Freida Alvie is 6 months old. Her hobbies include.....
Keeping cool (and pulling serious faces)
Making friends 
Gardening
Mouthing food (no teeth yet)
Reading
Chuckling
Naptime
Broccoli!
Hanging in her high chair 
Picnics and swimming
Playing with Papa
Watermelon
Exploring new toys 
Meanwhile, my other baby is thriving despite heatwaves and general neglect. The wicking beds are definitely worth the extra effort (see earlier post). |
| The frames, previously constructed out of pallets and hammered into the ground. Piping and pond liner - ok, the plastic isn't exactly environmentally friendly,but it's a one off and the reservoir it creates will make the beds very water efficient. I've seen the reservoir created with clay, mimicking a natural pond, but that didn't suit our raised design or the materials available to us. |
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| Scoria for the reservoir and compost for the top layer. And the manual labour |
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| Plastic lining for the reservoir and to protect the wood, with piping in place. The plants can 'wick' up the water - always available at their roots - as they need it, avoiding loss from evaporation and the need for daily watering. It also eliminates any runner grass from invading the beds. Drainage holes along the side stop the beds from getting bogged. I'll probably plant some mint around these drainage points to take advantage of the overflow. |
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| scoria filled reservoir |
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| hessian to hold the compost above the scoria |
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| In-built worm farm - keeps the kitchen scraps safe from the mice and the worms will distribute their own castings through the bed. Some worm tea should also filter through to the reservoir and provide its nutrients direct to plant roots. |
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| The finished product - ready for planting! |
