To clean old flower pots

To clean up grimy flower pots, soak them in a solution of 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts cold water for up to an hour, then wash with soap and water before using.

Turning dough into free seeds

Thousands of packets of free organic vegetable seed are being made available to gardens at schools, kindergartens and kohanga reo across the country by Paraparaumu’s award winning Purebread.

For more information go to Get Kids Growing with Organic Seeds

Saving water in your garden

Save water this summer by watering your plants deeply but less often.  This process encourages your plants to develop deep, drought-resistant root systems. Read more

Garden irrigation

Many people have to cope with water restrictions at the very time their garden needs water to keep the plants growing. Here are some ways you can manage your garden watering so your plants survive dry spells of hot summer weather.

Empty plastic soft drink bottles

Remove the top and cut the bottom off the bottle and bury the narrow neck of the bottle near the plant you want to water. Fill the bottle with water and leave it to drip water to your plant. Check every few days and refill when empty

Timers

Purchase a timer to attach to your tap then attach you hose and sprinkler. You can then turn the water on for a set time (say 30 minutes) and know it will be turned off at the end of that time.  (Your local council will be delighted that you didn’t leave a sprinkler running all night!!)

Leaky hose

Yes – you read that correctly.  Leaky (or soaker)  hose is a special form of environmentally friendly watering system using hose made from recycled rubber.  This works best in lengths less than 15 metres. Lay the leaky hose on the surface of your garden. You can lay it in a straight line or snake it around so it goes close to the plants you want to keep damp. Keep the hose 2-3 cm away from the base of your plants.

Cover the soaker hoses with mulch after they are in place.

When the soaker hose is in place, connect it to the garden tap with a solid hose and turn the tap on just a little bit.  You will need to work out how much water to use when you see how quickly (or not) the earth gets damp.  It will depend on your water pressure and the nature of your soil.

Before winter, remove the soaker hose, wash the outside and flush out the inside to remove any bits of soil. Store it indoors.

Tie up your plants

Cut strips from old pantyhose to use as plant ties in the garden.

Tie firmly but not too tightly and the plant stems will not get damaged by the ties.

Next Page »