A secure shed is a must in order to house valuable machinery and equipment on the hobby farm. Fortunately my farm came with a large shed, measuring 18 by 12 metres. This large structure has been a lifesaver – abundant storage space being the prime feature – and the ability to capture a significant amount of water after rain has allowed the fruit and vegetable garden to flourish. Bamboos At The Most Visible Side Being in a prominent position, my first reaction has been to improve this shed’s appeal by planting some attractive vegetation on the most visible side. This side faces south, creating a shady protected environment. Bamboos planted in exposed places around the farm, that found the conditions too dry and windy, became the first plantings to be relocated to this site. Being in constant shade they are tending to grow tall, requiring regular pruning, however, they...
5 Years On The Hobby Farm
Hibiscus Hedge
A pleasing addition to the farm has been a colourful hedge of intense lilac flowers, the hibiscus relative, Alyogyne huegelii. Sometimes called the native or blue hibiscus, it is prolific during the warm weather producing large numbers of blooms at any one time. A Bright Welcome On My Hobby Farm Native to South and Western Australia it is equipped to survive extreme heat in summer as well as cold nights in winter–the perfect plant for a colourful hedge on the farm. An attractive sight if well maintained, my native hibiscus provides a bright welcome upon entering the farm. Since most farm plantings need to be self-sufficient, the only special treatment my hedge receives is a hard prune in mid spring. Intensely Coloured Blooms The hedge was planted on raised soil with a small amount of compost added. Having a bank of wattles behind this hedge, there is some protection...
Second Generation Plantings
By August 2011 the oldest farm plantings have now been developing for five years, giving me ample time to assess their success as ornamental specimens as well as their effectiveness as windbreaks. My initial aim has been to plant a wide range of natives and to then use the best performing specimens as a source of seed for future plantings. These second generation plantings will be used to replace underperforming or dead trees and shrubs. Eucalyptus And Acacia Species As expected, most Eucalyptus and Acacia species were quickly established, however some species found naturally in far-away places such as Western Australia were unable to fight off pest attacks, resulting in unsightly and deformed plants. Some plantings could not compete with the ever-present carpet weeds and have not thrived. Coastal Moort And Flinders Range Wattles Coastal Moort (Eucalyptus platypus) has shown promise as a windbreak plant due to its dense...
Green Droughts
The term ‘green drought’ is often used when an area appears green and lush from a distance, during winter and early spring, even though little rainfall has been received. This effect refers more so to annual plant growth and not the larger shrubs and trees. Dry Soil And Subsoil On closer inspection the soil is mostly dry, even after some rain, as rainfall if not sufficiently heavy well not penetrate down to the subsoil. Temperate climatic regions, such as where my farm is located, rely on sufficient rainfall during winter and spring in order to sustain plants throughout the mostly hot dry summer and autumn. This can only occur when subsoil layers hold sufficient moisture that can be taken up by trees, shrubs and annuals as needed. Yellow Brown Summer And Autumn By late spring or early summer, provided there have not been large downpours, annual plants are beginning...
Five Years On The Farm
The farm has now reached an important milestone – five years of development. There have been many challenges, the most important being a lack of rainfall. Four of the five years have seen drought conditions. Fortunately we have had one year of good rainfall and most plants responded quickly. Green Drought Photographs recording this milestone give a deceptive impression of lush growth. This impression can be achieved by taking photos in winter. During this period clear signs of a ‘Green Drought’ are evident. From a distance the farm appears green and appealing. A closer inspection however shows soil that may be moist at the surface, but extremely dry below. Pleasing Sign Of Good Health A pleasing sign of good health is seen when digging the vegetable garden as large numbers of worms are exposed. This has only been possible by adding a great deal of matured chicken manure to...
Farm Firewood Production
It was a fortunate error when purchasing gum tree seedlings. Two plants were clearly mislabeled, resulting in very different specimens to what was ordered. These two gums could be oil mallees (Eucalyptus oleosa), a hardy fast growing native gum. The pleasing thing about this mistake is that the plants I received are excellent for firewood production. A High Quality Firewood For domestic use, a couple of dozen of these fast growing plants once matured, would easily supply the needs of a household. Mallee stumps were once a common source of high quality firewood. Unfortunately large quantities of huge stumps, often in excess of one metre in diameter, were wasted by farmers who regularly burnt these now valuable stumps while developing farms. Those days are over – nowadays firewood suppliers have a very limited supply of stumps. Firewood Stump Fortunately, mallees can also be cut down to ground level when...