G'day Everyone, thanks a ton for your support! I know I haven't been posting a lot lately but be assured I have plenty of videos coming and our garden has never looked better so I want to show it off lol... Also, for those who I may not have replied to in my last video on Scooter thank you for your kind words of sympathy and condolences - you really are an awesome "bunch" here on KZread and your support helps me and my family immensely. Cheers :)

@reppyboi

11 ай бұрын

😅

@chelseekpeace

11 ай бұрын

We miss you! ❤ Glad to have you back Mark!

@skittlesrainbowprincess

11 ай бұрын

Good to see you! You have been missed but life happens and you have to take care of yourself and your family. I have been looking at dwarf banana trees (since I live in snow country) that I can grow outside in summer and bring inside. Not sure what variety to choose.

@f-stoprentals

11 ай бұрын

DO you burn any material to get potash?

@Uzzgub

11 ай бұрын

A Interaction for the Interaction God, a Comment for the Comment Throne, for the Almighty Algorithm

Bear, I’m a veteran (USMC) and was in Vietnam. I don’t get out and about much so I started gardening. It has been extremely helpful for my PTSD and I want to thank you for what you do for a lot of people.

@adam_1144

11 ай бұрын

Thank you for your service.

@patriciatinkey2677

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for your service, & good wishes in dealing with the ongoing fallout from that same service. 🙏 Respect to you, & good wishes for good harvests! 🍀

@ulrichenevoldsen8371

11 ай бұрын

Gardening is very healthy and helpful for people with PTSD. It has helped me a lot too. Slows the brain right down and it's nice to get grounded 😊

@troy97523

11 ай бұрын

Same here Afghanistan 03 and this is how I would rather spend my time than deal with people

@cyn4rest

11 ай бұрын

Thank you for your service! ❤

Hi Mark, I'm 16 and live in perth, starting a small orchard on my family's 1 acre property - so far, orange, mandarin, apricot, nectarine, and soon plum, apple, and some mulberries (white & black) which I grew from cuttings. Thanks for making these videos! Maybe I'll get some dwarf bananas to... 🍌 🌱 👍

@TheKrispyfort

11 ай бұрын

Mulberry pies 🤤 Well done young person 👍 Try mushroom growing, too 🧑‍🔬🧑‍🌾

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

You are getting a good collection of fruit trees already! The good thing about starting food gardening, when you're young, is having so much time to try so many wonderful crops! All the best :)

@AwesomeFish12

11 ай бұрын

Good luck. Growing your own fruit is one of the best hobbies to have.

@rhysdehaan

11 ай бұрын

@@Selfsufficientme thank you, for the reply!

@kathrynbillinghurst188

11 ай бұрын

Great to hear that ✌️🌱Happy Orcharding!!!🥳

I have 4 of the round Birdies garden beds in my small yard. I started gardening in 2020 with just some pots and a bunch of seeds. As someone with a bad back and 50 , those high round ones are perfect. I managed to turn a hardly used space into a very rewarding and money saving hobby. Not to mention better tasting produce. If I can do it anyone can. I was very lucky to come across your channel very early and I've learnt so much. Thanks Mark and cheers from Northern NSW Australia.

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

Great to hear Kathy! I'm the same... If it wasn't for raised beds I doubt that I could continue to garden. All the best and may you grow a ton! Cheers :)

@ewok-breath

11 ай бұрын

​@Selfsufficientme this size sounds perfect for me. Any tips on how to keep the possums out please?

Absolutely love watching your videos with my son and you prompted us to start gardening. Thanks Mark

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

Awesome to hear that you are gardening with your son! Cool bananas :)

@krissifaith6709

11 ай бұрын

Omg, read this in your voice with accent. Lol

We’ll definitely be planting dwarf bananas this year. Hubby fell from about 6 feet up and landed horizontally on his side. It must have been the flat landing and grass underneath that saved him. He’s 68 and by some miracle, didn’t break anything, barely a visible bruise but he could hardly walk for days. It really is dangerous. The bananas are heavy, nothing to hold on to and so easy to over balance. To add insult to injury our son refused to eat any of the “Bananas of Death”. 😂😂😂

@Isaac-ho8gh

11 ай бұрын

Jesus.. I'm surprised your husband's okay considering that height of the fall and that ladders are much more dangerous than many people think lol

@loupurvis3148

11 ай бұрын

@@Isaac-ho8gh it really was a miracle. He was so winded, I was sure he had broken ribs and punctured a lung. Our 13 year old saw the whole thing, but reckons the worst part was me screaming at him to run and call an ambulance! Plus I guess, being taunted by the bananas hanging on the back deck for a fortnight! 🙄

@Isaac-ho8gh

11 ай бұрын

@@loupurvis3148 Fair enough.

