Tennis court transformed into productive kitchen garden

[martincopland]

We purchased our final home in the Hunter near Singleton in early 2019.

As the cook in the family I was always keen on growing my own food and wanted a serious vegetable garden. It needed to be fenced (to keep out the kangaroos) and netted (to keep out the birds and large insects). We had a half sized tennis court and after a few games realised that that game wasn't for us.

So I decided to transform the space into a kitchen garden. Work began in October 2021 ripping up the Astro turf and leaving bare concrete. Next construction of the garden beds began in 4 stages in December 2021. Most of the garden beds are built with 8 treated pine sleepers 2400 x 200 x 50 mm and 8 sleepers 1200 x 200 x 50mm. These sleepers are stained and secured with corner posts with final demnsions of each bed being 2400 x 1300 x 800 mm. 

The beds are lined with building plastic with a layer of ecodeck top and bottom. They are braced with some stainless steel rope (to stop spreading on the long side) then filled with layers of compost, soil, manure etc. 

I have recently netted the existing fence and over just installed framework to support the layer of mesh over the top of the enclosure. The next step is the netting over the too of the enclosure.

So far 16 of 22 beds have been completed and growing crops is well underway. My aim is to grow just about every type of fruit and vegetables that we eat inside this enclosure. Currently we are self sufficient with about 6 different types of winter and year round vegetables. 

Work is progressing and the final 6 beds are planned to be completed in December.

[martincopland]

See one of the other comments I made about drainage with some more photos...

[IDIG]

Katie,

           Replying to your questions , favourite veg , cut again lettuce & radish , both quick & easily , small space with productive return , makes a good salad bowl , add pink onion. , tomato & dressing , lots of village residents using  ,, Regards , DOon

[KatieC]

Sounds like a very yummy salad @IDIG! 

Katie

[Jason]

Hi @martincopland,

Hope all is well.

Just wondering if you've now built all 22 of your raised garden beds? It would be great to get an update and also see what you're growing at the moment. 

Thanks,

Jason