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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
 Posted - 29/09/2007 : 12:42:55
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okay...
if i can pull this off...i'll give vasili a call to come include it on his show.
remember that lemon tree that carked it last year?
i've decided to use it as a trellis to grow my pumpkins up.
i'm going to have to be really dedicated to this project, i think...to get it to look like i want...
but i plan to train my pumpkins up that tree skeleton to re-foliate it.
can you imagine pumpkins growing on trees?
planted at it's feet are a combination of seeds and seedlings of these varieties:
spaghetti squash from my own saved seed (my personal favourite...which i discovered last year had 30' vines)
butternut from my own saved seed.
golden hubbards from eden.
NONE of the eden jack-o-lantern seeds sprouted...so they've been, sadly, crossed off the list.
and lastly...in the foreground...i've planted several 'silverqueens' which i know to be called acorn squash...which i believe are a bush variety and not vines.
so the longies in the back will be trained up and over the tree...to meet the bed of acorns at the front.
that's the plan, anyway.
here's what the bed looks like now:
full of all the chicken poo/pee/and bedding that i collected during liz's obsession with indoor chickens.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 29/09/2007 : 13:42:33
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I do know Butternuts will climb up Ok as they have done that for me you may have to put a bit of wire there to help them on their merry way they don't cling too well to the tree trunk but once they get up and you wind it around they will be right I guess you can always leave them on the soil to get longer before you introduce them to the tree
Do you think perhaps the seedlings are a little too close to each other or is that just the way they look in the pic  I am thinking in terms of water as it looks like your soil is sandy and being in WA it most likely is, so they may fight each other for the moisture though I am sure you know what you are doing .
You had to collect the chook waste  well its in the best place I think its a grand idea and best of luck. A very good way to recycle a dead tree...And I will be looking forward to seeing how this experiment goes
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 29/09/2007 : 18:29:43
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those seedlings are a metre apart...and i've even planted more seed between them.
we've got bore reticulation here...and are allowed to water 3 times a week with the retic...and can hand water any time we like...so water's not an issue at this point, and won't be for a few more years now that the dam has more water in it than it's ever had since i've been here.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 29/09/2007 : 19:04:24
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Lucky you with all that water..All those plants will grow well.
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting |
Edited by - Mary-Anne on 29/09/2007 19:06:20 |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 30/09/2007 : 05:34:10
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That's a great space saver idea  The only thing I would be concerned about is the dead tree falling over if the roots start rotting. How stable is it in the ground? Often a dead tree will fall within a couple of years of dying.
As Sunny said you may have to wrap some wire netting around the trunk for the vines to cling to. You may also need to support any larger fruit so they don't pull the vine down. Pantyhose are useful but anything that can take some weight. Should be ok with the smaller fruit.
Keep us updated.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 23/11/2007 : 06:46:52
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a few of the vines took off while i was away...and so i've had to tie them up like a bad pony tail.
should only be a few days until they turn their leaves around and start crawling over each other to get to the top.
i think i've already got an acorn squash set. that's exciting! i haven't had one of those in about five years.
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 23/11/2007 : 07:07:49
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Very exciting times for you now Tessa I have never grown squash lovely to see the plants coming along must be all that hot weather over there and another hot day coming up..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 23/11/2007 : 13:35:10
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Looking good there Tessa.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2007 : 06:37:36
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the pumpkin tree is coming along nicely...and so far...no powdery mildew!!!! this could be another advantage of vertical farming...giving not just a lot more growing space...but more air circulation as well.
i've got lots of blossoms happening...and a bit of fruitset already.
hubbard:
and acorn:
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2007 : 12:49:33
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That's a start
I'm surprised I haven't had any powdery mildew yet, actually wouldn't mind it in my cucumbers  which are growing over a fence so have a reasonable airflow. None of my pumpkins or rockmelons are showing signs of it either but considering the humid showery weather we have been having the last few weeks I expect it anytime.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2007 : 15:49:24
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They look great Tessa looking forward to seeing them when they grow up.
Our cukes have PM but not the pumpkin.. Probable cause the assistant gardener watering over the top of them with the spray wand..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 09:39:06
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who ordered the golden hubbard?
the powdery mildew finally showed up.
i attacked it with neem yesterday.
it's all looking good today.
i love neem!
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 10:44:33
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Very nice Tessa is it ready for picking now.
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting |
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tessa
head gardener
Australia
3682 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 11:16:49
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no it's not!!!!
these, however, are ready for picking now
 
ball zucchini
cranky people live longer. i'm going to live forever!
perth, wa |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 12:17:30
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!!WOW!! Lucky you...
I am not having much success with my zucchini at all they seem to be going rotten at the stem but I am not complaining as I love this rain we are getting every day now...
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 12:33:59
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Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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