Gardening Styles

Pleasing The Bee’s Knees ~ Herbs to Grow for Bees

October 3, 2020 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

If you hadn’t heard the news, I’m now the very proud, very amateur, owner of a beehive and a humming colony of busy ladies and lazy males! I am on a quick learning curve to say the least (it was an unexpected but very gratefully received surprise gift).

In the past I’ve had people buy herbs off me specifically for the bees and I have had a fair idea of what herbs would be best~ but now my interest has double folded and I’m looking at a lot of my plants in a new light!

A Bit of Bee Backstory…

Bees need pollen and nectar. And depending on what time of year it is and what your hive is trying to achieve, sometimes they’re searching for mainly pollen (pollen is their source of protein and is essential for the feeding of larvae) or nectar (nectar is their carb source, it is converted into honey- honey for them to live on, and stored for the cold months when plants are not flowering). Often when searching for nectar they also inadvertently collect pollen~ pollination.

(Photo by **Andreas Trepte, www.avi-fauna.info**)

You can see the pollen stashed on their back legs, nectar is transported in their stomach. It is in the warmer months when lots of flowers are producing the most nectar and this is called “the flow”.

Honey bees also need to collect water for the hive and resin (from trees and buds) to make into propolis.

Many of our native trees are excellent for nectar and pollen, a lot of our fruit trees are great for pollen but some don’t have nectar sweet enough for their taste buds (Pear as an example). But as they say (they being me), there’s a bum for every seat and an insect for every flower!

Bee on cherry plum blossom — *They smother our cherry plum trees though*

In New Zealand we have four different types of bumblebees, 33 ‘native’ bee species and four introduced bee species, one of these being the honey bee.

What Can We Plant for the Bees…

Being a herby person I’m going to focus on herbs that you can grow that the bees will love and appreciate (my idea of herbs is quite broad!). Firstly though, lets acknowledge their amazing visual spectrum which includes the short wavelength ultra violet range which is beyond our mere mortal human eyes. So blues, yellows, light pink/purple and white are more on their radar than reds and oranges. This is quite a cool clip I found on YouTube that shows how bees and butterflies see, I mainly like it for its music!

EARLY SPRING

It’s a pollen a go go in Spring – the Queen has started laying and there are hungry mouths to feed..

A swathe of poppies that bees would love — *Brought to you by the letter P… This is a public garden bed in Masterton*

Poppies; all and any, plant them in large swathes so it’s like a billboard for the bees, advertising food for the needy.
Lacy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia); often used as green crop- let the bees in before you dig it in
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Honesty (Lunaria annua)
Borage (Borago officinalis)
French lavender (Lavandula dentata)
Let any brassicas you’ve got go to seed- the flowers are an excellent source of nectar
Let your dandelion flower and if you can stand it, the buttercup too.

Plants for bees, flowering kale — *Kale going to seed*

SUMMER ~ The flow is on!

Honey bees are native to the Mediterranean and naturally will go gah gah over thymes, rosemary, sage and oregano. There is also (in no particular order)

Clover
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Geraniums/Pelargoniums
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Mint (Mentha sp.)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Catmint (Nepeta mussinii)
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Chive flowers (Allium schoenoprasum)
Borage (Borago officinalis)
Dandelion
Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Marjoram (Majorana hortensis)
Comfrey
Fennel (Foeniculum sp.)
Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris)
English lavender (Lavandula spica)
Basil (but if you want basil for your own needs wait until the end of the season)

AUTUMN

A lot of salvias wait until autumn to flower or are flowering well into autumn. Sunflowers. All the herbs that are onto their last hurrah/going to seed before dying (annuals like basil and dill) or going to ground (perennials like chives and echinacea etc).

Even if you don’t have hives it’s really important to have flowers in your garden for the bees and all the other pollinators out there. For their health and well being as well as your gardens productivity.

And I really really hope that it goes without saying that the use of pesticides is an absolute no-no and pretty counter-productive if you’re trying to attract pollinators!

Now go to your garden and watch the bees, see what they’re gunning for, watch whether they’re lolling about in pollen or head down supping up the nectar. Wonder at how they see the world and hope that they are as thankful for your garden as you are as thankful for their existence and the food on your table!

