Burners' Backyards: Veggies, Gardening, Landscape & Design

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
I have a love hate relationship with gardening, hate getting started on it but then like the final product and push to get it done to see the results.
After twelve years living here I finally pulled my finger out and got the landscape design done, which is awesome but now my issue is they've quoted $60k to actually get the work done and that's just the front yard... I see a lot of digging in my future.

But it's nice to have something to work towards and it gives me some motivation to start. Around 16hrs here in 2-3hr efforts.

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slowmick

38-39"
After twelve years living here I finally pulled my finger out and got the landscape design done, which is awesome but now my issue is they've quoted $60k to actually get the work done and that's just the front yard... I see a lot of digging in my future.

But it's nice to have something to work towards and it gives me some motivation to start. Around 16hrs here in 2-3hr efforts.
That's a mountain of digging sir. I have a bad case of garage envy though.
 

cammas

Seamstress
I hear you. It does look good once you get there but it is fair slog of effort to get it all done.

Mrs gets bit carried away with gardening, so the smaller things to do end up with some scope creep and can take on bigger than Jesus epic proportions. This does sponge up riding time and I have entertained it for a while now but there has to be an end point....Errrr..... right.
How can I keep up with other stupid, time wasting pursuits if gardening is front and centre :D

I can't think of how many plant shop and Bunnings visits I have done in the past year.
I’ve said to myself so many times I’ll just to do this bit then I’m going for a ride :rolleyes: yeah right, by the time I’m done I’m too knackered to turn a pedal.
Oh don’t get me started on many garden centres or Bunnings visits I’ve done and how many times I get back realising I’ve forgotten something :oops:
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
I’ve said to myself so many times I’ll just to do this bit then I’m going for a ride :rolleyes: yeah right, by the time I’m done I’m too knackered to turn a pedal.
Oh don’t get me started on many garden centres or Bunnings visits I’ve done and how many times I get back realising I’ve forgotten something :oops:
+1 on all the above. We could sit down and moan about the same things for a long time by the sounds of it. I have promised myself evening rides only to be too beat to bother also. Crack of Dawner rides give you some chance but there is always that thought in you head that have to do 'something garden' when you return.

It will end sooner or later though. I think the garden ideas list is getting shorter here. Hang in there!!
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
But it's nice to have something to work towards and it gives me some motivation to start. Around 16hrs here in 2-3hr efforts.
Wow, should come up great. You are going to have arms like tree trunks or know well how to use an excavator :D

Our builder has a mini excavator that might be small but you can also take it almost anywhere. It is super practical.
It ripped up our driveway, backyard, carried all sorts of stuff and dug trenches pretty quickly.

Here it is in the early stages of the house chopping carnage. Always wear an helmet kids, these aren't toys unless you want them to be.

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Minlak

custom titis
We need to make a space for a container to be able to store the SO's sisters stuff when she moves up here - When she moves out I will turn it into a mini shed - So now the fun begins
*Hire excavator
*Cut away back gardens
*Build retaining wall
*Make flat space for container
*Place container - currently of some concern to me as they deliver on a flat bed and I want it in a certain position and level so will probably have to get it delivered then find a crane to come and place it - No one up here seems to pick up and deliver with a crane
*Insulate container
*Put air vents in container - There is tonnes of stuff available overseas specifically made for mouting this stuff on containers on but apparently can't get it in Aus so will have to manufacture stuff.

Keep rethinking the retaining wall and how I am doing it - only thing i know will be sleepers originally was going to use the Gal joiners in between but at $70~ each I have pretty much decided to just cut sleepers and put them in front. Like this

386046
 

cammas

Seamstress
We need to make a space for a container to be able to store the SO's sisters stuff when she moves up here - When she moves out I will turn it into a mini shed - So now the fun begins
*Hire excavator
*Cut away back gardens
*Build retaining wall
*Make flat space for container
*Place container - currently of some concern to me as they deliver on a flat bed and I want it in a certain position and level so will probably have to get it delivered then find a crane to come and place it - No one up here seems to pick up and deliver with a crane
*Insulate container
*Put air vents in container - There is tonnes of stuff available overseas specifically made for mouting this stuff on containers on but apparently can't get it in Aus so will have to manufacture stuff.

