Calcium is a vital element to all life forms on the planet. For us humans it builds and maintains bones and teeth; regulates heart rhythm; helps regulate the passage of nutrients in & out of the cell walls; assists in normal blood clotting; eases insomnia; maintains proper nerve and muscle function; lowers blood pressure; important […]
This hot, dry summer brings many insect pests into our gardens and onto the plants. There are beetles chewing on the foliage at night (often we don’t see what is doing the damage when we inspect during the day, as they are away hiding). Leaf hoppers and whitefly that flit all around when we disturb […]
Sulphur is a basic element of nature and is one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust. Like nitrogen, sulphur is an essential component in the growth of all living things. Sulfur or sulphur (American spelling and English spelling) is the chemical element that has the symbol S and atomic number 16. It […]
It is March already, first month of autumn and only 4 weeks till daylight savings ends. Daylight savings gives us a perception that the days are still long, with a good amount of time in the early evening to do a few jobs outside as well as water. We run by the clock on the […]
Cherry trees in blossom herald the beginning of spring, not only in New Zealand but in many parts of the world. In Japan there is a believable legend that each spring a fairy maiden hovers low in the warm sky, wakening the sleeping Cherry trees to life with her delicate breath. We can divide the […]
A question that I am often asked is about the need to sterilise soil in areas where a crop is grown each year, such as tomatoes or potatoes. The reason that a number of gardeners wish to sterilise the soil in a given area is because they believe that the process will clean up pathogens […]
Nature is never constant, there are ebbs and flows and at times unusual things can happen. Unusual for the observer maybe but just another interesting aspect in the ever changing world of plants and gardens. Last month I received the following email from a gardener; Hi Wally, This season I planted some seeds from a […]