References/Recommendations;

Practical Beekeeping in New Zealand by Andrew Matheson & Murray Reid
A Beekeepers Year by Janet Luke (NZ book)
The Bee-Friendly Garden by Kate Frey & Gretchen LeBuhn (US book)
If you’re after all plants specifically for the bees, based in Manawatū is Trees for Bees

Shady Lady

February 2, 2020 By SandRa Timmins 4 Comments

When we think of herbs and herb growing, we generally think hot and dry – or at least sunny and ideally free draining. But what about those shady areas? That south side of the house? That difficult place under the trees where it’s shady but dry?

Lady's Mantle does well in a shady garden — *Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla mollis*

As a friend said to me once “there’s a bum for every seat” and indeed, there’s a herb for every garden situation! Right now it’s the start of February (2020) and I’ve only just stopped wearing a very warm jersey and slippers so I’m not really feeling what I’m about to say! – but I think those shady areas in our gardens are going to play important roles in our food and herb growing more than they ever have, as our sun grows ever more intensive (well, more accurately, as our upper atmosphere deteriorates).

So plant more trees!

plants for shady gardens — *Pink hydraenga*

Let’s take a tour of Plum Tree Cottages’** shady gardens and throw about some ideas.

The south side of the house is shady, cold and pretty damp. It gets a little bit of afternoon sun in summer. Perfect place for hellebores, cyclaman and hydraengas, as well as hostas and ferns. Herbs wise, mints (Mentha sp.) will go well here (though not Peppermint, she needs more sun), sweet violet (Viola odorata), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis). As an experiment I planted a Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) here after I had a summer where her leaves got sunburnt in full sun, she’s doing surprisingly well!

Slugs and snails can be a challenge in shady damp areas. I’ve tried all the tricks, and what a waste of beer! Chickens don’t eat them either (not mine anyway) I think it’s because they don’t move very fast or perhaps molluscs taste better drenched in garlic butter! Quash is the best slug bait with least environmental impact. A bucket of soapy water, a head torch and perhaps some good keen children has even less environmental impact (you pick the slugs and snails off at night whilst they’re active and pop them in the bucket for quick-ish death.)

I did have a Lady’s mantle in this partly shady garden, but it was too dry. So now I have Salvia blue bedder, cinerea, and at the back monkshood (Aconite napellus) may be too dry for aconite too though. See how it goes, I may end up replacing it with an aloe whom do best in partial shade.

Overhanging the garden is one of my beauts Elder trees (Sambucus nigris). Elder does best in partial shade, particularly whilst still small, once they hit their height they’re OK with full sun.

Dry and shady is always a tricky area to plant up, but as the suns beats down its rays it may well be the god send. Pineapple sage, thymus sp., basil, salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor); clary sage has even been doing well in another shady garden I have under our broken plum tree. A sign that plants are not happy in the shade is if they start getting long and leggy, like they’re trying to reach the sun.. which is exactly what they’re trying to do! Or if you have a plant that usually flowers but is refusing to.. needs more sun energy. Move it, but wait until autumn if it’s hot in your area.

plants/herbs for shady gardens — *Pineapple sage in a shady spot, she’s doing well but probably will not flower for me.*

Basil mint, mint and lemon balm all like damp shady spots, Scarlet bergamot (Monarda didyma) prefers to be out of the full sun too. In summer, those shady spots are great for growing herbs that do best in winter, like corriander, dill and chervil as well as your lettuce and chards.

herbs for shady areas — *Basil mint thriving in the shade*

Don’t be afraid to move your plants around. A lot of our herb growing advice comes from the Northern hemisphere and their sun is not as harsh as ours (I’m sure they’ll get there in the end ☹), so if you’re seeing scorched leaves or consistent wilting but your books say it grows best in full sun; put some shade cloth around or over the plant and move it in autumn, or propagate to try in another part of the garden. It could be that those of us at higher elevation are the most affected by our changing sun?

Please feel free to comment below on your experiences in your garden with our changing climate..

**Plum Tree Cottage is our property just out of Eketāhuna, we’re 219m above sea level with a pretty high rainfall, we are considered a “cool, mountainous climate”. Interesting fact, National Park Village is the highest town in New Zealand at 825m above seal level.

