Category Archives: Gardening

28
Jul

P Medland, Marton.

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Re-use old tyres available for free on Trademe to plant trees in if you have waterlogged soil. Cut the centre out using a short bladed strong knife. The roots love the warmth and seem to grow well. I use 4wd tyres that have fairly soft rubber easier to cut. You stack two tyres on each […]

28
Jul

G.B.

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If planting large seeds like beans, use the inners of toilet rolls, part fill with seed mix, put in the seed and top up. You can get about 12 of these to stand up in an ice cream container. And in due course plant out the whole tube. No transplant shock. The cardboard will rot […]

28
Jul

K.S., Morrinsville.

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Go to an organic shop. Purchase lentils, chick peas, haricot beans (navy) etc and come home and pop them in punnets. They will grow for you, Plant them in the garden as normal and harvest when ready.

28
Jul

M.T., Dunedin.

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Recycling milk cartons are great for potting up seedlings. Cut in half with knife, trim bottom corners with scissors for drainage. Ready to go, Plants should be removed when ready to plant as plastic coating doesn’t breakdown.

28
Jul

Keen as Mustard, Rural Palmerston North.

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Being a “keen as mustard” type of Oily Ragger I decided to build a large raised garden in the paddock next to the house with enough room, I thought, to grow enough veges to feed an army, to lower the food bill and generate some nature time and of course a great excuse to get […]

28
Jul

Trixie, Christchurch.

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Making a seed propagator is quite easy, any container with drainage. Just sow seeds, water and bend some wire in a hoop, then cover with gladwrap. This should act like a mini glasshouse.

28
Jul

A Hume, Wairoa.

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My husband is growing ALL our garden veges from seed. He has found a useful way of using 2 litre milk bottles as seedling pots. He cuts it halfway up, fills the bottom with soil, then cuts the top into 4 divider slots & slots them in. We use every container, yoghurt pottle, plastic bottle, […]

28
Jul

K.O., Mahia.

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Seed propagating kits from retailers are so expensive, and you can easily make your own. Save flat, shallow plastic trays (the black plastic trays used to sell sausages and mince in are perfect) to use for the base/saucer. Grab an old cardboard egg tray (the ones that hold 30 eggs) and cut it to the […]

28
Jul

Diesil Den, Christchurch.

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A lot people have trouble getting parsnip seed to strike. The secret is after you have put in the fertiliser and sown the seed in the row pour boiling water over the seed. I know someone who always had trouble getting parsnips to strike I told him of this method, and he has had success […]