I’m just about to start my first real veggie garden! I want it to be organic so I’m looking for heirloom variety seed (not the GM or hybrid ones) and I’d like some really good quality soil/compost.
Does anyone know where I can find some in the Brisbane area?
Jade,for composte & soil,give Sapar a ring.They have a cow poo composte that is magic.It smells really strong but dies down after a week or so.If you are anywhere near Ipswich,on the way out to Rosewood there is a bloke on the main road that sells BIG bags of horse poo for $2.50.If right in Brissy,go down to the horse track and ask around you might just get lucky and score H/poo for nicks.
for soil, I would suggest the soil you find in your garden..
try one of the horsey areas and try to get a trailer load of manure if you can.. otherwise bags for 2 to $3 each. make whatever compost you can at home.
I bought most of my seeds online, and get/swap some from Brisbane seed savers / Brisbane Local Food members.
Unless you’re building raised beds, or your soil is contaminated, I agree it’s best to build on your own soil by adding lots of organic matters like manure, compost and mulch. If you live on Brisbane South side, I can tell you a couple of places where you can get bags of horse manure for $2/$2.50.
And if you’re on the northside of Brisbane – we’ve got 4 horses here so plenty of poo available. Just PM me if you’re interested. No charge, but you can help pick it up. 🙂
You could get along to a workshop at Northey Street on no dig gardening to get your garden started – much better to make your own soil on site (no-dig, compost, worm farms, green manures) than buying any in. I’ve got a lot of ‘how tos’ on my blog if you’re interested (I’m just on the Sunshine Coast) http://www.permaculturepathways.blogspot.com
You could also try Northey St for seedlings and seeds too – they run a nursery on site
Hi Yuffie, I’m Jodie Miller on Brisbane Local Food. 🙂
I think any garden centre has halfway decent compost to start you off so let your fingers do the walking (oh, that probably means nothing to a Gen Y).
I’m in the North West and there’s heaps of horse poo stands on the side of the road around here. Depends where you live as to what is reasonable distance to travel, hey?
Many garden centres sell heirloom seeds too (look for Eden and Select Organic, among others) but I would advise that you start by growing more robust veg and vine because fruit fly can ruin your labours with the heirlooms in Brisbane. Might be worth asking here what grows well for others as I find the combined experience here makes decisions easy. 🙂
.
.