@Astaroth73

11 ай бұрын

​@@loupurvis3148mate, I tell you what. I'm not trying to sounds rude here but as an Indonesian I find it hilarious right now that people actually climb a banana tree. Ma'am, you should just cut the banana tree like you'd do an oak tree, that's how we do it in indonesia. I tell you this so your husband doesn't fell down next time he wanna try harvesting banana again

@loupurvis3148

10 ай бұрын

@@Astaroth73 I’m sure you’re not being rude. 😂 It’s a bit of a long story but we don’t actually climb the banana tree! He was on an A-Frame ladder next to it. Yep, we should have just cut it down but these were actually our neighbour’s bunch hanging over into our yard. They’re away on extended holiday and they told us to take the bananas when they ripened rather than let the bats get them. We couldn’t actually get at the base of the tree. Serves us right for (not really) “stealing” bananas! 😂

If you’re still in the market for dwarf varieties, I highly recommend Dwarf Namwah. It’s a very vigorous grower, cold hardy (seen reports in forums of growers not even losing the pseudostem in 18F temperatures), and wind resistant. And it produces large bunches of delicious bananas for its size (usually fruits around 6-8 ft tall). Grand Nain is another great one. Produces massive bunches of grocery store size bananas on a thick wind-resistant 6-10 ft pseudostem, and it’s probably the most vigorous grower of all fruiting bananas. Not quite as cold hardy as the Namwah but it grows so fast that with a little frost protection during a cold snap it will recover.

@0anant0

7 ай бұрын

Dwarf Namwah is called Ducasse in Australia. I think its also called Pisang Awak.

Banana’s waste make the greatest composting material ever. They bring great humidity and lots of nutrients. Great video.

In southern Michigan, where we get real winter, I put in Japanese Fiber Bananas (musa basjoo) 10 years ago and it grows into a really cool, tropical monster every summer and dies all the way back to the ground in the fall. You have to plant them next to the house for some root warmth in winter. Clean up on Saint Patrick's Day is a bear (you have to also leave the dead stuff over winter to further protect the roots). It does not produce bananas but the big leaves are great for wrapping meat and vegetables for the grill.

The new growing area looks great Mark! Interesting to learn about the super-dwarf banana trees. I wonder whether we can get them over here (I'm off to find out!).

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

Hi Liz!!! I could imagine growing super-dwarf bananas even in colder climates in a small hot house or indoors over winter etc. Hopefully the "banana technology" comes your way! Cheers :)

@rosemaryogilvie6842

11 ай бұрын

I think they are available, pretty sure Lucy from She Grows Veg has one, not sure if in her jungle room or greenhouse.

If you are going to grow raspberries, make sure to get thornless ones! I didn't because I thought the thorns wouldn't be that much of an issue, but raspberries spread like a weed. The thorns make it extra hard to pull up or to rake over, and they will tangle any machines you try to use on them. Save the time and effort and get thornless.

Thanks, Mark 👍 My garden started a few years ago; early spring, 2230h, small trowel, hard soil, sack of chitted spuds, tears of determination - soon tada! PTS potatoes. Saved my life. Now I've got an interesting mix of vegies growing over a much larger area. I seed save. I experiment. When I have the energy for it, it's an absolute joy. I still can't figure out how strawberries got in there though 🤔 If my plants start bolting, I just let them. The open air pollination has yielded interesting results

@patriciatinkey2677

11 ай бұрын

Sounds great! 🍀

Hi Mark, I love your show. I'm from Canada. I have raised garden beds. My husband and I are building them from old grain bins. I wish we could grow the fruit that you can grow. It will be great if our orchard will take off. I have planted pears, apples, cherries, and plums. Must all be hardy for zone 2 or possibly 3. Keep up the videos.

Gwen Stefani had a song about this stuff.

Thank you for answering the question of your title right at the front of the video for people who just want to learn. Its refreshing to have someone on KZread that respects their audience.

Have no plans to grow any bananas and still enjoy and appreciate your content. Thank you Mark.

It brings me joy seeing a new SSM video pop-up in my Subscriptions list. Happy to see you in better spirits in this video and thank you for letting us see into your gardening life through these videos. It’s a great motivation for all of us!

Thank you! My only banana plant got taken out by the hurricane and I really want to plant a few more.