Hang! That’s a nice Kokedama!

November 5, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 2 Comments

The naturalisation process of kokedama, how to look after your kokedama. — **Rex begonia in kokedama finery**

So, what is this kokedama that I keep going on about?

Kokedama is a Japanese art form like how bonsai is. “Koke” means moss and “dama” means ball (or jewel). Japanese dictionary.

苔玉

A plant has its roots surrounded by a soil medium then it is wrapped in sphagnum moss and bound by twine. The plant can then be hung or placed on a special dish or structure.

Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus "Spiralis") kokedama — **Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus “Spiralis”) kokedama**

They look stunning, they’re eco-friendly (as long as the sphagnum moss has been sustainably harvested and no peat has been used in the soil medium. That’s a tick and a tick for me and I even use fair trade organic hemp for my twine) and more often than not they contain houseplants for, obviously, inside. If you don’t know how much of a good thing that is, you need to read my article here on indoor plants.

how to look after your kokedama. — **Bird’s nest fern getting a misting**

Kokedama are super easy to look after too. To know when to water your plant you just check the weight of the ball, when it feels light it’s time to water. You water by placing your kokedama in a bowl or sink of water that comes about half way up the ball. Let it soak it up for about 10-30mins, then take it out and squeeze the ball, let it drain a bit then hang back up! A lot of plants like a bit of misting here and there, ferns especially. You can mist the ball too in-between waterings’.

Things can get hairy. Literally. A soft sort of white down can appear on your ball. This is really quite normal and will not harm any person or pet. You can rub it off next time you water it and maybe look at how much air circulation your kokedama is getting.

The sphagnum moss may start greening up too. It’s all part of the naturalisation process. The twine will eventually degrade and roots may appear through the moss. But by this time (1-2 years we’re talking) the roots will be holding the shape of the ball, it’s not going to all fall to pieces!

So what to do… you can wait to see what happens, it will eventually build its own little eco-system and come out the other end looking beautiful, or you can put another layer of sphagnum moss over the ball and re-twine it or staple in pieces of fancy/wild moss over the “unsightly” bits.

Whatever the case, they are worth it for the pleasure that they can give you as well as their aesthetic and architectural presence in your home, patio, courtyard or deck.

At the moment I’m only selling my kokedamas at markets. Just need to work out packaging and how to make sure I have plants available online as well as at my markets. I’d love to know if you would be interested in purchasing kokedama off me, let me know through the comments section or the contact form on the right~

If you follow Maramataka Māori….

August 17, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

Me te rangi i whānau ai a Horu

A whakataukī (proverbial expression) for an unpleasant day

For that is what it is today here, which is a shame. For one; I’m sick of the rain and I’m ready for summer now. For two; Today is Rākanui, the day after full moon and according to Maramataka Māori (Māori moon calendar) “He rā tino pai mō te ono kai….” a very good day for planting and general gardening.

If it wasn’t ~~pissing~~ heaving down with rain.

I had grand intentions on doing my spring divisions today, basil mint, soapwort, mint, peppermint, some more bergamot and St John’s wort.

Fortunately, the weather is set to get better by Monday, Takirau māheahea, I have a window from dawn to midday where it is OK to do planting (Rākaumatohi, which is tomorrow is a very good day for planting and fishing – but I don’t think our weather will be complying by then).

I like to do my rooted divisions after the full moon, the plants still have energy in their leaves but that energy is moving down to the roots as the moon starts losing its brightness (waning). Perfect timing for the new plants to settle their roots into their new home and for the mother plant to recover its losses.

Come Tangaroa piri a roto (moon in its last quarter, 24th August) it will be all on for seed sowing. Being in a cool climate zone I’ve learnt that there’s not a lot of point in going crazy with seeds in August, unless they’re destined for the glasshouse or under cover. But Go! temperate NZ, Go!

