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PAKU VIEWS
ISSUE 5 SPRING 2012
Soil Preparation
Sandy soil is very free draining but not very fertile. That
is why compost is all important for a healthy garden–it
improves moisture retention and helps aerate the soil.
How much? A spade of compost per square metre will
greatly improve soil quality. Well rotted animal manure
or sheep pellets are a gentle source of nutrients and
condition the soil.
Cow and horse manure can be used to make organic
liquid fertilisers that boost and support growing plants,
especially 'gross feeders' such as celery and tomatoes
(see below for nutritious plant "teas").
Spring Seeds and Seedlings
As the weather warms, so does the soil, and all activity
in the garden starts to speed up. Reduce stress on young
seedlings by ensuring they're well-watered and weed-
free, and cover if there is a chance of frost. Mulching will
help retain moisture, and keep weeds to a minimum.
If you don’t have strawberry plants already growing, get
some in as quickly as possible. Spring is also a good time
to plant fruit and citrus trees as well as passionfruit vines
and rhubarb.
Protecting those Plants
Battle those slugs and snails with nightly patrols, or
place a saucer or jar lid filled with beer at ground level.
It’s a “not-so-happy-hour” for these trapped gastropods.
Control caterpillars by picking them off by hand.
Make mini-glasshouses. Cut the bottom off clear plastic
bottles, remove the cap, and push bottle into the ground
over each seedling to shelter them from the wind and
cold, and also protect them from birds and pests. Remove
once the plant starts to fill the inside of the bottle.
Flowers to Please and Protect
Planting flowers in spring will attract important pest
predators such as hoverflies, whose larvae munch on
aphids. Flowers, especially blue ones such as phacelia,
lavender and borage are reliable for attracting bees to
pollinate your plants. Nasturtiums and French marigolds
both act as gatekeepers growing around your garden as
well as deterring weeds and aphids. Most insecticides
kill indiscriminately so it’s best to avoid using them if you
can. Kill bugs by hand or use Neem oil. Even better attract
more birds to your garden.
You don’t need many flowers for a big impact; self-
seeding annuals like cosmos, love-in-a-mist and
cornflowers reliably deliver masses of colour. Flowering
annuals–poppy, alyssum, statice, marigolds or
sunflowers can be planted straight into the ground.
Hanging baskets and flowers in terracotta pots will need
constant watering over summer so put them near your
kitchen so you can use waste water, placing another pot
beneath them to catch run-off.
Plant plenty of aromatic annual herbs such as sage,
coriander, basil or dill around the garden. Allowing
perennial herbs like parsley and chervil to go to seed
means you’ll get fresh sources of flavoursome foliage
popping up.
Making Liquid Fertilisers
Manure Tea. (Tea for poo, and poo for tea... hehe)
Simply add a few handfuls of manure (or compost) to a
bucket of water and stir well; keep adding manure until
the mixture is the colour of weak tea. Apply straight away
to the root area; tea made with fresh manure may be too
“hot” for spraying on foliage.
Fresh grass clippings, rinsed seaweed (to remove salt),
and comfrey (a fast-growing potassium and phosphate-
rich herb) also make nutritious plant “teas”. Fill the
bottom third of a bucket with the plant matter, top up to
three-quarters full with fresh water, and stir. Dilute to the
colour of weak tea and apply as a foliage spray early in
the morning or on an overcast day. Keep adding water to
the pulp and use as long as the liquid is the color of weak
tea. Throw sludge onto the compost pile or directly on
garden beds as mulch.
In a rental or no space for a garden? Many vegetables can
be easily grown in containers and some have specifically
been bred to grow well in smaller spaces. A window
sill, deck, or doorstep can provide sufficient space for a
productive container garden. Check online or pop in to see
Eleanor for gardening tips and everything you’ll need to
get started.
Since buying Pauanui Garden & Art in 2010, Eleanor Kern,
accountant turned dirt-lover, has completed a certificate
in Home Garden Design with Unitec, and is continuing
her studies for another two years to earn a diploma in
Landscape Design. Husband Jon is finishing a year-long
course in Organic Horticulture through AGNZ.
“We are using this knowledge to enhance the garden
center and promote organic methods and products.
We now also grow several organic crops we hope to sell
at market”.
Visit
or ring 864 9044 (see ad p25).
Kiwi spring lasts from September to November. Once the danger of frosts has passed and
your soil is reasonably dry and crumbly, it’s safe to get digging. Many say Labour Weekend is
the best time to plant the bulk of your garden–but don’t plant everything at once–successive
plantings throughout spring will ensure a continuous supply of vegetables.
Garden Makeovers
Landscaping
specialising in all �mber work,
landscape design & plan�ng
Tracey Salkeld (Dip. Hort.)
Sam Salkeld (DaHT)
07 864 7820 • 021 240 4437
by Eleanor Kern
Photos by Heidi Turner of her organic garden on Paku.
THAMES VALLEY
- Show Room 90B Kopu Rd, Kopu
Consultations by Appointment
ph 07 868 6377