Wish I had that kind of space to grow plants. At least I can live vicariously through you. I look forward to seeing what you do with the space. Cheers Mark and all the best.

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

Thanks Kyle! All the best :)

Hey mark, from Texas and your videos have pushed me into starting my own garden next spring. was already raising chickens and ducks. I’ve been taking notes and watching your videos past few months , the info and tips you give are much appreciated. keep it up brotha 👍 and thanks for what you do.

I aspire to be like this family.. Here in the USA, also a Banana Republic.. I just love this so much

Hi Mark, just something to tell you :), you didn't have to 'bag' the bananas, you could chop them down instead when they have reached the appropriate size and leave them on room temperature to ripen. This way, you can prevent birds and animals from chewing on them. Nevertheless, great vid!! Hope this helps!😃

That last little bare spot would be a great spot for a good sized row of raspberries or blackberries even without a raised bed they don't take much work after planting just a pruning once a year

My family has been growing a dwarf cavandish type banana for more then 60 years, their is a stand of them at my sisters that has been in the same spot for over 65 years and they still produce well. They on get about 2 metres high maximum but can still have a 30 kg seven hand bunch. love your channels👍

@carolinereynolds2032

11 ай бұрын

Good to know the fruit yield is still substantial. I'm older than Mark and still get up that ladder but I know I shouldn't. An accident waiting to happen.

That is quite the transformation! Can't wait to see what you grow in the new area, and how your bananas transition to the dwarf varieties. Your prior videos convinced me to go dwarf, so I never have to get on anything higher than a step stool for banana maintenance. Thank you!

Wow, it looks so neat and clean with the new beds there, filled to the top! Can't wait to see what you grow there! Have a great week, Mark!

It’s great to see how your garden is developing over the years. Thanks for the update. Be well, Sally 🌹

Nice work. Having a fresh area is exciting. All clean and ready to go. Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us. Cheers

I was already planning on getting dwarf bananas and even had the varieties picked out, but this vid has still been very useful. Thanks Mark!

I thought that I pulled out one of my "dead" banana plants, and now I have 3-4 suckers regrowing inplace. You beauty!

A whole new area to grow in! How exciting. Please keep us updated on the dwarf bananas.

10:17 you could build a bigger trellising tunnel, maybe partly filled with roses/beans/peas or more gourds :D

We live in the Shoalhaven area and noticed a few homes near us growing bananas. I wasn't aware you could get dwarf banana trees so we will definitely give them a go as we are in our 60's :-D

I would love to see you make a video on how to plant a garden for the wildlife. Just a little section for them. I know you share some of your plants with them.

Nice project, have fun with the new grow space!

Mark seems like such a sweet funny guy. i really find it comforting to leave him talking in the background when i clean and drink coffee :3

Having such a piece of land is so awesome. Many thanks for sharing (: One Love! Always forward, never ever backward!! ☀☀☀ 💚💛❤ 🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼

"Hi, I'm Mark from Self Sufficient Me and I'm the king od dad jokes" Love your videos 🎉

I always get the tall ones because I like having extra banana biomass to feed my soil. But I'm sure when I'm older and already have gold soil I'll want the smaller ones too.

Thanks Mark, I am a little late to this video. We have just done a similar thing in our garden with a revamp. Our bananas were covered with some very inexpensive greenhouses over winter. Now that we are in the hot summer months they are booming. They were planted last September, so only a year in, and we planted a variety with one being the dwarf version. Looking forward to seeing how they do. Cheers

I won't be growing any banana plants up here in Canada, lol. But. I love watching you're videos for gardening tips and tricks. Thank you Mark.

@Tangobutton

11 ай бұрын

Sure you can! The tree, anyway. For the pretty plant, not the fruits. See my other comment.

@jramsay100

11 ай бұрын

@@Tangobutton Thanks for your input. I found your other comment. But, I have no space for pretty plants that do not produce.

Love my dwarf apple and cherry trees for the same reasons.

awesome Mark, thanks for another video ! - I'm really looking forward to seeing how the hugelkultur bed goes :)

My Atherton Raspberry has grown well in SEQ. Daleys nursery also sell a thornless variety of native Australian raspberry. Mine is just starting to fruit. I have collected the fruit in the freezer over time and then made jam. Obviously all my native Australian raspberries are grown in large containers as they can go feral.

I bought my first birdies raised beds for putting up this fall. Your new garden space looks amazing

I really like the open space in this remodeled garden area. I gota' admit to a fair amount of garden envy.

