"Trish Brown" wrote in message
node...
David Hare-Scott wrote:

snip

Some general hints

1) In one small volume a great starting book:
The Australian Fruit and Vegetable Garden - Clive Blazey & Jane
Varkulevicius
(Digger Club)

2) Join Hunter Organic Growers Society (HOGS) The next meeting (free) is
Saturday 14th June on Kooragang Island. I will give you details if you
are
interested.

David




Ooo! Is this group in any way connected to the community garden on Ash
Island? That's what got me thinking I could do this. What an effort! I
was especially taken by the pyramidal garden built up with railway
sleepers. We were going to try that at first, but soon realised the cost
would be far more than the benefits (to us, at least). Also, after many
heated arguments about whether to build up a square or triangular plot,
we finally realised the end result would give the same growable area in
the end. Hence, we agreed on a flat rectangle. But the built-up pyramid
is *great* to look at!

For those who haven't seen it: a square plot was laid out with old
railway sleepers. Next, another square, offset to form a diamond, was
laid on top. Two more squares, each graduated in size, were laid atop
the first two, forming triangular pockets in which the various veggies
grow. The tallest plants (eg. sweet corn) are in the bottom beds while
herbs are in the topmost ones. The whole area would only be about two
metres square!

What sorts of things happen at HOGS meetings, David? I've never belonged
to a gardening group, but would be interested to hear about it. I'm
feeling very much a novice, despite having been a keen pot-gardener for
most of my life. (Hm. That read funny. I meant 'gardener of potted
plants', not the other...)

--
Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia

HOGS meetings are at organic growing establishments all around the Hunter.
Some are private homes on a small block, some are mixed farms, orchards, worm
farms, deer farms etc. The Island is a kind of home base where we go to do
things appropriate to most gardens, like make compost, prune fruit trees, make
new gardens.

We assemble at noon and have lunch together (BYO). The meeting starts at 1PM,
we have afternoon tea about 3 and it breaks up about 4-4:30. Bring surplus
produce, if you have any, to share or swap.

To get the next meeting at the City Farm, turn on to Ash island bridge on the
Hunter, from the New England Highway at Sandgate (near MacDonalds). Follow a
twisty road across the island for a few kms, there will be "HOGS" signs to
guide you.

They are a friendly bunch who don't mind beginners and they will answer all
your questions. Anybody can turn up at meetings but if you join you also get
a quarterly magazine, the use of the library etc.

David