Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm kinda glad I didn't plant these in the AP system since they would smother everything else.

That back bed has Squash, Zucchini, Sunflowers and though you can't see it, soybeans.

Almost a self portrait there TC....veggies look great too

I've set-up 2 patches in the backyard- 1 'no-dig' straw-based patch for potatoes, tomatoes and others that prefer slightly acidic conditions and another for vegies that tolerate our local alkaline soil, like carrots and cucs.

Just a photo of part of my 'no-dig' patch with rhubarb, eggplant...

Yep, my toes don't get into pictures very much so people might have to content themselves with my breadbox self portraits.

No dig garden beds (I don't have much trouble digging holes but I can't stand turning or tilling in the soil.)

That garden patch with the sunflowers and big zucchini is a no dig bed. I put down lots of cardboard slip sheets from Costco (membership warehouse) then covered over with a layer of mulch from a local tree service. I believe that pile was mostly shredded up palms and pawmetto fronds. Then we got a load of mushroom compost and dumped in into that area. Formed it into two 100 SF beds (the other bed is currently empty in that picture, will likely plant in it sometime soon). Put down a thick layer of wood chips around and between the beds and then planted wheat as a cover crop with spanish moss as a mulch over the seeds. Those beds each have 4 or 5 micro sprinklers in them. The that is planted got weed whacked after the wheat flowered and I planted the squash, zucchini, soy beans, and sunflowers right into the stubble and away we go. The sunflowers were actually planted there to provide some shade to the soy beens since last time I planted them, they were yellow from too much sun.

I definitely like the no dig gardening. The plants that I've put down into soil have had far more trouble. I've now discovered that root knot nematodes will attack carrots as well as tomatoes. but my carrots that were in the no dig beds have all been great.

started to build 8 of these vege beds, elevated to keep the gum tree roots out. Then i discoved aquaponics. so for the time being have mooved to the glass house, oh well the fenced vege garden will be good for the next system The vege beds are on old packing palletts, boxed with treated pine and red gum sleepers, and lined with thick plastic, works a treat, will continue to grow potatoes, and other rooty type veges, as well as blood worms

See where CostCo are looking at moving into Aus soon too

A resurrection of an old thread to show you know how my aluminium ladder based growbed bed is doing
Its filled with compost but i reckon it could work well for AP if filled with hydroton, figuring a good way to water it evenly is the only issue.
The tomatoes seem to like it just as much as the old tomato hammock (full of toms,lettuce,radish and strawberries).
It cost nothing to make and most importantly its "different"