also love mulching with grass in the growing season. I find I’m not as overwhelmed with all the growth but embrace it if I can use it to add to my growing trees - do you know what I mean!?? Clearing is then a win and a pleasure rather than a chore! I love your use of the briars 👍
I wish I'd grown up on a farm but at least I've made it to a small 5 acre one now. Have you ever visited the sheep station - that would be pretty awesome. My grandfathers brother married an American so I have distant American cousins!! Thanks for watching!!
Oh, your trees will love the extra sunlight and mulch ❤ The hakeas here do very well, and some are indigenous to us, so i think i will plant more, as you say, they still provide good biomass. I'm interested to know how/where you learnt your equipment skills, eg tractor operation, chainsaw etc (those things not part of an urban lifestyle) I noted the powerlines near some of the self seeded trees near the fence.
Hey Deborah! My skills have all developed right here - with plenty to do and no one else’s to do it you just gotta give it a go - can only get better haha! Yes there’s unfortunately a few powerlines around to keep in mind with growing trees - need to prune those ones sooner rather than later!
Love chop and drop Linda🌱🌱 Your trees will hopefully produce lots of beautiful fruit for jam making season for your stand. I can barely keep up with mine. I froze lots of summer fruit and it’s been wonderful. Off to make some more jam this morning 🤣 Enjoy your Sunday xx Cathi xx 😘
Excellent Cathi enjoy your ham making! I’ve got lots of plums, peaches and berries in the freezer - still need to do something with all of that!! Enjoy your day too xx
At the beginning of the video, I thought, "Oh, no! The nectarine tree is dead!", forgetting that we are in opposite seasons and the tree had simply lost its leaves. When I remembered, I was so relieved. The green trees and grass and the brilliant sunshine in your videos can confuse me sometimes. Right now the USA is experiencing a record breaking heat wave. I hope your part of the world is not having extremes in temperature. Hope your hard work pays off in abundant fruit production.
Haha - perhaps I should have clarified a little more at the start!! Will have to remember that half of my viewers are in a different season! The weather here is fairly mild at the moment so quite enjoyable. Hope the heat settles down soon for you!!
Very informative video. Thanks Linda. I'm still very tentative when it comes to chopping and dropping tree sized bits. I usually drag them off to the side to decompose a bit first. Perhaps I need to chop things smaller, as you're alluding to. Thank you.
I chop tree bits quite small if I’m mulching around small plants but now most of my trees are quite large it’s quick & easy to dump big pieces. You can always go back later to chop small if it’s all sitting up too high! Great you’re giving it a go - the only way to really learn!!
Is your comfrey the blocking 14 non seeding variety? The row of comfrey along one side if the bed looks ideal for chop and drop. How does it hold up in summer? Is it on the south side of the bed and gets shaded?
I got the comfrey from a friend and it is the seeding variety. So have to be careful with mulch & if it’s in seed. It’s been perfect for chop & drop & is great in summer. It’s on the east side & gets plenty of summer sun which means it grows well and gives about five harvests of mulch throughout the growing period
We get frosts here on our cattle property in QLD, first one Wednesday morning, I don't think our cattle had frost on them though! I was racing around hosing my tomatoes, ohhh the things we do for our gardens and beautiful food! It's the best time of year for me to grow tomatoes, but it's tricky being that bit inland and having a low lying property with the Winter frosts. If you have too big an area or awkward area to cover, hosing the leaves saves your plants as it's the sun hitting the ice that burns the leaves. Thank you for the reminder for us all, for our frost sensitive trees, especially if you don't fancy getting frozen watering the ice off, it was very special watching the sun come up as I stood there in all my layers though, sunrise on a frosty morning❤
@@huttonsvalleypermaculture I better I'm been doing a lot of research on the secret Forest AKA permaculture like you have going on . And we're about to move to Maine here in the USA right up by the US and Canadian border so we've been looking into cold cold climate fruit and nut trees to plant
I hope they thrive for you , I love macadamias . I've got to go and give some TLC to the bush tucker area this weekend and hopefully everything is OK there. We had -2.4 this morning. Frost at my neighbours. Quite brisk. Lol. Now a slightly warmer few days before more chill. Keep warm lovely ❤❤
Oooh, macadamia... i must find something for mine! I don't have obvious new growth, but perhaps some babying will get me some growth this coming season. It has been well mulched. Thanks Linda ❤
I just found your channel and immediately subscribed. You produce such lovely and informative videos! I just found permaculture about 2 months ago and it's been a complete paradigm shift, but a very exciting one. Thanks for what you're doing here!