Not sure if you've heard about this over in Australia, but here in the US the USDA is "asking" people to register their gardens. Nothing good comes from the government getting involved in private individual's lives. No idea what their end goal is, but it can't be good. Keep up the great videos, best of luck to you.

@AwesomeFish12

11 ай бұрын

Bizarre.

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

Yes, I have heard about this, and I'm keeping an ear open to any new developments. All I will say is - government, get out of my life... All the best :)

@servantofgod5642

11 ай бұрын

The goal is to keep track of those who can feed themselves, (and others) which threatens the deep state by allowing dissidents to resist the new world order.

@Tangobutton

11 ай бұрын

That would be weird if it were true. But this is about collaborative, community gardens, which are a terrific way to foster love of humanity and teach others how to grow their own food. Working together to help each other is the basis of humanity itself. fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Texas/news-releases/2022/usda-opens-peoples-garden-initiative-nationwide

@JimMooney-yg6cd

7 ай бұрын

The Government wants to track and control you…. If they know you have a way to grow food to live. The Government doesn’t want that. Why do you think Bill Gates is buying up as much land as he can as fast as Bill Gates can? “To Control food”… Don’t tell them anything about your life… Nothing to do with community garden- don’t fall for that lie…..

The new beds & topsoil look very good indeed. You get to kinda know when soil looks “right.” Have fun!

RIP Scooter. So happy to see another video coming from you my man. I feel like you've taken a step back in the last year producing videos to take a giant leap forward. Can't wait to see what's to come!

You’re the best. Always nice to learn from your videos. Thx 😊

I got to say I've been watching your channel for years and it's always a pleasure

Hi Mr. Mark, I like your efforts a lots of gardening for food and products techniques please keep going for.😊

I can't even grow bananas where I live but I watched the whole video! Mark's videos are just fun to watch.

Great video as always. I have 4 hugelkultur raised beds. I just love this technique it worked great for me.

I'm so jealous!!!your garden is awesome I told my husband I'm telling my children I want raised beds for Christmas

One of the best garden channels! You Rock!

Excellent as always Mark, thoroughly enjoyed this video 👍👍🇦🇺🇬🇧

G'day Mark. Love this new area and how you set it up. It's a dream of mine to have Birdies beds here one day. Absolutely get what you are saying about the bananas. I bought 2 bananas last year to try to grow here in Northern Victoria, but the more research I did, the more I was put off by the maintenance and I'm now 54. 2 months ago, I bought dwarf 'Nathan' bananas for large pots and they will be a lot easier to maintain, protect from frost etc... The 2 big ones will be given away now. Enjoyed the video as always and enjoy that new space and garden beds. Looking forward to seeing them growing all kinds of stuff. Take care. Daz.

Looking forward to the upcoming videos. And I liked your theory on packing down the lower soil base of the beds. I to did this with a couple of my raised beds and it really seemed to help from soil leakage in my blocked beds. It also helped to retain moisture better because I wasn't having to water the beds as much.

Thank you for sharing this video and information!

There but one word to describe this video lecture. Brilliant!

In my experience with dwarf banana plants, I have to use a different judgement for when they are ready to eat. When getting grocery store bananas, it a little green and mostly yellow for purchase. When it's my backyard dwarfs, it's very little yellow and mostly green when ready to eat. I have to cut the entire bunch off or the animals will get them first....and this is in the city of South Florida, USA.👍

Good 2 see you back Mark sorry 4 your loss 🐕 Les from Perth WA 👍👍👍

Tks bro nice watching its good to have this tip of knowledge clean and pretty good ❤

New raised beds, how eggciting. I'm putting new beds in too. Planning on 3 new raised beds, by the end of October. Can't wait to see what you put those new beds to good use. Blessings from South Australia.❤

Central Queensland here ,a little tip that works to keep flying fox away. i cut up 3 metre lengths of 50 mm ag pipe gave it a very rough paint job to look like a carpet snake and put them in my fruit trees ,works well.

Bananas are a great food! And inexpensive, despite inflation, in stores here in the US. Hope you are staying cool. My son is in Darwin right now doing "something" with the RAAF. Cheers Mark!

Hi i watch you in Poland and we don't plant bananas here. But i watch every episode with pleasure. You are very hardworking and really nice❤ 👍😁 

@Selfsufficientme

11 ай бұрын

G'day and thank you for watching regardless! I would love to visit Poland one day (I will for sure). Thanks again and all the best with whatever you are growing in beautiful Poland :)👍

@luna-peace

11 ай бұрын

❤️

You make me feel lucky to be growing bananas in north Florida. I have to grow short cycle bananas because we have frost, but nothing really bothers them. Raccoons can learn that bananas are food, but the ones out in the country never do. Very minor insect damage is all I ever get. Short cycle types don't get very tall either.

