Herbs!

We finally get to start planting, now that the garden is pretty much there. First of all, Hugh ran a pick-axe through the bases of the beds to break up the compacted gravel. Worms and things like that will hopefully appear once there is nice fresh soil to be had, so having an inch of solid lime in the way wouldn't help much. Also we needed to break the weed fabric for the same reason. 

Here are 2 metal tins I found in the shed for growing mint in. Mint will grow all over the place if it is not contained, so i put some drainage holes in the bottom and a few bits of broken pottery. This make it easier for water to escape, so the mint doesn't end up in a bog.

Then pop them into the bed ...

And add loads of soil. This is veggie mix from Soil World. A ute load costs $56 and it ended up filling 2 1m x 1m beds and 1 2m x 1m bed. Not bad for giving everything a great start!

These brown pipes are suitable for reticulating under mulch. They have drip holes along the length of the pipe, but they way they are made is like a valve system. When the water isn't flowing, it still holds a bit of pressure so dirt can't get in.

We have added a switch to the black pipe leading into this bed. This is so we can turn off the water if we need to while the bed is fallow at any time. Probably not necessary for perennial herbs, but who knows where we may move these to in the future. All the beds will get this.

And then tadaah - herbs! We have divided the bed into a grid using thumb tacks and twine. Easier than wood, but just as easy to see.