Thank goodness for the current sun! Some warmth and rain-free hours are our prime requirement at the Community Garden at present.
Fortunately, we packed our beds with pea straw and cover crops in Autumn, which has kept our soil in good condition, and we are now, with a bit of dry weather, ready to crop, drop and dig the fruits of our Autumn work into the soil for Spring planting.
Something we would really like would be to find someone with a reasonably heavy- duty grass trimmer/ weed eater who could cut back out peripheral grass. Winter has produced more peripheral grass than a small machine or our Niwashi garden sharks can cope with. If this sounds like something you could help with, drop by 51 Oxford Street on a Wednesday morning and you will be welcomed with open arms!
On the agenda for the following few weeks will be to manage our spectacular compost heap, using the top of the heap as a foundation for a new compost, and the bottom as a foundation for our new heap. (Again, if compost is of interest to you, drop by and see this delicious commodity and how we have managed it, with the expert advice of our “supreme composter”).
We have begun our spring planting with a bed of broccoli: consolidated our self-sown fennel into some order and are pleased that our broad beans are standing a few inches onto their supports. We have an emerging crop of Brussel sprouts: thank goodness they like the frosts!
Still preparation is key for further plantings – the pumpkin patch is being dug over and fed and we are still consolidating a flat plate for planting kumara as the ground warms. Please think of us if you have any excess seedlings, we are always keen to increase our supply and variety of produce…. and of course to welcome new gardeners.
If you are keen to join us we currently garden on Wednesday mornings from 10am at 51 Oxford Street.