As an aside, did you know that September is Mahuru Māori? It’s a nationwide challenge to kōrero te reo Māori (for whatever space of time that suits you) to normailise te reo in everyday life. If you get in quick to register you may be eligible to receive resources to help you as well as there being lots of online resources available. My friend did it last year and to promote te reo Māori and her business Dye Happy (beautiful hand dyed yarn) she posted on facebook Māori words for her craft, like “knitting” “yarn” etc, it was really cool. I’m not on facebook anymore, but I think I’ll do the same on here, (but you know, more plant based!) for me and for you~

Kei a koe mō te kawe i te mānuka? (Are you up for the challenge?) Go here for more information and to register for Mahuru Māori.

Fill Your Life with Plants!

August 11, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

I have always loved herbs- they were the first plants I grew when I was a child (oregano and thyme, growing them is child’s play, you should buy your child/mokopuna a pot of oregano!)

Origanum vulgare, wild marjoram — **Origanum vulgare**

But I have another plant passion and that is house plants (my first was a cast iron plant). For the last 10 years that passion took a backseat, from when I had to give away my 60+ plant collection to friends when we moved from Wellington to Picton (we were going to live on a boat~ I really couldn’t keep them!). Thereafter we just moved around so much and had young children with fiddle faddle hands – there has never been much appeal to start the collection again…

And then along came kokedama… and me oh my, how I’m kicking myself for letting go of those plants! But nothing like starting afresh eh.

So let’s talk about indoor plants for a spell then we’ll get back to kokedama..

Herbs are wonderful plants with a variety of features that make them useful and beneficial for humans (and animals). From gladdening your heart with their scent (I’m looking at you pineapple sage) or taste (basil), to their bittering principles (hello dandelion) and healing properties (all of you).

It’s my real belief though that indoor plants can be placed on the plant healing spectrum too. This plant healing spectrum below is of my own making, therefore it’s purely my opinion, you’re free to agree or disagree!

Plant healing spectrum, from preventative to healing/cure. Indoor plants have their place on this. — **Prevention is better than cure!**

You perhaps have heard of certain plants that help with air purification in the home or office?

There’s a surprising amount of toxins in our indoor air, coming from our furniture, plastics, cleaners, cosmetics etc. there are certain plants that do a particularly swell job of absorbing these pollutants, filtering them through their leave s as they respire.

NASA did a whole lot of research on the subject and they actually examined the levels of various toxic chemicals in the air that could be reduced by indoor plants. Chemicals like, benzene, xylene, toluene and formaldehyde. You can see their results here.

Possibly more relevant for office spaces (and space stations) and/or poorly ventilated buildings than our homes that have doors and windows opening letting in outdoor air..

Plants for dark places
**Plant Life Balance**

But how’s this, there are some plants that actually work their photosynthesis magic (turning carbon dioxide into nutrients for themselves and oxygen for us, using the sun’s energy) at night! It’s called CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) photosynthesis. Want a more relaxed, sleep conducive atmosphere? Put these plants in your bedroom…

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Bromeliads
Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.)
Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Air plants (Tillandsia spp.)
Zebra cactus (Haworthia fasciata)
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

(Take note of those botanical names in italics, there are many plants with different common names, for example you may of never heard of a Mother-in-law’s tongue but you do know what a snake plant is- they’re the same thing).

**ZZ plant** **(Zamioculcas zamiifolia)**

For more science-y information go here to Plant Life Balance; they also have beautiful pictures for your eyes to inspire you to have many plants in your home (I’ve used a lot of their images on this post).. You’ve been warned!

Mindfulness

The other health benefit of house plants, mindfulness and wellbeing. Studies have shown that plants in indoor spaces boost mental wellbeing. After spending time living and working alongside plants, those taking part in the studies found that, on average;

Their mood levels improved
They felt less stressed
They felt more productive
Their attention span improved (in some studies)

Even just one plant in a room can make a difference to the feel (and look) of a place. Here’s our (in need of repair) bathroom as an example!

Bathroom, so plain! — **BEFORE. So plain!**

Bathroom made new by plants — **AFTER. A plant based transformation!**

Lots of people have a fear (fact based or otherwise!) of killing house plants. Perhaps in the past (or right now) you’ve gotten the right plant but in the wrong place. A lot of indoor plants don’t appreciate direct sunlight for instance.