Keep rethinking the retaining wall and how I am doing it - only thing i know will be sleepers originally was going to use the Gal joiners in between but at $70~ each I have pretty much decided to just cut sleepers and put them in front. Like this

View attachment 386046
I am redoing the front with sleepers and we decided I am only doing it once, after having to redo the sideway behind after the timber post rotted, so we are going with gal H beams strong and the finish is nicer (paint'em if you want) plus if the timber rots you can rip it out and replace the piece. With the front we are going the whole hog with concrete sleepers with finish on them, to ensure I am not doing it again it will cost more in the long run but that will pay for itself if I never have to redo them. Something like below but the same height as yours two to three high.

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Minlak

custom titis
I am redoing the front with sleepers and we decided I am only doing it once, after having to redo the sideway behind after the timber post rotted, so we are going with gal H beams strong and the finish is nicer (paint'em if you want) plus if the timber rots you can rip it out and replace the piece. With the front we are going the whole hog with concrete sleepers with finish on them, to ensure I am not doing it again it will cost more in the long run but that will pay for itself if I never have to redo them. Something like below but the same height as yours two to three high.
I was always going to do it the way you have shown - But I had some sleepers on the ground as makeshift slab to store the camper trailer on for the last 2 years in the back yard - Had ply on top screwed down the sleepers just on bare ground - Pulled them up on the weekend and they are still perfect - Being old and inclined to do stupid things that result in injury I figure I have less than 5 years to worry about them anyway :)
 

Elbo

pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
Had a fuckwit moment tonight with the compost bin. Putting vege scraps in the filling side and managed to bump the sliding door on the growing side. As I spun the bin active compost spewed out on my feet and the paving. Shit. Scraped it up and put it back. Compost looks really good AND lots and lots of tiny worms. The few left on the ground went into the beds.
I've been stepping up my compost game to keep up with more veggie beds. Now have a hot compost bay cranking that's been very hot to touch the last few days. So far I've found a rat and a blue tongue making use of the warmth and only larger sticks remain 3 weeks in.
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
as I've just bought for the first time and will be designing what I hope is a productive, largely edible garden (that's also dog proof).
Lavington crack den?

I've seen you can get one for around the $2mil mark at the moment....You must be counting that sweet, sweet capital gains money now.
 

Elbo

pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
Lavington crack den?

I've seen you can get one for around the $2mil mark at the moment....You must be counting that sweet, sweet capital gains money now.
Nah, we're on the West Side, but yeah, should be able to retire soon (as long as I don't have to buy another house when I sell this one).
Are you glad you moved when you did? Houses prices here are insane now.
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
Are you glad you moved when you did? Houses prices here are insane now.
Glad I moved when I did, Fuckwit threadded myself for not buying the 40Ha with 2 houses in Holbrook, for $600k when I got here.

Currently paying more than our my 4 combined monthly mortgage payments in rent. Chunts are panic buying houses worse than shit paper, throwing $30-50k over, already bloated, asking price on absolute shitholes.





Wanna buy some crack?
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
Glad I moved when I did, Fuckwit threadded myself for not buying the 40Ha with 2 houses in Holbrook, for $600k when I got here.

Currently paying more than our my 4 combined monthly mortgage payments in rent. Chunts are panic buying houses worse than shit paper, throwing $30-50k over, already bloated, asking price on absolute shitholes.





