Author: Kris

  • Where to find Peat Moss in Sydney

    Spring has sprung, and the Snook and I have been busy making plans for our garden. This year we’re going to give Square Foot Gardening a try. The idea is that instead of trying to condition our poor soil, we simply build raised beds and use “Mel’s Mix” to fill them. Mel’s Mix is the magic. It’s composed of 1/3 compost, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss. So last weekend we headed out to check prices at Bunnings and the Annandale Garden Center. We came away pretty disappointed. Neither of them had vermiculite in bags greater than 5L, and we couldn’t find any peat moss at all. (We calculated we’d need about 200L of each.) This was going to be difficult.

    I spent the week trying to track down the bulk materials. Vermiculite was easier; it gets used in hydroponics so I found it at a few places. But man, I had the hardest time finding peat moss. I must’ve rung every garden center in Sydney and none of them had it in quantities greater than 5L bags (at ridiculous prices). We toyed with the idea of substituting Cocopeat, which is more readily available and is arguably more environmentally sustainable. I didn’t want to stray too far from Mel’s recipe though if we didn’t have to. Friday the Snook found Garden City Plastics, who supply big 235L bags of peat and 100L bags of vermiculite. So I called them up to find out how we could get our hands on some. Unfortunately they’re only open on weekdays, and their warehouse is in Rouse Hill (way, way far away). We could pay for delivery, but one of us would have to stay home to meet them here. Again, it seemed we were at an impasse. Then the salesman had a brainwave. GCP supply Ace Ohlsson, who have a permanent stall at Flemington Markets. We could drive out there and buy it from them!

    So that’s what we did. For the benefit of future Googlers, when you drive through the main Market entrance and come to the roundabout, turn right and drive past the Flower Market. Keep going straight and you’ll find Ace Ohlsson down on the right. We were able to get two bags of vermiculite and a big 220L bag of NZ Peat Moss for $80 less than it was going to cost us to have it delivered. I’d recommend them for anybody in Sydney who needs bulk garden products at cheap prices.

  • Shared today on Twitter

    Southern group Guild meeting was GREAT. Preso was very well received, many thanks from members. Now off to more garden shops!


    A hard earned thirst needs a big cold beer. http://twitpic.com/gjm4g (Nag’s Head, Glebe) #fb


    Flemington Markets, Kogarah Guild meeting, Gardens R Us, Flower Power, Bunnings, Nag’s Head… home. Tired.


  • Shared today on Facebook

    A hard earned thirst needs a big cold beer. http://twitpic.com/gjm4g (Nag’s Head, Glebe)


  • Shared today on Twitter

    Depressing: people who’ve never been poor arguing that health care system is fine. Even more depressing: ppl who were poor arguing the same.


    @bellsknits It may have been tasty, but it sure wasn’t guacamole. BLUE CHEESE? The entire nation of Mexico just had a collective shudder.


    It looks like a press conference is happening on the ground floor of our building. Some big Westfield announcement?


    Heartened by all the folks supporting health care reform on FB. Maybe it really is just crazy, frothing fringe groups making all the noise?


    Mentally preparing myself for a very early trip to Flemington Markets tomorrow to get gardening supplies…


    Knitters: I’m about to take a Twitter screenshot for tomorrow’s Guild knitternet preso. Tweet something cool if you want it to show!


    Getting up early always feels like an adventure.


    Made it to Flemington Markets and back. Now in Kogarah waiting for Guild meeting to start…


  • Shared today on Facebook

    Mentally preparing myself for a very early trip to Flemington Markets tomorrow to get gardening supplies…


  • Kel’s Pitch

    Kel’s Pitch
    Remember how my friend Kel was trying to win a contest to throw out a first pitch at Wrigley Field? Well she won, and her game was yesterday. Way to go, Kel!

  • Wuthering Heights

    The latest edition of Wuthering Heights has a special new cover… BWAHAHAHAHA! “Bella and Edward’s favorite book.” BRILLIANT. I don’t get why the literature fans are so upset. The thought of tween vampire fans getting tricked into reading Bronte gives me great delight. (Kate Bush should be cashing in on this too!)

  • Shared today on Twitter

    Hm. Judging by the reaction of the person who asked me, perhaps being an office fire warden is not quite the exalted honor I thought it was.


    FIRE DRILL!


    YOU MUST OBEY THE FIRE WARDEN. http://twitpic.com/g9nk2 (I only took the job for the helmet.)


    Debating on whether to get tickets to see Nutty Professor with live Q&A with Jerry Lewis: http://bit.ly/PdafY. He’s a legend, really.


    The doctor just rang… and I don’t have whooping cough! Yay. (However, my blood showed ZERO immunity to it so I need a booster shot.)


    @imdominating Wow. I really couldn’t agree more: http://bit.ly/1s9fwZ
    🙂


    Urban Dictionary thinks I’m awesome. http://bit.ly/1s9fwZ


    @Ascasewwen Dammit! And I just emailed Sharre with an idea for where to drag you…


    Sometimes I feel very socially awkward and alienated in public. These are times when I worry I spend too much time on the Internet.


    For some reason, I think @Opheli8 would really dig a meat tenderizing ring: http://bit.ly/fw5JG.


  • Shared today on Facebook

    No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. (I have a family member in the US that has just had several major surgeries and no health insurance… so this is less of an academic position for me at the moment.)


  • Jerry Lewis?

    Just saw that Popcorn Taxi are screening The Nutty Professor with a LIVE Q&A ONSTAGE with Jerry Lewis afterwards! That’s pretty neat. On one hand I’m not a huge Jerry Lewis fan or anything. But the guy is pretty much a living legend, and I’m sure he has amazing stories to tell…