Tomato Staking aka frame.

This is Mum's rigging while she was here, for the tomato plants to grow up and through.  Given that our tomato plants take off and create a jungle, hopefully this will keep them a little more manageable.  As always, thanks Mum.

the lemongrass plant in the corner has been taken out, divided up into a dozen+ pots and was put back in the tub as a single 'plant'.  As you can see it didn't mind too much and is now beefing right back up again.

The frames are made from mulberry tree prunings (another use for prunings), sticks from the park and I think some bamboo stakes either in this lot or the much taller framework out the front.

Mum also fed and watered and wet-soiled the plants so they'll be sitting there 'nom nom nom' and about ready to take off given the weather we have had.  I'll have to post some 'in progress pics' in a few months time.  I reckon you won't even be able to see the fence in the background.

Benefits of Branches (prunings)

Most of us know that prunings can generally be used in the garden.  As mulch.  Sometimes as stakes if you strip them down.  But if you don't have a mulcher, then it's not as easy, and a mulcher uses power etc.  I have found that when I prune the mulberry (for the sake of neighbourly relations), I lay the mulberry prunings down under the mulberry tree and by the time the tree is next due a prune, they're just not there any more.  Mmm... so that's good.

But there's more than just the 'back into the earth' benefit of prunings.  I found they're good to keep chooks off certain areas.  For example, there's self sewn melon/pumpkin plants coming up under the apples and the peach/plum/avacado/ area.  Usually in their scratching efforts (we have almost zero weed issues out the back thanks to the girls) they accidentally kick up the plant, exposing the roots and it dies.