Wanna buy some crack?
That's going on Australia wide ATM, I was going to buy during covid but thought fuck it, most of the houses up for sale for a reasonable price were tarted up abortions from Bobs me uncle reno company. Houses get bought sight unseen here, and then they ask a trainee 18-year-old real estate agent how much work does the house need after they've purchased it.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Keep rethinking the retaining wall and how I am doing it - only thing i know will be sleepers originally was going to use the Gal joiners in between but at $70~ each I have pretty much decided to just cut sleepers and put them in front. Like this
I did about the same height as you on stupidly reactive soil and went with the gal joiners. One of the problems is you end up spending more time/money (both?) treating the sleeper that's in the ground and also digging and leveling a long rectangle sucks majorly. A gal post also has a bit of play so it doesn't need to be perfect. I'd highly recommend you rethink unless you wanted a specific aesthetic.

On retaining walls a good tip is to order blocks of foam to put under the retaining wall. Generally go for about a 300-400mm high and put that sucker behind the bottom two sleepers. Leave the top for soil toherwise if it's too shallow the grass will struggle. I looked up some engineering guides and they rekon reduced loads by about 40% which is huge. Also saves you a tonned of back filling. THe bonus again with H beams and the foam method is if you ever need to replace them it is a complete piece of cake. Heavy mallet , chainsaw and pull that sucker out.

whole hog with concrete sleepers with finish on them
If you want something bullet proof try the composite stuff. Heavy as hell but basically maintenance free and lasts forever. Costs about 4 times the concrete sleepers.
 

Minlak

custom titis
I did about the same height as you on stupidly reactive soil and went with the gal joiners. One of the problems is you end up spending more time/money (both?) treating the sleeper that's in the ground and also digging and leveling a long rectangle sucks majorly. A gal post also has a bit of play so it doesn't need to be perfect. I'd highly recommend you rethink unless you wanted a specific aesthetic.

On retaining walls a good tip is to order blocks of foam to put under the retaining wall. Generally go for about a 300-400mm high and put that sucker behind the bottom two sleepers. Leave the top for soil toherwise if it's too shallow the grass will struggle. I looked up some engineering guides and they rekon reduced loads by about 40% which is huge. Also saves you a tonned of back filling. THe bonus again with H beams and the foam method is if you ever need to replace them it is a complete piece of cake. Heavy mallet , chainsaw and pull that sucker out.



If you want something bullet proof try the composite stuff. Heavy as hell but basically maintenance free and lasts forever. Costs about 4 times the concrete sleepers.
Rough calculations if I use gal joiner end posts for the length of wall I need is going to be about $1000 just in the posts compared to $65 in H4 treated sleepers - unless I am looking at the wrong joiners
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say

I did some slashing today. Broke the tractor (locked the gearbox linkage) then fixed it. Finished this lot just as the hydraulics that control the three point linkage (which carries the slasher) decided to go a bit limp. So tomorrow will start with tractor repairs...again
 

cammas

Seamstress
Rough calculations if I use gal joiner end posts for the length of wall I need is going to be about $1000 just in the posts compared to $65 in H4 treated sleepers - unless I am looking at the wrong joiners
How many beams do you need? I take it you using 75mm sleepers? Our local guy who does the concrete sleepers has H beams for $65 a piece so you should be able to get better price. I think I’m up for about $3.5K all up for a three layer retaining wall.
https://modern-concrete.com.au/shop
 

Minlak

custom titis
How many beams do you need? I take it you using 75mm sleepers? Our local guy who does the concrete sleepers has H beams for $65 a piece so you should be able to get better price. I think I’m up for about $3.5K all up for a three layer retaining wall.
https://modern-concrete.com.au/shop
Actually going to use 2400 x 200 x 50 sleepers - I need about 11 joiners / end pieces all up - Could use these but designed for blocks or the actual wall inserts
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Should use these but should not do a 2.4m run on them so would have to got to 1.8 sleeper at longest - The advantage to these is I might get away with just hammering them in over digging holes - Would need 1 x corner and 2 x end pieces so if you worked on 11 x 70

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Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member

I did some slashing today. Broke the tractor (locked the gearbox linkage) then fixed it. Finished this lot just as the hydraulics that control the three point linkage (which carries the slasher) decided to go a bit limp. So tomorrow will start with tractor repairs...again
Looks like one of the 135, 165, 175, 185 family. Maybe ac145 in there too?
 
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