Term 2 Wk1 Eco Action work done

10 native shrubs and trees that feed native birds that also will provide shade planted in front of Ngatahi building under weedmat and barkchip.

Vege garden plan initiated as below for continuous Vegetable supply for a 4 person family. (Vegetables will be donated). (ref Yates Garden Guide 1982 pg 54-55)

Plot 1                                            Plot 2                                              Plot 3

Aug(M) Carrots                      Sept(M) Dwarf Beans            Sept(E) Lettuce

Jan(E) Swedes                         Jan(E) Lettuce                            Dec(E) Cabbage

                                                         Mar(M) Cabbage                      Mar(L) Carrots

Plot 4                                            Plot 5                                              Plot 6

Sept(E) Cabbage                    Oct(L) Cabbage                        Oct(E) Beetroot

Nov(L) Lettuce                        Jan(E) Celery                             Jan (M) Parsnips

Feb(L) Carrots                        May(E)Broadbeans                 May(L)Broadbeans

Plot 7                                                                                                      Plot 8

Over winter Silver beet/beetroot/ spinach                       Oct(E) Carrots

Dec(M) Lettuce                                                                                 Feb(M)Silver beet

Mar(L) Cabbage

Plot 9                                           Plot 10                                         Plot 11

Sept(E) Dwarf beans           Aug(M)Cabbage                     Oct(M) Lettuce

Dec(E) Carrots                      Nov(M)Carrots                        Feb(E) Carrots

May(E) Leeks                          Mar(M)Leeks

Plot 12                                      Plot 13-17                                

Aug(M)Snowpeas               SBHS FOOD TECH

Dec(M)Parsnips

April(M)Cauliflower

Plot 14-18 (After the last frost)  

Nov(E)Tomatoes / Nov(E)Climbing beans Nov(E)Sweetcorn

Nov(E)Pumpkins/ Courgettes

Plot 20-24

Jul(M)Potatoes early crop

Plot 19-23

SBHS FOOD TECH

(E)=Early, (M)=Mid, (L)=Late

Twitch roots removed from Plots 2-6 and 8-12 in vege garden. Soil dug over, lime applied (500g per m2,two handfuls) Plot 1-12.

Newspaper mulch applied to bed 7 to help with weed control but replaced with 2m wide mulch fabric as the risk of flying newspaper around the school too high. Soil, hill and valleyed 50mm up and down. Seedlings planted through holes in the valleys so moisture is directed to their roots.

Plot 10 Plants purchased from Bunnings at $1.44 per punnet of 6. At 50cm apart and 50cm between rows-Cauliflower White Acre, Cabbage Red Acre, Cabbage Savoy Chieftan

Plot 7 Silverbeet at 15cm spacing and 15cm between rows individual plants through holes in mulch. Beetroot and spinach to follow.

Some purchased 6 packs of seedlings had multiple seedlings per clump. These were root washed to ease them apart and planted individually into punnets in glasshouse to grow bigger. One tray of Cylindrical Beetroot for $1.44 yielded 36 plants. Perpetual Spinach, leeks and silverbeet similarly.

Potted up Karaka seedlings kindly donated. Potted on Lemonwood, Maple and Coprosma seedlings.

Term 2 Wk2 Eco Action work done

Vege garden

Plots 9 and 10 Leeks planted through weedmat mulch to prevent weeds.

Plot 3 planted broccolis, red beet and spinach seedlings through weedmat mulch.

Sowed Five finger Pseudopanax laetus seed collected and sown fresh from squashed black fruit into trays in Glasshouse. Constructed hot box to germinate early seedlings and provide bottom-heat for cuttings.

Term 2 Wk3 Eco Action work done

Vege Garden

Harvested carrots, parsnips and spring onions for food donation purpose.

Nursery

Aims to grow genetically suitable native species of tree and shrubs for the new SBHS AGHS school site at QE2 that will provide year round continuous food supplies of nectar and fruit for native birds and lizards as well as increased shade and shelter amenity to the students of both schools in an ecologically and culturally sensitive way.

Potted on Eco Sourced seed from Travis Wetland that has germinated this season.

100 Hoheria angustfolia seedlings that will provide quick growth height and frost protection for Karaka seedlings and other frost intolerant fruit producing natives like five finger Pseudopanax laetus. The bark was used by the early Maori, and also the early European settlers, as a source of fibre, particularly for use as cordage. The timber was used for furniture making.

100 Flax Phormium tenax that provide a good nectar source for specialist nectar feeders like bellbird and tui.

Researched “Six Figure Farming” as validation of planting through weedmat mulch to control weeds. Will implement stale seedbed concept using black polythene. Will experiment with ultrafine insect netting to control white butterfly and potato thrip as an alternative to insecticide sprays as practiced by Urban Gardener. Perhaps his principles could be used as a low capital means of using the Red Zone land resource by entrepreneurial students in the future.

http://www.sixfigurefarmingnztour.com/

http://theurbanfarmer.co/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01hqmFgyVYw