The Great Chook Tractor Experiment
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The Great Chook Tractor Experiment Chookie 05-21-2006
Posted by Chookie on May 21, 2006, 8:00 am
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 It's started. I built my chook tractor out of PVC pipe in similar style to
this one:
http://photos.permaculture.org.au/gallery/displayimage.php?album=12&pos=8
except that mine has a 2m diameter and is for two chooks.

I moved the dome yesterday, to the delight of the girls. The area they had
been on the previous two weeks is lovely and fluffy with mulch -- I have been
throwing in the guinea pigs' bedding (mainly lawn clippings and piggie poos).
Alas, it is also completely dry, as we haven't had decent rain for a couple of
months. Showers are forecast for the next week, so that's something (we can
only water on Wednesdays and Sundays, between certain hours). Planted bok
choy, shallots, cabbage and kale, and spinach. Hope that the snail numbers
are down enough that the plants survive the night! (I believe they are; the
girls free-ranged most of summer.)

In the front garden, I planted five Coast Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)
plants down my western side fence. The afternoon sun there in summer has
killed almost everything else I've tried -- apart from the one-year-old
'Moonlight' grevilleas that will now alternate with the Coast Rosemary. I am
hoping to eventually have a formal hedge of the grey, fine-leafed Coast
Rosemary, with the Moonlights (dark, large-scale fern-like leaves) coming up
through it. We'll see. It could look a bit Too Much, but OTOH I need tough
plants with some height to protect my house and front garden from all that
heat. Also planted out a deep blue semi-prostrate form of rosemary, two
salvias (an 'Iced lemon' and a 'Purple Rain') and a Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.

Unfortunately while I was out there, I realised that our Parramatta Wattle is
attacking our power and cable internet lines. I had read that they only grow
to five metres, so I planted it underneath the wires... will have to prune
off the offending branches asap.

Now to find homes for some new plants that my brother-in-law gave me, and all
the others that I bought recently, and to pot up the 'Cambridge Rival'
strawberries.

How are the rest of you going?

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

Posted by g len on May 21, 2006, 4:08 pm
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 g'day chookie,

sounds like you've been busy hey, the need for rain is the big thing
hey all major dams our way are running at 30% or so. part from that we
are all fine here.

anyhow just a short note for now



snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://mywebsite.bigpond.com/gardenlen2/

Posted by SG1 on May 21, 2006, 5:27 pm
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Checked the two 25000 litre rain tanks & they are about 60% full or for the
pessimists 40% empty. Rain water is for drinking and at the moment some
chillies & capsicums in pots for winter, and 8 yes eight cabbages. Will be
putting in some more winter stuff soon.
Jim
P.S. Get a rainwater tank for the garden and laugh at the restrictions.
(after it rains of course)



Posted by FlowerGirl on May 21, 2006, 11:09 pm
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> It's started. I built my chook tractor out of PVC pipe in similar style
to
> this one:
> http://photos.permaculture.org.au/gallery/displayimage.php?album=12&pos=8
> except that mine has a 2m diameter and is for two chooks.
>
> I moved the dome yesterday, to the delight of the girls. The area they
had
> been on the previous two weeks is lovely and fluffy with mulch -- I have
been
> throwing in the guinea pigs' bedding (mainly lawn clippings and piggie
poos).
> Alas, it is also completely dry, as we haven't had decent rain for a
couple of
> months. Showers are forecast for the next week, so that's something (we
can
> only water on Wednesdays and Sundays, between certain hours). Planted bok
> choy, shallots, cabbage and kale, and spinach. Hope that the snail
numbers
> are down enough that the plants survive the night! (I believe they are;
the
> girls free-ranged most of summer.)
>
snip
Hope the grils like their new abode.
>
> How are the rest of you going?
>
Just plotting and planning. I've resolved myself to not buying *anything*
until we get some decent rain.
BUT....
ON my *want it* list are:
Eucalyptus "Summer Glory"
Some more kangaroo paws
another Banksia (not sure which one I want yet ... I have "birthday candles"
in on the top of one of the retaining walls so might get a few more of those
to dot through the front garden. ... but I also want an upright form as
well).
A Waratah ... when I get some feedback on the best one for my area (none of
the new ones around here yet).
More herbs to replace those dying in the herb garden. Even the mint is
doing it tough under the current water restrictions.

Instead I've been removing the revolting mock orange and bauhinia trees from
the side garden.

Actually, we were looking at photos from when we moved in and consoling
ourselves that while the garden isn't quite how we want it, it is just *so*
much better than when we moved in 5 years ago ... no more snake weed or
dutchman's pipe, several bauhinias, mock oranges and frangipannis down,
'Neville' the concrete cherub / bird bath was destroyed with glee and a
newer, more subtle bird bath installed, many lovely native plants added to
make a *garden* (as opposed to the ADD planting style / weed farm of the
previous owner, and two of the three retaining walls transformed from grey
besser brick to terracotta render. The "to do list" still seems long, but
the garden is no longer an eyesore.

Amanda




Posted by Chookie on May 23, 2006, 4:55 am
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> ON my *want it* list are:
> Eucalyptus "Summer Glory"
> Some more kangaroo paws
> another Banksia (not sure which one I want yet ... I have "birthday candles"
> in on the top of one of the retaining walls so might get a few more of those
> to dot through the front garden. ... but I also want an upright form as
> well).

Perhaps another form of Banksia spinulosa, then?

> A Waratah ... when I get some feedback on the best one for my area (none of
> the new ones around here yet).
> More herbs to replace those dying in the herb garden. Even the mint is
> doing it tough under the current water restrictions.
>
> Instead I've been removing the revolting mock orange and bauhinia trees from
> the side garden.

LOL, which mock orange are they? Murraya paniculata, with the cloying scent?
But I rather like bauhinias; just not enough to plant one.

> Actually, we were looking at photos from when we moved in and consoling
> ourselves that while the garden isn't quite how we want it, it is just *so*
> much better than when we moved in 5 years ago ... no more snake weed or
> dutchman's pipe, several bauhinias, mock oranges and frangipannis down,
> 'Neville' the concrete cherub / bird bath was destroyed with glee and a
> newer, more subtle bird bath installed, many lovely native plants added to

LOL -- any pictures of Neville around?

> make a *garden* (as opposed to the ADD planting style / weed farm of the
> previous owner, and two of the three retaining walls transformed from grey
> besser brick to terracotta render. The "to do list" still seems long, but
> the garden is no longer an eyesore.

Mine will take another 30 years or so... :-)

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

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