Your dad jokes inspire me. Your video quality and content is exceptional. Cheers from Oklahoma!

Great information! Thanks so much!

Amazing work. I love it. GOD Bless 🙏🙏❤ from Fiji.

I was looking at those tall round beds. I don't think Erick has those yet. I didn't see them. But, yes, those caught my eye for sure!

That was a great video, appreciate every explanations and of course your work- Australia is amazing ! Thank you, love it !🍀💚🙏

RIght! I only grow dwarf bananas in containers in my apartment back yard. Yes, Cavendish Dwarf bananas are so easy to grow and get "full size" bananas. In containers you can move them inside to a greenhouse, garage, poarch... in bad weather or from animals. It just takes about two years to start seeing fruit.

We were lucky to buy a home with an established grove of dwarf cavendish bananas. We love them, the bunches are only about 1.5 to 2 meters off the ground.

I have a lot of banana trees here in TN the bananas don't ever get ripe but I like watching how big the trees get

I’m in coastal central Florida and grow dwarf cavendish bananas in the ground. I can just reach up a bit to access the pod/bananas. Bagging is so easy.

I have no problem letting the bananas drop to the ground . Some might fall off but usually fine. Just use a cassowary cutter on the end of the bamboo pole. Trims the dead leafs well too

New garden area looks amazing! Very smart. You know I thought I’d lost my lil Dwarf Cavandish last winter here in Texas. And it didn’t get that cold, but it was in the ground instead of a bed. Thankfully it came back but it’s like it’s starting over again. As soon as we get a few days less than 100-105 deg Fahrenheit, I’m going to replant her in a good sized raised bed. Then I can protect her better next winter.

Great video! I sincerely wish I had packed my lesser quality soil and wood and branches down like you demonstrated. I keep adding soil and more soil. But it has been such a joy to work in the raised beds! That center area would be great for grow bags too!

Great video. Been watching for 5 years and am now retired for 4 years. I hear you on the ladder climbing aspect of aging. I spent 40 years in union construction trades as a welder and have absolutely no desire to ever climb a ladder again.I also use the hugelculture method in my raised beds and have yet to see an appreciable drop in volume year to year, some replenishing but not a lot; takes a long time for logs under the surface to break down.

Just beautiful. Thank you. 👍

Love the content Mark! Keep it uo matey :)

Nice...I love to add something new each year.

Thanks for the information, I was looking at my banana plants this morning, and wanting to propergate them. 👌🤝👍🌟✨️

I really dislike eating bananas, but I really enjoy watching your videos. Thank you for posting them.

I live in Pennsylvania and have been growing dwarf lady finger bananas in my home for 10 years. Well honestly, I’ve never had very good harvests, but it’s been fun trying.

I really like those round planters. I recently started a above ground banana garden. 8×4×2 and hoping it does well.

Wish I'd seen this before planting my regular sized banana. I will definitely look into drawf varieties now. Looking forward to seeing how all of yours does!

@kissmevodka

11 ай бұрын

Same! I have 3 'regular' banana trees in the ground and recently picked up a dwarf banana from Bunnings - just to compare. Already thinking the dwarf bananas would have been a better choice! Ah well, we live and learn. 😊

Brilliant work

Hi, I put in two nice size high tunnel greenhouses in and I used your method on fillers for them. Jessie from Arkansas USA

Looks awesome! Looking forward to seeing more videos. God bless

I love the new garden beds.

Thank you very much, I will now look for the Little banana trees , I don’t like climbing much higher than a chair -lol.😊

Hi Mark, Ive been watching you for a while now (not, like, stalking or anything :) ) And you have inspired me to start my own veg and fruit garden. So far Ive planted two apples, pear and nashi plus blueberries and a Myer lemon. We have 3/4 of an acre of clay (poor me). My husband John and I are both former members of the Australian Army . My husband also had a parachute incident which almost destroyed his back but he is a tough bugga much like you. Anyway, thank you so much for the content, look forward to seeing lots more in the future. Soldier on

Nice to see you still thriving! We have one of your hoodies and fight over who wears it 😂 I'll have to order another!

Looking great mate 😊👍👍👍😊

Looking good, Mark❤

Thank god you posted a video with all the negative stuff on the internet i needed this ❤