In my garden at home we had a wonderful Eucalyptus tree
it was planted the first year we moved in and it was only a small shrub about
3ft tall but over the years it has got taller and taller and we turned it into
a tree, but the last 2 harsh winters has taken its toll on the poor thing and
all the leaves kept falling off and on an evergreen Eucalyptus once there gone
there gone. The result is that it’s all up top and nothing down below so to
speak. So after a bit of research I found that Eucalyptus lends its self to
coppicing and comes back stronger. So several books and articles later last
Wednesday I got the saw out and cut her down.
I had to shout “TIMBER” just because I will never get the
chance again, and the moment got to me (the wife gave me that “don’t be stupid”
look) but it was worth it!
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| Before |
The garden looks a
little bare without it now but there is always a silver lining. I had 4 nice
size stumps that I thought I would have a go at growing mushrooms on down the
plot. At first I wasn’t sure that I could use this wood but again after a bit
of research and some friends on twitter I found I could. I have always wanted
to grow mushrooms and never could get hold of the right wood for the job and
the kits don’t really appeal to me, does anyone else grow mushrooms or have in
the past I would love to hear from you and how it went for you.
Other things that have been going on this week, the last
raised bed was finally dug over and
finished with a sprinkle of chicken manure ready for this year’s crops.
I can’t believe how much the pear tree has come on since
last week it really has put on growth and the buds are fit to burst.
The strawberries are romping away too and there are
flowers everywhere
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| The path |
All that’s left to sort out is the “path” between my plot
and my neighbours, they haven’t really done much on their plot since they got
it last year and the path has been left and only given a little tidy every so
often when the weeds get too bad that they encroach on my plot. So I have a
length of landscape fabric left that I have ear marked for this job all I need
to do now is get my hands on a petrol strimmer
and chop them down. Then hopefully this won’t be such a problem this
year.
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| After |
Enjoy your Easter whatever your planning
as ever there are more pics on my facebook page
Our pear tree is one flower and I'm just hoping the snow hasn't put an end to the prospect of fruit.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking through out window at our potential mushroom log and as Martyn has said all it ended up as was potential!
I'll be interested to see how you do with your mushroom experiment. Have a great Easter.
ReplyDeleteMy comment didn't seem to arrive the first time so I'm having another go.
ReplyDeleteWe tested out a log a few years ago now and we're still waiting for something to happen. To be honest I wouldn't want to eat any mushrooms it produced now as I couldn't be sure they were the one we impregnated the log with. Still it makes a change from normal veg gardening.