More Planting and very hot weather

KEY LEARNINGS

Compost makes very good mulch - I am now just putting the compost on top of the soil (rather than digging it in). The compost is pretty course so it is working pretty well as mulch

NEW THINGS I HAVE TRIED

I read a book on composting. It reccomend screwing up newspapaer and adding it to the compost heap to keep it well aerated. I have done this this week.

I read a book on self watering container gardening. It suggests that some vegetables can actually come out better in self watering containers as it gives a constant feed of water. Vegetables that are good to grow are those that usually use alot of water. Tomatos, cucumber, capsicum etc.

I have added carrots and chives to my beans as they are supposed to grow wel together.

I have planted some greens in a self watering container

DIARY COMMENT
Not good weather for gardening

We had the states hottest day on record - getting to 47 degrees centigrade on Saturday. This has caused some of the worst forest fires in that Victoria that are still raging - it's pretty bad.

The garden took another hammering my beans I was lamenting over last time got burnt and a few died.

ADDING BEDS OF CHIVES, CARROTS & BEANS
They are all plants that like to be together (see the "2009 planting guide" "spreadsheet for companion planting guide)
I have composted all the beds and added a mix of beans , carrots and chives to the beds B & C and also added chives and carrots to bed D.

I have also planted some new seedlings (tomotos and corriander).
I ahave also planted some cornflower in a large pot

I have also planted greens in a self watering container I found in the garden. I read a book on self watering containers and it looks like they can be very effective when being used with vegetables - so we shall see how they go. They have a resivior in the bottom for thewater. I filled the pot with a mix of compost soil and mulch. (below see the hole in the middle of the container this is where the water goes )

From Gardening 8/02/09 7:08 PM

below are pics of all the beds as of today