Term 4 Wk2-4 Eco Action work done

Vegetable Garden

Potato tubers sprouted through mulch so more pea straw added, then topped off with pea straw.

Cabbages not showing white butterfly damage despite seeing some adults so covered bed with bird netting as deterrent has yet to show results.

Carrot seeds planted on tape were very patchy looking as though sections of seed tape had disappeared entirely, perhaps dug up by blackbirds. Peas up, beans up but poor strike.

Broccoli still producing well. Should plant more next year. Red beet, and some cabbages are bolting so disappointing. Planted too late.

Broad beans that were topped seem to have good set. The other plot have been wind blown but are still flowering so will definitely be a better potential total yield.

Planted seeds for later planting

Continued weekly harvest donation to worthy family.

Nursery

Pricked out 40 Kahikatea Dacrycarpus dacrydiodes seedlings. The seeds harvested fresh with fruit capsules attached have not germinated yet. The other seed was washed out and hand picked from the leaf litter under the tree and off the path at Travis. Presumably older seed (last seasons?) about 80% germinated after being sown in April. Sown into 50:50 pumice and bark seed mix.

Pricked out 60 Five finger Pseudopanax arboreus seedlings. Seed collected fresh and rubbed out of fruit germinated at about 40% where whole fruit didn’t germinate well at all.

Collected and sowed Pseudopanax crassifolius/lancewood or horoeka seed. Rubbed out from fruit and now germinating 20 days later in the unheated glasshouse.

Beehive

Number of bees seen on local flowers very low so likely pollination of vegetable and fruit crops also likely to be consequently poor. Beehive delivered to school during October. Bees gone through and checked for Varroa mite and American Foul Brood. None found. Extra box added to allow more space for young brood bee and egg laying by queen. As well as provide honey storage area for the rest of the season. Thanks to Chris Hutchinson.

Pots for Plants Donation Please

Pots especially multi cell vegetable plastic pots for plants would be gratefully accepted at reception.

Wk 5-9 Eco Action work done

Vege garden

Potato tubers growing well pea straw mounded up to enable no dig harvest.

Cabbages much slower growing than the Bok Choi that were both planted on the same day Bok Choi harvested: cabbage only ½ way to mature. (photo)

Carrots re-sown and good strike second time around. Sowed main crop and also parsnips in rows in slots cut in mulch under cloches made easily from stiff wire netting to prevent birds digging the seeds up in search of worms. (photo)

Broccoli more planted as succession. Didn’t realise that they provided three flowerings of heads on the one plant.

Broad beans that were topped have yielded earlier than the others but not distinctly so. The taller ones are more wind thrown and have been surrounded with a string to help keep them upright. That other plot is now producing as well and is likely to keep doing so as is still flowering.

Dwarf beans second sowing up and looking better.

Runner bean seedlings planted and frame built to climb on. Corn seedlings planted.

Planted seeds for later planting. Pumpkin, courgette-yellow/green, beans, corn, silver beet, everlasting spinach. Next year must grow more vege seedlings for both the garden and for sale as they are very popular.

Constructed tomato frame and planted 16 tomatoes. 6 capsicums also.

Planted yellow and green courgettes that were germinated and grown on in the glasshouse. Must do more of that next year. Sold some vege seedlings. Yellow courgettes very popular.

Continued weekly harvest donation the worthy family. (photo)

Nursery

Pricked out 30 Mingimingi Muehlenbeckia astonii. Rare brownish shrub with tangled zig-zagging branches. The survival in the wild of Muehlenbeckia astonii is threatened by lack of regeneration due to competition from exotic grasses, browsing animals and trampling. It is also threatened by loss of its original habitats.

Pricked out 20 Putaputaweta, carpodetus serratus Marble leaf. Bird food from the flowers and fruit. http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/table-1/marble-leaf-putuputuweta.html

Beehive

Number of bees seen on local flowers very high especially the French lavender. Bees observed carrying a lot of pollen into the hive. Went through them to check for queen cells which indicate a propensity to swarm. Drone cells checked for Varoa as they like living on the developing white drone pupa so are more easily seen as they are brown.