Garden Diary
- A late crop of potatoes is growing well in the SWPICS garden in Tokoroa
- Valeti harvested a big bunch of carrots at Grandview Community Garden
- Glenda staked her purple and green climbing beans
- Gardeners and visitors had a tidy up at the Grandview Community Garden work day
- Paul trimmed leaves off zuccini plants to give other plants some light
- Ming Sen's late tomatoes are setting fruit
- ESOL World Gardeners have pea and beetroot seedlings ready to plant out
- Phil, Bob, Ali and Papaloloa planted out cabbage seedlings
- Ronnie and Jody's zuccini are still fruiting
- A keen group learned to sow vegetable seeds at The Hamilton Migrant Resource Centre
Rain!
In the photo: now is a good tme to sow carrots
Make the most of rain -sow seeds of carrot, lettuce, silverbeet, peas, broccoli, spinach, spring onions, cabbage and pak choi.
Plant out vegetable seedlings and spread mulch to keep the moisture in.
In the photo: Planting out lettuce seedlings into a well mulched plot at Grandview Community Garden
Water young fruit trees and vegetable plants - the water will soak in while the soil surface is moist. There may be more dry weather ahead of us.
Look out for self sown vege plants which might pop up after the rain. Look closely before you pull anything out - encourage the good plants !
When are kumara ready to harvest?
Kumara take at least 120 days to grow before they are ready to dig. Some gardeners wait for 150 days and others wait for the leaves to go yellow. Wiremu Puke, who grows kumara in Te Parapara Garden at Hamilton Gardens, advises to dig on a dry day when the sun is not too hot.
In the photo: yacon, kumara and taro growing together in Annie's plot at Grandveiw Community Garden
Tomato recipe
Renee from Sport Waikato has a delicious way to eat tomatoes on crackers:
Tomato Mixture:
3 chopped tomatoes
1 diced red onion
Finely diced garlic (approximately 2/3 gloves)
Handful of chopped parsley and/or basil
Mix all ingredients.
Dressing:
¼ cup of olive oil
¼ cup of white vinegar
1 teaspoon of sugar
½ teaspoon mustard
Mix all ingredients and shake well to combine then pour over the tomato mixture.
Method:
Layer crackers (I have used Ryvita crackers – full of fiber to help you stay fuller for longer) with a thin spread of hummus then top with a few spoonfuls of tomato mix. Yum!!!
Grow fruit - choosing a fruit tree
There are many different varieties of apple trees. Here are some which grow well in the Waikato:
Priscilla - a red/yellow apple which ripens in early March
Discovery - A red apple which ripens in February.
Reinette du Canada - ripens in May. Green skin
Hetlina - red/gold. Ripens in February
Cox's Orange - Striped orange and red. Ripens in February
When you are buying a fruit tree, look for the signs of a healthy tree:
- Clean bark with no moss or lichen
- No moss on the pot or potting mix
- A strong main stem
- Healthy, firm buds (not brown and dry)
In the photo: fruit trees bought last July at Tree Crops Sale in Hamilton
This week at Grandview Community Garden
Monday March 18th 4pm to 6pm and Thursday March 21st 9am to 10.30 am
Time to sow carrots, spinach, silverbeet, lettuce, cabbage, spring onions, kale and beetroot. There is space for new gardeners to start. Community Garden Mentors are there to help you with your garden. All welcome.
WIC Harvest Celebration !
When: Friday March 22nd 5.30pm
BBQ provided Please bring a plate of food from your garden
Join us at Grandview Community Garden and celebrate the achievements of the WIC Project with a harvest meal and tour of the garden.
Please park on Grandview Road and walk in the gate opposite 183 Grandview Rd. Bus route number 8 (Frankton)
Call us if you have any questions Clare and Tim ph 021 0387623 WIC Community Garden Mentors
Events:
Grandview Garden on the radio:
Hear Tim and Min talk about Grandview Community Garden on FreeFM (89FM) Wednesday 5pm
Free After School Programme Explore Nature through Art
For ages 7 - 12
Fridays 3 - 4pm, from the 5th April to 10th May
with artist and Enviro-facilitator Adrienne Grant
at Te Whare o te Ata Community House, 60a Sare Cres
855 7804 or tewhareoteata@fairfield.org.nz
Registrations essential by 1 April. Limited places
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