Kmac, that's same method I use for my worm farm. I had grand ideas of boxing it in with merbau decking (leftover stuff) and putting a hinged lid on it so It could double as a potting bench but I was too keen to relocate my worms and now it's still sitting on two stacks of bricks years later.
It's world class accommodation for worms. I rarely add newspaper or cardboard but they do get some straw occasionally. Like compost, the key is the correct balance of ingredients. It's all about carbon to nitrogen ratio. Books will tell you the figures but after a while you'll get a feel for it. It's probably 2:1 or so (C : N).
So woody/straw/ paper in double the nitrogenous stuff (manure, fresh grass clippings etc).
I kick start new worm farms with well rotted compost. They love it. They also like simple carbohydrates like bread.
My worm farm is open to the elements so I get a generous amount of worm juice that I use neat. The commercial tubs create a stronger brew that'll need diluting.
Kalmsg and roaminoz I'm very jealous of the space you have. I dream of buying the neighbours house and levelling it for a massive vegie garden.
On the topic of Diggers Seeds - Clive Blazey has worked tirelessly to promote the virtues of heirloom varieties AND home food production. He is a worthy mentor and his business is a valuable source of excellent seed. His stuff is available in a rather large hardware outlet as seedlings.
jakspara! Impressive. Native limes ? Is that finger limes ? Squeezed into lemonade - unbelievable! Actually grapefruit skin is awesome in lemonade too - try it. Just a slice.
Companion planting has rated a mention more than once and it's a great idea. Mini monocultures are just a bigger target for pests - confuse their senses with mixed plantings and stinky companions.
Green manure also a great way to kick start a new garden or revitalise an old bed. Leaving soil to fallow is a fallacy (so to speak) - except -maybe- in the case of some nasty soil borne bugs like nematodes. Crop rotation people! Nematodes love tomatoes.
Sushi remember with corn that it's pollinated by the wind so it pays to plant 'em en-masse for good pollination. This way I've had years when the cobs are filled right to the tips with none of the white unfertilised little kernels. The weather also plays a part too. Hey bring on the cherries! Yum.
Interestingly each silk on an ear of corn is connected to a kernel. The pollen grain grows a tube down the silk after contact and it grows the length of the silk and enters the unfertilised kernel to pollinate successfully.
Also mulch your corn right up high and it will grow roots into the mulch from the nodes on the stem. Pea straw and lucerne are good for this purpose if you can get it (it's bloody pricy in drought years).
Dex there is quite a spread on HC I agree but I worry that there is a disproportionate number of eccentrics involved in trading and also in gardening. So what have we created ? A nexus of (normally) disparate nutbags together on one thread? Maybe in my case, it takes one to know one.LOL
FilipR - my first gardening book was the Yates Garden Guide. I think I still have it.
As for cheap food. I used not grow carrots, potatoes and onions because they are so cheap and take up valuable real-estate that could be growing exciting stuff like, eggplants and cucumbers, tomatoes, snow peas, broad beans - the list is endless. Now however, I'm back into it because the kids love the discovery of unearthing a record breaking carrot or potato. The kids loved the purple carrots and would wander the back yard crunching like Bugs Bunny.
Given the size of this thread maybe a part two might be a good idea? If no one has suggested it already perhaps a fresh thread for those with less muscle in their machines (or internet connection).
I'll kick it off with the title "Vegie gardening continued" if no-one has already and add some more pics.
