Eco Action Work Done
Vegetable Garden
Garden growth has started and broad beans well established. Potatoes planted through mulch 20th September. Pea straw needs to be spread over to prevent late frost damage. The crop cover has been removed but will cover the potatoes to prevent psyllid virus damage occurring which is decimating potato yields in Canterbury.
Nursery
A huge thank you CLS Canterbury Landscape Supplies and in particular director Phil Wylie for helping Shirley Boys High School Eco Action. They have kindly donated their very good quality potting mixes to allow Eco Action to grow healthy, large plants for revegetating the Red Zone.
Seeds harvested from Travis Wetland in the autumn are continuing to germinate with Totara and Kahikatea pushing up. Lost the Koromiko seedlings due to frost but have resown. Potted up swan plant seedlings but little growth and have lost 20% so too early especially given the cool wet weather. Delaying potting up the other 15 species until the seedlings are large enough. Harvested and sowed Lancewood but very poor seed set on trees so difficult seed season this year due to wet weather. Sowed Swan plant seed direct into pots as alternative money earner for later in the year.
350 trees were donated to the annual Travis
Wetland planting day organised by Trees for Canterbury and the CCC. A great way
to get our trees planted and many thanks to all the public who turned up as
well as Trees for Canterbury in allowing us to piggyback their day
Beehive
Opened the hive and found it very healthy with absence of Varoa and no Foul brood. Varoa strips removed in order to do a spot check in four weeks prior to seasonal honey collection beginning. Thanks very much to Chris Hutchinson for his continued support, guidance and expertise.