Well we finally got the new garden started. We are building our garden within a shade cloth house that surrounds the outside kitchen. Very convenient for not only working in the garden but when you harvest you are already in the kitchen so you can start cooking.

Although the garden isn't yet completed we have started off really well. We have about a third of it completed and planted.

As part of our hydroponic set up, we have, what Steve calls 'Dutch Pipes', which are 100ml pipes closed off at each end. The ends have a small overflow hole.

There are holes cut into the tops to hold the net cups. The plants are held in the net cups with foam. They look very comfortable. The pipes are then filled filled with water and a bit of nutrients.

We also have pipes set up as above, and although they are currently working as a static system, they will be converted to a reticulation system.

In the pipes we have planted spinach, bok choy, lettuce and spring onions.

Below the pipes we have created wicking beds. These were made from 200 litre barrels cut in half and then filled with a perforated pipe, gravel, sand, compost and soil. They are watered via a pipe that goes straight down the side of the barrel into the reservoir below created by the gravel and pipe.

In the wicking beds we have planted some broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, silverbeet, celery, beetroot, garlic, leeks, comfrey and rhubarb.

I have also set up 4 dutch buckets planted with celery. These buckets are recycled 20 litre buckets with lids. The lids have a hole cut out and the net cup and plant sits in that.

Here are a couple of videos we made that show where we are up to.