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I live off the grid on a sparsely populated island so I have a legitimate reason to be interested in self sufficiency. Access to the mainland is entirely dictated by the weather. Most of the time it's beautiful and a trip to the shops is about an hour long boat ride. But during cyclone season multiple weeks can pass without a window opening.
This brings with it no small number of challenges, amongst which is reliable access to fresh fruit and veg.
I’ve currently got a little garden where I grow tatsoi which is like an asian baby spinach looking thing. Along with basil, parsley, oregano, garlic chives and a few onions.
In an effort to expand I’ve been laying rocks into a new bed which will curve around the front of my house. Here are some pictures of the plan.
In the shaded green area of my masterful artwork I will be planting the following crops.
Cherry tomatoes (shaded under the palms)
Capsicum
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Suyo Long Cucumber
Chillies
Bok Choi
Rocket
Eggplant
Potato Tower
The tropical climate makes growing things here pretty easy at any time of year.
Typically my biggest concerns would be heat and water usage. Thankfully 2021 is forecast as a La Niña year. Meaning we’re in for more rain and a higher chance of cyclones.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has a good article on how it works if that’s your thing -
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/updates/articles/a020.shtml
Most of the veggies I'm planting are tropical natives to help them withstand the heat. My garden is partially shaded, only receiving the afternoon sun which seems to make it better at coping.
Once I get the well suited veggies to grow in my garden I'll start exploring other less hardy crops. I don’t want to blame my soil for a lack of nutrients if it’s just the sun killing them.
Lay the rest of the rock bed wall.
Turn the soil in the new bed while mixing in compost and lawn clippings.
String up the watering system.
For this I bought 10 meters of 12mm pipe with a bunch of punch in sprinkler heads. The hose will be connected to a house tap which feeds from rainwater tanks.
Controlling the flow will be a valve connected to a WiFi enabled openSprinkler controller. I’ll also have a flow meter inline to keep an eye on things. Water is precious over here so I don’t want a situation where I have a leak and don't know about it.
To help cut down on unnecessary or over-watering, a weather station will integrate with the system I'm using to control the sprinklers. Not watering plants on days it rains and watering more on hotter, dryer ones.
Controlling all this will be a basic python script but I do want to build it out into a kind of home automation program to also monitor the solar, water and LPG systems.
Ultimately I would like it to be able to predict logistical requirements like fuel, gas, water, food and grog based on past usage correlated to weather conditions, occupancy, time of year and whatever other info I can come up with. But that’s a project for another day.
I’d also like to build an experimental potato tower or two. I’ve read a bit about these chicken wire chimneys and they look promising. The basic concept is you create a wire mesh cylinder about 60cm in diameter and a meter or so tall. Stuff it with nutrient dense soil and straw layers while packing potatoes between. The shoots find their way to the side of the tower and sprout out causing it to look like a tall bush.
Once the food is in the ground I’ll be getting to work on the decorative side of things. In the section of the garden running parallel to the road I want to plant a few cycads and palms to block the veggies from view.
I have a couple in pots that are about ready to be transplanted. There are also a bunch of small palms around my yard that can be easily relocated which will make for a screen around the same height as the existing one.
Underneath the trees will be a variety of native succulents. Wild mint, orchids and lilies will be prominent throughout. As for petunias, I’ve been growing some in a pot for a while now and they’re doing alright. I’ll try planting a few under the trees. Hopefully the environment is hospitable enough for them to survive.
The only thing left to do is sling a fabric mesh cover over the veggies to keep the bush chooks out and deter the monitors.
Have a great day and happy gardening!
<3
Adrift