Happy Herb Spiral day!
Big thanks to Kerrie Anderson, local Permaculture teacher, who guided the workshop participants through the theory and practice of building a Herb Spiral. Thanks to Tania from Woy Woy Community Garden who found free sandstone rocks on Gumtree and Kerrie helped us transport them to the garden – with help from Libby, Ben and Elia loading them up. The Herb Spiral grew rock by rock, bucket loads of compost and soil were added and finally a selection of herbs – each one place in the appropriate place – taking into consideration the best height (drier at the top, moister below) and whether on north side (more sun) or south side (less sun).Come and see it over summer – bring a watering can if you are able to give it a drink (there are taps on nearby buildings- hall and Arts Barn). Regular Volunteer days will recommence on Friday 10/1/20, 10am-12noon and continue on Monday’s and Friday’s 10-12noon.
Wonderful Wicking Bed
Local Resource Queen Robyn Crosland ran us through the wicking bed design principles and showed us a demonstration version with rescued resources before we got busy making our very own wicking bed.
It was a wonderful team effort – first emptying the old “no dig” garden into buckets and wheelbarrows then re-building it as a Wicking bed -where the water is stored underneath the soil and ‘wicks’ its way up to the plants above. An overflow pipe was installed on the low side of the garden (to feed the citrus trees) and an inlet pipe sticks up like a chimney for adding water.
We already have corn sprouting in the wicking bed and the rhubarb plants that were transplanted from the old bed are looking very happy in their new water wise garden bed. We hope at least this garden bed is relatively drought proof as our 1000 Litre water tank is empty and our two steel tanks are very low.
Ideas so far for 2020:
monthly Repair Cafe and Boomerang Bags in Kariong Hall every 3rd Sunday of the month 10am-1pm (February to November)
Girrakool Blues Festival (volunteers needed to help collect redeemable bottles and cans)
Clean Up Australia Day (1st Sunday in March)
Muddy Mondays
Tree planting day at Pioneer Dairy (late March)
Live Well festival in April
Love the Labyrinth workshop
Frog and Fairy Garden Working bee
A visit from the ECO FAERIES from WA in June
For the Love of Birds, Bees and Butterflies … workshops
Another Solar Power day?
What would you like to see happen at Kariong Eco Garden in 2020 and beyond?
We welcome more active volunteers in the garden, the office and joining our management committee that meets most months.
We would like to wish everyone a safe and blessed Christmas and hope to see you in the garden in 2020.