Thanks so much Clair and welcome!! I know what you mean about permaculture and it changing the way you see things - lead me to quit my pharmacist job and do what I love full time - also better for my stress levels. Much nicer producing videos (and lovely gardens) to share 😊
@@huttonsvalleypermaculture Thanks. My dad is a retired Pharmacist who is also very happy doing something else. You've led me on a search for a suitable sickle as it looks so useful!
Pluck dry fowl wet and waterfowl dry. Scalding and plucking machines don't really work for waterfowl. Best to just take your time plucking them by hand. Plucking is the main reason why they're not commercially as available as chickens. Plucking is not something quick and easy to do in very large industrial scale numbers.
What is that variety of blueberry bush you have with red leaves? I've never seen one like that! Also, I love citrus trees! I have a Meyer Lemon I bought at a big box store a few months ago, but keep it in a pot because if I ever had to dig it out of the ground I don't think I'd be up to it physically. I'm putting in several garden beds his year over the past 6 months because next year I may not be able to. (I'm around your age I think, but have medical conditions that make me fatigued and in pain if I do too much physical work). I am digging them from scratch, amending and tilling them to make the soil the right well-draining condition that it needs, as this soil needs alot of work to be up to snuff! Have been putting fencing around some areas to keep animals out. Some of the areas are full of rocks and roots; the pebbles and rocks the previous owner put there on purpose as well as burying insulation around the property for some odd reason and so I have to do the heavy duty work digging that stuff out and amending the red clay with compost and potting mix every other day to let my body rest in-between. I still have alot of seedlings yet to go in the ground and may miss the window for some of them that are hardening off on the porch right now; some tomato plants losing leaves because I'm really struggling to keep up in this hot weather. Really wanted to get out there to plant today but just wasn't feeling well enough. I'll be glad when the hardest part is over and all I have to do is maintenance. Your video was helpful on several things I an incorporate.
Hi there and thanks for such an informative comment - love to get to know my viewers. Great for you to get out and do what you can - very therapeutic even if it does wear you down at times!! I hope your health turns around for you so you can continue to enjoy getting out and working in the garden. But sounds like you have a plan in case you can't - having a lot already established and on their way is a good thing to be working towards!! The wonderful thing about citrus is that they can be grown very successfully in pots so your Meyer lemon should become productive for you. A friend gifted me that particular blueberry plant and I lost the tag before planting it so I'd only be guessing at the name - maybe Sunshine Blue!?? I'm trying to propagate some more plants from that one but have tried before and wasn't successful - I'll keep trying because it will be definitely worth the effort to get some more! Thanks for watching 😊
Everything looks so lush and green Linda🌱 Those pesky caterpillars appear from nowhere. I am a bit late planting my brassicas, so hoping the colder weather will help a bit with deterring them. Have a great week lovely, and I hope your stand is going well xx Cathi xx 😘
Hi Cathi - thanks it’s mostly going good in the garden! Good luck with your plantings - never know with the weather these days what will grow when! I had my biggest sale from the stand yesterday so that was exciting! Hope all is well with you - enjoy your week xx
@@huttonsvalleypermaculture that’s awesome Linda, well done🌸 We had a great day on ours yesterday too. You just never know, and the weather plays a big part too. Here’s to a successful week xx Cathi xx 😘
Beautiful flowers for you and the bees. My asparagus is looking good now that its growing in the hugelkulter raised bed. Its now 4yrs ago i planted the seeds . I wonder if they'll be big enough for a small harvest this spring. Thats some great piles ready for the compost path. My chook compost is looking pretty good so far. About half full and lots of piles left to add yet. Great job lovely ❤❤
That’s exciting about your asparagus. It’s a long wait from seed to harvest. I’ve got quite a number of plants I’ve grown from seed but still waiting for harvest day to arrive! Is your chook compost one you let the girls dig over & you keep piling it up for them?? Sounds great! Thanks Naomi 😊
@@huttonsvalleypermaculture yes that's the one . This year instead of having several chooks turn it and having them eat a substantial amount of the scraps and probably adding more nitrogen than needed, I've only got one girl on the job and building it a bit slower and being a bit intentional about ingredients. No weeds at all, lots of pumpkin vibes and zucchini plants to hopefully add lots of (is it silica?) For plabt strength. The hay is full of seeds though, so we'll see whether they're weeds. Grrr. Lol. Either way , I'm always short of compost . Aren't we all. Thanks Linda 🥰🥰
Most people don't understand that gardening isn't all straight and organized -- I moved to the country to have enough space to do whatever I want and not have 'spectators' criticize my messy gardens. I've been here for my fourth garden season ... the place had been a homestead but not tended to for the past 20+ years as the previous owners got older. I've been trying to tend to the fruit trees while building gardens ... work in progress for sure! Thank you for your video :)
Yes people do like an organised garden in suburbia. I had to grow a hedge to hide my front yard veg patch and chickens when I lived in Melbourne haha! Sounds like you've got a project on your hands - what fun. I just love turning these manicured spaces into wild abundance. I hope you get it turned around soon! Thanks for watching 😊
It's all looking good Linda =-) Winter has really set in here. Time for me to start planning. =-) Fingers crossed my garden will be better next season. Take care.
