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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Getting Ready for Spring Part 2

Making great progress on the Tomato bed. All the irrigation pipework has been dismantled and put to one side. The weed mat has been pulled up. A difficult job with so much grass growing through any available hole. The weed mat is getting quite old and each year more holes appear. About half of the sections of weed mat has been cleaned of vegetation. It is a slow, difficult but necessary task to be completed before it can be laid down again in its new location.

The new section of paddock has been slashed and after some careful measuring the steel posts have been hammered in. The posts are 2.5 metres apart and will hold up the netting which will support the tomato plants. 2.5 metres is the furthest apart that will minimise sagging. A little closer may be better but requires more work on our 30 meter row. If the aging netting shows any sagging it can be propped up with a strategically placed stick. The row is 90 mm apart which is the width of the netting.

Also completed was the moving of the cow manure compost into the row. The manure was well broken down and is rich and fluffy.
The concrete block compost bin

Composted cow manure

The task is made so much easier with the tractor. The scoop on the front end loader holds exactly the right amount for each 2.5 metre panel. A coincidence which means no shovelling is required. Once all the scoops were deposited the compost was spread out evenly between the steel posts.

An invaluable tool for the small acreage

The 30 metre Tomato bed

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