Monthly Archives: July 2015

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 […]

28
Jul

Alastair, Whangarei.

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Old toilet roll spools. Save them up, cut them in half, pack in a kitty litter tray and fill with seed raising mix. Add your parsnip seeds, one to each roll. When they sprout you can plant out by lifting the toilet roll and transferring to garden bed. Roll breaks down in soil.

28
Jul

Caroline, Wanganui.

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Often our favourite chives die down in the winter and we miss that yummy flavour in our meals. So why not use onion weed instead? It’s a similar but different flavour, yummy yet mild – and prolific in winter. Most people have it in the back yard and treat it as a nuisance weed. Enjoy […]

28
Jul

Penny pinching ways of celebrating funerals

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Funerals. It’s a touchy subject – but let’s just be frank and talk about it earnestly. It seems inescapable, our departure that is, so we must confront the issue at some time, either for ourselves our nearest and dearest. Funerals can be expensive, and while it may seem disrespectful talking about money in times of grief, […]

28
Jul

Reader

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Gran’ would go to a second hand clothes shop and buy two or three knitted garments. She would undo them, wash the wool and rewind into balls, then knit into multi-coloured jerseys. And with the left over wool she would make soft toys. This is far cheaper than buying new wool.

28
Jul

Y.L

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I’ve just finished fixing” a pure wool jumper bought in a jumble sale for $1. It had a very dirty neckline (probably because it had bene knitted too tightly) so I undid several rows and reknitted it on larger needles, discarding the last few inches of wool. Result, a $150 pullover for $1.