We have received a great letter from Karen in Northland who has worms, well, we mean keeps worms, in her garden, to make compost and liquid fertiliser for the vege patch. Karen says it’s much better than putting kitchen scraps into the compost bin because the worms do the work and the by-product is much […]
Bev has responded to last week’s column about fire ash as a garden fertiliser. “There are a couple of kitchen waste products that are also good fertilisers for the garden. Egg shells are high in calcium so do the same job as lime. I store the shells for a week then bake them for about […]
Anita says she loves winter fires. “We use our freestanding wood fire to slow-cook winter meals in our cast iron pot. The bonus is we save on electricity, and we have ash from the stove to put on the garden”. Using wood ash is a very good oily rag trick. Spreading ash onto plants gives […]
Don’t throw away your plastic milk bottles. When they are empty fill with cold water. Place lid on and shake. There is a good milky residue. Use the contents to water your pot plants. It acts like a pick me up. My African daises thrive as do my many other indoor plants. It saves you […]
Instead of buying blood and bone for your garden, get a Fisherman’s heavy duty meat grinder (burly maker) and grind up the bones to use as fertiliser. Dry the bone meal in the oven as you cook your next roast, or just dig it straight in.
I use banana skins (and bulk overripe cheap bananas) to fertilise and mulch roses.
I recycle my urine and use it on lemons, Brassica’s and other plants where you want good leafy growth. [Not a tip that will suit everyone, especially one where the neighbours get a good view of your garden, but for those who have not turned away at the thought, here are some facts to think about: Urine […]