It is Easter Saturday as I write this column, (I normally always write them on a Saturday morning each week) and for the last 3 days I have not watered any of my gardens or container plants – including those in my glasshouse. This is not because we have had lots of rain, in fact […]
Local electricity generation & distribution company, Top Energy has embarked on a multi-million dollar network investment plan aimed at improving reliability, performance and security of electricity supply. The plan includes a $4.4 million, automation programme which is nearing completion, a $2m programme to reduce the effects of lightning strikes, a 3-year, $9 million vegetation control […]
These days, it’s a rare kid that chooses the fruit bowl over the pantry. Nostalgic tales from the ‘olden days’ of apples nicked from a neighbour’s tree, for them, seem hard to fathom. But today as always, stolen or not, the mouth-watering crunch of a freshly picked apple just can’t be compared to the one […]
Autumn is a great time to plant a new garden, but for those of us averse to digging, the hardest part can be getting started. Spadework is at its most off-putting where heavy soil is hard to dig, let alone being conducive to healthy plant growth. Poor soils, both heavy and light, can be renovated […]
When there is a drought it is a reminder of the importance of water conservation in the garden. Finishing off every planting project with a layer of organic mulch is the best investment you can make towards the future drought tolerance of your garden. A blanket of slowly decaying organic matter both protects the soil […]
Stress in plants is very similar to stress in people. When we are under stress our immune systems are weakened and we are more likely to catch colds and have other health issues. Stress in humans comes with side effects, such as being unable to get a good night’s sleep; rushed meals or fast foods […]
March is the first calendar month of autumn and a great time to garden. We are about two months past the longest day and just about four months before the shortest day, and one can certainly notice the shortening hours of daylight. This time of the year brings the autumn rain which a number of areas […]
Hawke’s Bay to host New Zealand Soil Carbon Conference The international spotlight will be on Hawke’s Bay when the NZ Soil Carbon Conference is held in Napier in June. Featuring international experts, renowned scientists and industry leaders, the three day conference will focus on the reality of climate change, biological farming and the huge global […]
