Hey, is that the fabled stump I see in there!

Are you using the rocks to stabilize the wattles and keep 'em from wandering out of formation? Btw, what's in them, anyway, straw? Inquiring minds and all that...

Wow, McP - that is looking great~

Very Nice!

That's going to be a great garden spot with the Lady Banks in the background.

Alma, no actually, that is another stump. The one you are thinking of is holding up a very wild and bushy yellow emu.

I did place some rocks around the outside to help the wattles stay in place. I've also seen stakes driven in, one on each side, for support. and we may do some of those instead of all rocks. Rock hauling is hard bleeping work.

The wattles are made of rice straw, chopped short (4" pieces maybe) and stuffed into a 25' long cylindrical black mesh stocking.

Thanks everyone, I'm really looking forward to getting the plants going. I hope the grasshoppers have left the area. [sigh] I saw one yesterday that I whacked. Hope he was a loner, although that is doubtful. Friggin' hoppers, they can decimate a garden in one evening.

I don't understand why you get a plague of grasshoppers; I rarely see one. I'll trade ya some mosquitoes for grasshoppers! We never had mosquitoes till a few years ago. Since then the nasty bloodsuckers have multiplied exponentially and it's nearly impossible to sit outdoors anymore.

Back to wattles: I wonder if you could stack - or wrap - them two high, stabilizing them with rebar, to make a deeper bed. You're the first I've seen to work with them and I'm fascinated.

You probably could do that Alma but I'm not sure I need the bed that deep. As the garden bed gets new compost and mulch from time to time, the underlying soil should be improved as well.

Re: the mosquitoes, one year we sprayed this garlic juice concentrate, designed for the purpose, all around the patio, especially the cat claw vine that was taking over the patio cover (lattice type). It really helped. I have some left.....do you want to try it?

Alma, wattles are made in several diameter sizes. I saw some that were about 18" in diameter.

Good point Dan - these are 9"

Good work, McP!

MaryMcP said:Re: the mosquitoes, one year we sprayed this garlic juice concentrate, designed for the purpose, all around the patio ... I have some left.....do you want to try it?

Mary, I'll take you up on that if you promise I won't be tempted to pig out on Italian food.

No promises there.....we love the smell of garlic so we just sat around sniffin'!!

For more info check here:

http://www.mosquitobarrier.com...

You have C-mail.

Hey, Mary, how about an update on the wattle garden. Would like to hear your assessment of it. Photos, too, of course.

I love the wattle garden....thanks for asking. It's a bit ugly but I expect that in a year or two I'll have stuff growing all around the wattles, and draping over them, that it won't be noticable. I'll get some pics for you. Not too much is happening, the plants don't know if it's going to be hot or cool or what!!

Still have not found that extra bottle of garlic juice for the skeeters. I *know* I have a whole bottle left, dangit.