ROSEMARY Rosmarinus officinalis “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance” – Shakespeare, (Hamlet) This had to be the herb for the 50th Anniversary of the Canterbury Herb Society. Native to the Mediterranean and Asia, the Latin name Rosmarinus translates as “dew of the sea” due not only to its native habitat but the dew like blossoms seen at a … Read More
December is the real start of Summer and after a very changeable Spring we look forward to a more settled and warmer time. Overall Spring has been a good growing season and as a result there has been a good set of both stone and pip. Because of this there is a need to thin out the developing fruit so that the size and quality of the crop is achieved.
The planting of Summer annuals needs to be completed and with the possibility of water restrictions mulching in as much of the garden areas as possible should be done to help retain soil moisture.
November for me is the busiest time of the growing season with much to do and plenty to enjoy.
The weather is as expected in the Spring, changeable but showing signs as predicted, trending towards dryer than average, slightly warmer and sunny. This makes the season earlier so the need to mulch around the garden to help retain moisture becomes important.
In October’s meeting Alan Jolliffe shared a new product which helps to prevent Codling Moth on apple trees. ‘Bird Proof’, is a non-toxic, tacky repellent gel which can be used to form a repellent band on the tree-trunk which lasts for several seasons.
Peter Saunders provided the third instalment of A Visual Guide to Gardening through the Year complete with a slide-show. His tomatoes in the tunnel house are now flowering. He uses trickle irrigation to ensure water gets to the roots and not the weeds. This also prevents an overly humid atmosphere which can encourage fungal diseases.
What is Frankincense? Frankincense is the aromatic resin used in incense and perfume obtained from five trees in the genus Boswellia. The Frankincense or Olibanum trees have a papery bark, sparse branches, paired leaves and white flowers with yellow or red centres. They are native to the arid stony dry lands of the Arabian Peninsula … Read More
June has been a very frustrating month in the garden with little sun and plenty of rain and drizzle. Because of these conditions I have done little in the outside garden but have spent time in the greenhouses doing maintenance and sorting out plants that are past their best.
This weather pattern looks as though it may continue for some time so we will have to wait until we get some good sunny days for that outside work. There is no need to worry as there is still plenty of Winter to come to get those outside tasks completed.
Puarangi – Native Hibiscus Hibiscus trionum Puarangi, a short lived perennial, was considered to be a native plant but more recently considered to be of African origin, possible brought here by the Maori. Here in the cool South Island it is better treated as an annual. H. trionum grows to 50 – 80 cms high … Read More
The Electric garden – Empowering Youth to Reconnect with the Environment
At this month’s All About Gardening meeting Electric Garden founders Michael Trengrove and Matt Scott will discuss the future role of teaching digital technologies through nature and the ethics and philosophy when combining technology with the environment.
June has been a very frustrating month in the garden with little sun and plenty of rain and drizzle. Because of these conditions I have done little in the outside garden but have spent time in the greenhouses doing maintenance and sorting out plants that are past their best.
This weather pattern looks as though it may continue for some time so we will have to wait until we get some good sunny days for that outside work. There is no need to worry as there is still plenty of Winter to come to get those outside tasks completed.
How to Sow Swan Plants from Seed One of the best ways to make sure you have enough swan plants on hand to feed all those hungry munching Monarch caterpillars is to do a little planning ahead, and grow your own seeds. Plus, swan plant seedlings can be hard to find later in the growing … Read More