Winter 07 Newsletter

Read another story.... Sue's Report The Wastedaq Education projects So I'm a member of Wastebusters... Vege Gardening Guide Composting vs bokashi vs worm farm Worms and that funny word permaculture What's coming up? Wanaka Wastebusters staff-members --------------- Christmas 2008 Spring 2008 Autumn 2008 Christmas 2007 Winter 2007

Veggie Gardening Guide

Greg says keep experimenting, especially as the microclimates (Hawea, Wanaka, AlbertTown) can differ so much. If you have other methods you swear by, then share them with us by emailing gina@wastebusters.co.nz

August

To set up a new bed, first of all look for maximum sun. Nearby trees can be a hassle as they stick their roots in and suck out some of the nutrients, but that can be combatted by feeding the garden as above. If your garden gets the wind, nail some shade cloth to uprights to protect it from the prevalent wind direction.

Greg’s advice for creating a new bed is to get the worms to do the work. That means creating an environment that they’ll enjoy. Layer topsoil, compost (available from Delta next to Wanaka Wastebusters), manure (check for chemical use first), bokashi, any other organic material and straw into a bed with raised sides (made from non-treated wood). Keep it moist. If you grab a handful of organic matter and squeeze it hard, a couple of drops of water should come out.

Keep the bed covered (straw, cardboard, netting) to protect the worms from birds. Worms should find the new bed, but if they’re really scarce in your area, you could import some “compost worms” from Central Wormworx in Cromwell Compost worms should be fine in the garden as long as there is enough organic matter to break down.

www.bestgardening.com have a fantastic article on raised beds.

You can plant tomato seeds indoors in a sunny spot. Keep growing them inside until October.

September

To give yourself lots more options, you can build a cloche (grab some untreated wood from Wastebusters, build a box and staple over some clear plastic).

Once you have your cloche set up, then you can plant spinach, silverbeet, lettuce, beetroot directly into the garden.

Once the plants come up and get their leaves, mulch up to them with straw, peastraw or lucerne.

Also under a cloche, you can plant parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks and onion seeds in seedtrays. Transplant parsley when it’s small, and the others as the weather warms and they get bigger.

For an amazing range of herb, veggie and flower seeds, pop on over to Kings Seeds.

For more on what individual veggies like, Greg recommends Organic Gardening in New Zealand by Richard Llewellyen Hudson, alternatively visit www.bestgardening.com or www.sustainablehouseholds.org.nz

October

The new Farmers Market will be starting soon. It should be a good place to track down some young plants grown locally (if you want to sell plants or produce at the Farmers Market, phone 021 506 985, info@wanakafarmersmarket.org.nz) or visit their web site www.wanakafarmersmarket.org.nz.

The local lore is to plant potatoes and tomatoes on Labour Day, or when the snow is gone from Mt Roy (if it’s a cold spring). Tomatoes do best in a grow-house, but cherry tomatoes will fruit well outside if you have enough sun. Plant out cucumbers in grow-houses.

As it gets warmer, plant out into the garden all the seedlings you've grown under the cloches in seedtrays. You can also put in another run of lettuce, carrots, rocket, mesclun, and peas. This is the time to put in parsnips.

By now you’ll probably want a bigger garden, so start thinking about where to put it! Enjoy the fact that all your hard work will give you some great veggies in the coming months.