Germinating seeds

My shadehouse for germinating seeds and growing seedlings during winter.

The spray bottle of water close by is handy for keeping seedlings moist.

I experimented with a variety of home made containers that would hold moisture and provide ventilation.  The paper cups in the juice bottle were the most successful. Made from rolling up a sheet of newspaper around a tin of baked beans, then stapled. When planted, I ripped open the bottom. Easy!  The bottle was cut forming a small chest-like opening. 

The egg carton was a nuisance. Won't try that again.

Next winter, I will use the recycled square jiffy pots (bottom shelft) under the plastic square lid. The germinating box cost me $8 from Red Dot and appeared to be the same as a $20 one from Bunnings. 

Seeds and Jiffy pots bought from www.seed.com.au.

Worm farm

I spend about 1 minute once or twice a week maintaining the wormfarm. It's much easier than what you read. The bucket lives under the tap so there's always liquid fertiliser to throw over the garden. I pour about half a bucket of water through the farm once or twice a week, winter or summer. The liquid is a great tonic. 

Bottom layer of worm farm (can-o-worms) emptied onto a sheet of plastic.

 

Some local shires provide free workshops and discounts on purchasing a worm farm. In Perth, my local shire (City of Stirling) provided me with this worm farm installed and set up advanced with 4 months worth of castings and 2000 worms for $130 (in 2009). The supplier of the worm farm was The Wormshed in the Chittering Valley and he provided excellent advice pre and post sale.

Some people say it's the best fertiliser and it's all you need while others say it's not worth the hassel and the liquid is low in nutrients.  My results have proved to me that growth is boosted shortly after apllying the liquid for most plants, so it works for me. I feed the worms dead floppy leaves, coffee grounds, dead vegies and fruit.  My worms love old bananas and old tomatoes the best.