Thank you! Yes it’s hard keeping up with those little pests but I’m finding over the years with more birds moving in the caterpillars aren’t taking g over quite as much! Have a great day 😊
Great video Linda and a chilly 4 degrees in Wonthaggi. I'll be out in the garden finishing off planting 2 more citrus trees, a blood orange and a mandarin into the bed out in the backyard. Because it gets so wet out here 8 months of the year they'll be going into baseless planters. Seems to be working great for a lemon tree in the same garden bed. Have a lovely day.❄🌞🌈
It was a chilly 1 degree here this morning and lots of frost in the pasture. Perfect day now for getting out and planting or gardening in general. Good luck with your new citrus trees- I’m sure they’ll be growing beautifully before you know it! Enjoy your day 😊
Yes you can. The woodchips just provide a good source of organic material but you can use whatever organic materials you have on hand. It’s about protecting the soil, holding in moisture and providing food for the soil. Grass clippings, shredded plant materials, organic hay or straw(best no seeds) can all be used. Leaf litter - abundant in some areas! Manure are best to go through some sort of compost process first. Give it a try - I’m sure you’ll do great!!
I did the onion planting last year ended up with so many onion seeds that our in my garden now which I seeded in pots to transplant back in February for Sydney Australia 😁🧑🌾
It's so odd to hear you talk about the start of winter when it's 94°F today here in mid-south USA. I especially enjoyed seeing the hollyhock since my late parents used to grow them along their fence. Best of luck with your winter garden.
Ha, interesting. I planted green onions from my veggie box last weekend 😂- I just can't eat as many as they put in those boxes. At least they look not dead as of yet. Crazy experiments :D
@huttonsvalleypermaculture Yeah. I don't know, if I got the English name right. Mine are the non-bulb-i thingies. THe dictiounaries said green onions, scallions, shallots... judging from fotos, I think, it's scallions when they are very young and "Welsh Onions" when older. VERY confusing 🤣 Also: I LOVE having all kinds of alliums in the garden. But I kind of hate eating them 🤢 so planting them in the garden is a win for me and potentially the bees, who go crazy, when they flower. Just not for my bank account 😂😂😂
@MartinaSchoppe don’t get me started with naming alliums - we can’t get it right within our own country. Shallots are one thing in Victoria (my state) but in a couple of other states they are called something else. Same with spring onions (green onions!??) - it all gets me very confused! You could sell your excess alliums (or their seeds) and that would help the bank account!!
@@huttonsvalleypermaculture Actually i want the seed ALL FOR MYSELF *groooooooooooowlsnapsnap* because I've read, that you can use them like pepper and I wanted to try that. More crazy experiments 🙃
Thanks! I dry mulberry leaves, Raspberry, grspe. I will try strawberry and blackberry, fig leaves. I have never firminated lraves and I do not see the advantage of doing that. I believe you could make tea in winter and then let tea ferment.
Some great ideas here Linda...I cut into one of my Jarrahdale pumps last night... it was 11.1kg and even with a family of 6 we hardly made a dent in it!! 🤪
I often have copperhead and tiger snakes moving through this garden in warmer months. They don’t live there just like eating the frogs as they pass through!
If you have mould susceptibility genes then yes definitely avoid it. If a lot of mould has developed I’d throw it out. If you keep an eye on it & give it a stir as soon as you see any start to grow you can keep it in check. Moulds are used in foods often, think blue vein cheese, and for most people they are not an issue. Thanks for watching
Hello! Some of my potatoes were cheeky peaking out of the soil too and turned green! I didn't know what to do with them but now I'll just pop them back in the ground!
@@huttonsvalleypermaculture I'm good thank you! Very busy in the orchard between the rain! Are you putting the potatoes back in the same spot? I figure i can if i replenish the soil with lots of compost?
How exciting to be in the design phase. This way of gardening suits me perfectly. With such a big property (5 acres - certainly big enough for just me) I can keep moving around to the different areas doing a chop and drop (so satisfying) and move on to the next knowing that that area can now take care of itself!!
