Before I begin this post, I must apologise for the photos. They were taken with the incorrect white balance. I have done my best to fix them, but when they are so out, it is hard to get them right. Of course, if I was in Bridgetown, I could just go outside and take them again. Alas, I am in Perth.
Bad photos not withstanding, we must proceed and the subject of the above photo is the main reason for this post. I have had the whip out for ages now and Maus has, finally, finished my compost bin(s)! Isn’t it beautiful. I just love it. She’s a gem 🙂
The design is classic: the first bin is twice the size of the second bin which is twice the size of the third bin. You fill up the biggest bin, then let it break down until it is half full. You then shovel the compost into the second bin. When that has broken down by half you shovel it into the third bin. When that has broken down by half, it is ready to go into your vegie patch. The system works wonderfully. We have been using the same system (on a much smaller scale) at our Perth house for nearly 30 years.
Actually, you may have noticed, I have two bins, ie, two lots of three so when the first bin is decomposing, we switch to putting weeds, etc, into the bin next door to it. There is never a weedless moment at our house.
For those interested, the first bins are each 3.6m x 1m, the second bins are each 1.8m x 1 m and the third bins are each .9m x 1m.
This photo is of my vegie patches in general but, in particular, my self-sown cherry tomatoes. They are huge and it is the middle of June. They are pretending it is January. The trouble is it is really too cold for them and the fruit is not ripening well so I might have to pull them up soon. What a pity.
This is my other vegie patch. From front to back, I have garlic, four types of onions, spinach, coriander, leeks, one ruby chard (I am getting smart), one chilli, broccoli galore, parsley and, at the very end on mesh, snow peas.
Here is a close up of the garlic. Notice how there are only two rows. There were 6 rows of garlic. I can only assume some bird came along and ate the other four rows. Luckily for me, they must have got disturbed.
Here are two of my pumpkins. I thought the plant was supposed to be dead by now. I planted the seeds in early spring. I got really impatient last week and picked about twenty. None of them had dead stalks and the plants were still green but the pumpkins are beginning to crack and I have had two rot so I decided not to wait. I put the brick pavers under the balance to keep the pumpkins off the wet ground.
Here are more pumpkins but the photo is not about them, it is all about the bloody self sown tomato plant that is flowering in June. I can’t pull it out because it is all caught up with the pumpkin plants. I have had piles of cherry tomatoes from it.
Here is a close up of some snow peas. They are doing well, although we are not overwhelmed. We are probably getting two big feeds a week which is just right, really.
And here is the vegie patch from afar, showcasing the tomatoes and the snow peas. The vine on the house is one of the passionfruit vines. We are still getting piles of passionfruit but they are not ripening so we are composting them.
Passion Fruit Garden 
I learned a lot from your post and now I know why you have so much produce. What a fabulous garden and so much space and a lovely outlook and… Tomatoes it seem, are the bain of your existence. Fruiting or not!
Thanks Fiona.
Your veg patch looks wonderful and I can imagine a beautiful place to hang out… after you’ve done all the hard work. How special to have your own snow peas, pumpkins tomatoes and compost. 🙂
Hi Moya, it really is special. It is what I dreamed of all those hours in a high rise building.
Those compost bins are very impressive. You really have got this gardening stuff all worked out…well except for those out of control cherry tomatoes. They seem to have a mind of their own.
Hi Diane. We just arrived in Bridgetown and I noticed all the tomato tips are burnt. Clearly we have had frost. They are on their way out.
You would have a right laugh at my teeny tiny veggie patch Glenda. I have 5 cauliflower growing, some baby cabbages and spinach growing.
Have a beautiful day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hi Mandy. I so would not laugh. Lets say I swap you a broccoli head for a cauliflower?
We are obsessed with watching River Cottage Australia at the moment and dreaming up ways to buy a farm with 10 acres with goats, chooks and a veggie patch. But looking at what Maus has built I’m thinking Rich is a long way from being anywhere near ‘handy’. Those tomatoes are going to haunt you in the afterlife you know that right?
Good news on the tomato front. We just arrived in Bridgetown and I notices all the tips of the tomatoes have been burnt by frost. Looks like their days are numbered. Keep dreaming of those 10 acres. Dreams do come true.
It’s so green… compared to our last glimpse of your landscape. No wonder your garden is so verdant. And it might be my imagination but here on the east coast winter seems milder this year.
Hi Ella, We just got back to B’town today and it looks like we have had a frost as all the tomatoes are burnt on the tips. I think I will pull them out.
Hi Glenda
I am indeed very envious of you both. Great lifestyle. Next project worm farms ????????
Love Deb
Hiya Deb, I don’t know about that. More mouths to feed. Our four legged friends are enough I thinks.
How about some ideas for a veggie patch in the caravan????
Love US XXXXXXX
Hiya Sue. I heard on the radio yesterday that they are researching a green house for a space trip to Mars. You should check it out.
perhaps it is time for green tomato chutney; such a shame to waste all those tomatoes, and, if you put the bush into the compost you will have all the same problems again. I remember years ago in Rockhampton the local water treatment dept was giving away garden mulch which was the end product after sewerage treatment resulting in tomatoes in lawns, on bowling greens and ovals as well as home gardens; those seeds are tough little b…..rs.
Love your gardens.
Cheers.
Hi Robyn. I absolutely don’t put the buggers in the compost. They go to the tip. There are still hundreds though that don’t get picked or are half eaten by rodents that drop their seeds. Next year I swear I am going to be more vigilant.
Thanks for the peep at your garden Glenda, I had visualized acres and acres!!
Hi Sandra, we have seven acres but only these two vegie beds.
A lovely view from the garden.
Thanks Francesca
Very efficient. Looks as though you have fabulous views.
Hi Anne, we sure do. We are very lucky.
Greetings my dear – from the other side of the world, where summer is just getting started. I love the looks of your composting bins, but it kind of scares me -lazy coot that I am- it just looks like tons of work moving all that mass back and forth, forth and back. My kind of composting is a more casual type – each summer I arrange to have the local tree trimmer guys drop off a load of ‘chips’ in a huge pile in my side yard – and there it sits for a few years while it slowly does its magic – sometimes I add some horse manure from a local stable – and eventually, I rake the chips on the top of the pile into a second pile, thereby exposing the bottom of the big pile, which by now has turned to black gold (as they say!) – yeah, it may be the slow way home, but it’s a whole lot easier too.
It occurs to me that I’ve been very lax in checking in occasionally for a progress update – I promise to do better, at least that’s my intention – are intentions worth much these days? Tell Maus I said Hi, and that I think she does superb work – what’s your next project for her?
Hi Doc, Great to hear from you. I hope you and Sandi are faring well. I have an idea for you. Once your pile has decomposed you should just flatten it and grow your vegies directly in it. That would surely save more shovelling :). Maus has been making a sign for the property for several years now. That surely must be near the top of her list. She also has to redo all the rose signs. They are disintegrating. Don’t worry I keep her busy.
Sounds good. I really am a lazy gardener – this past year, I covered all my rows with straw for the rainy season – then come spring, I just go out and pull back the straw and dig a little hole for a starter plant and I’m done. Now, if only I can get the slugs to stop eating all of them, I might even get some veggies.
Once you work it out, let me know