Are there any backyard veggie gardeners here?

[Cuilidh]

I have been keenly interested in wicking beds since I first read about them here but today came across this article from Bulleen Art and Garden, a big nursery in Melbourne, now I am not too sure.  For those who have wicking beds, what do you think?

[achookwoman]

Marina, my computer is play up so I can't open the link.
But a general comment about our experience with wicking beds.
We are developing a new veggie garden at Invermay and I am not making wicking beds.
We have a variety of raised garden beds at Cherokee and the one most successful is a Colour Bond  raised bed ,( corrugated iron), from Bunnings.
We built 2 wicking beds in old large potato boxes. The veggies grown in them didn't do any better than those grown in the various other raised gardens. In fact, didn't do as well.
The wicking beds are aimed at saving water and time watering. This proved not to be an issue for us as the new raised beds all had drip lines attached. I drip for 2 hours every 2 or 3 days ,  if there has been no rain. An occasional hosing with bore water was also applied when it was very hot, to all beds.
I filled the well at the bottom of the wicking beds twice during Summer.
Because of the expense and labour involved it is important to get it right to suit your needs.
I may put a timer on the new beds at Invermay as we have both town and tank water
Ral is having 3 corrugated iron beds made to suit our special requirements of space and height for Invermay.

[Jamberie]

I have been keenly interested in wicking beds since I first read about them here but today came across this article from Bulleen Art and Garden, a big nursery in Melbourne, now I am not too sure.  For those who have wicking beds, what do you think?

I just read the article you posted and agree with everything it and Chookie said, however for what and when we grow we still love our wicking beds.

We have had excellent success with tomatoes, capsicum, zucchini, squash, lettuces, eggplant, basil. We have not done very well with carrots, pumpkin, brassicas or corn. We are still learning. We did a direct comparison with neighbours and we yielded at least double the amount of tomatoes and our water consumption was considerably lower.

We have designed our wicking beds in such a way to allow full drainage and an adjustable water level so that the roots are not always soaked and the stagnant waiter can be drained. Not using them over Winter also helps dry them out. We replenish manure/mushroom compost before planting each year.

We are in Canberra so very cool over winter and very hot in summer. We only grow from Spring to Autumn. We are lazy gardeners and forget to water often ☺ However, just like the article states wicking beds are not for all crops- when we finally complete our third bed it won't be wicking so that we can grow other crops.

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[Jamberie]

I tried to post a picture but our beds are made from the Birdies corrugated iron beds available from Bunnings ☺

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[cookie1]

My brother at Bungendore ( 45 km East of Canberra) grows heaps of stuff but hasn't wicking beds.
Jamberie I can't help my curiosity. When it says sent from my GT-N7105T, what is that please?

[Jamberie]

My brother at Bungendore ( 45 km East of Canberra) grows heaps of stuff but hasn't wicking beds.
Jamberie I can't help my curiosity. When it says sent from my GT-N7105T, what is that please?

I didn't realise my posts did that Cookie, I'll have to try to change my settings. I'm  using my phone, it's a Samsung Note ☺

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[cookie1]

No worries about it Jamberie. I was curious as to what it was.

[achookwoman]

Thanks for that Jam.  You are obviously managing your gardens well. We are establishing 3 new raised beds.  Today will do the drip plumbing and planting. Am having problems posting photo.


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[achookwoman]

Thanks for that Jam.  You are obviously managing your gardens well. We are establishing 3 new raised beds.  Today will do the drip plumbing and planting. Am having problems posting photo.


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[achookwoman]

 Finally got it. ,!


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[Jamberie]

Thanks for that Jam.  You are obviously managing your gardens well. We are establishing 3 new raised beds.  Today will do the drip plumbing and planting. Am having problems posting photo.


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Thanks Chookie, I'm not sure that we manage them too well, but it works for us. Your new garden beds are looking amazing! What a fantastic area!

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[judydawn]

A great start to your new vegie patch Chookie, a good height for your backs too.  What a lovely area you have to set up the way you want.

[cookie1]

Chookie your new garden beds are certainly ready and waiting.

[achookwoman]

Judy the area was already set up.  We have just added the raised garden beds. The property was originally a commercial Rose Nursery.
Jam, if you are getting fresh veggies, you are doing a great job.

[mab19]

Chookie, your garden beds look good.  I like that you don't have to bend down to them.