I used to be store manager at Ambience in Mt Victoria, Wellington. We specialised in unique and unusual indoor plants- I learnt a lot there. the owner Nicola Byrne was/is so knowledgeable and generous to boot. Not only did I learn from Nic but also the customers and I learnt that a super common mistake by those whom really want plants but keep on killing them – kill by love.

YOU CAN OVER WATER A PLANT! A more common mistake than clear neglect. Browning on the tips of leaves can be a sign that your plant is getting too much water. Some good advice can be found at this website Plants are Alive.

Most indoor plants come with light and watering requirements on their label, if in doubt ask the person that you’re buying the plant from. (Which could be me soon, once I get stock levels up~).

Right, I think kokedama can wait for its own post. I’m going to be doing a workshop on how to make them for our homeschool group in a couple of weeks, by then I would’ve had a lot more practise!

Two books that I’ve been perusing at the moment and where I’ve gotten some of this info from are, Yates, Top 50 Indoor Plants and RHS Practical House Plant Book.

Making the Most of Your Smashings

May 12, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

Do you have kids under the age of 14?

If you answered yes, I’m guessing that like me, broken cups, mugs, bowls and plates are a part of life.

I actually save our flour bags specifically for broken glass (we do have hard tiled floors). Plastic isn’t an option – and you know, it’s good to learn that not everything bounces!

Not all goes in the flour bags though. we usually have quite pretty plates (ie. random selection of floral op shop finds) and I can’t bear to throw them out nor have the patience (or desire) for mosaic crafting.

So in the garden they go…

Sometimes, cups and mugs don’t smash but merely crack- usually unbeknown to me until my coffee starts pooling up under and around my cup! If the cup is another can’t-bear-to-throw-out number they make lovely containers for succulents or small cacti. Goes for bowls too.

what to do with cracked mugs — Cups new lease of life

Do make sure you put small stones in first for drainage.

What about broken plant pots? Terraced garden! Almost tempting to break a pot on purpose for this one~

what to do with cracked mugs, plates and pots — Or you could make it into a fairy garden..

I’m sure there are plenty of other fantastic ideas out there for broken crockery, which ones are yours?

Aphids happen to the best of us…

October 27, 2018 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

I’ve just come back from a wananga with Robert Guyton at the Oxford Street Community Gardens in Masterton~ and I’m feeling all very inspired as well as comforted by the fact that good things do take time – more so with gardens and forest gardens than even cheese!

Of course I knew this, we all know this, but it’s good to get reminded now and then…

One thing Robert talked about that I was going to bring up on here (I have several drafts) and that is of aphids.

Aphids on a White Sage (Salvis apiana) plant

Aphids on a White Sage (Salvia apiana) plant

They’re having a bit of a field day here at the moment. I think because we had a relatively mild winter here (so we’re told, I though it was cold enough!) so their cycle didn’t really get broken.

I’m all for squashing them. They love white sage and calendula, actually I’m not sure what they don’t like! But at least squashing them on the aromatics you have nice smells whilst you’re at it.

When squashing you’ve got to do it every three days for at least a couple of weeks if you want be effective. You’ll always miss some and the poor blighters are born pregnant. If you have plants in pots you can dunk them in water and rub the aphids off. If you have well sturdy plants you can try blasting them off with the hose. And repeat. Check for ants as well; they are industrious farmers that literally farm/manage aphids for the sweet substance they excrete after sucking your plants.

Robert Guyton talked about some plants he has in profusion on his land, for example Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) and (gasp!) Hemlock (Conium maculatum). All Umbellifers/Apiaceae and all attractive to hoverflies, and hoverflies loove aphids. Dill, you may flower!

Now that is a long term solution that I am into. Ladybird larvae also eat aphids. You are not going to get these predatory/beneficial insects if you spray with chemicals though so put them away. Please!

It will take some time but Nature will find its balance, that’s what it does… you could almost say it’s an expert~

Climate Change

August 27, 2018 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

Things have been going a bit tits up here at Stoney Ground Herbs. I’ve been throwing blame about but have now cottoned on to what actually is the issue.

We are now living in a completely different climate that we have ever lived in. My gardening and Stoney Ground Herbs has always been in temperate New Zealand, coastal and warmer. Eketahuna is in the bronx of the cool/mountain climate. I somewhat foolishly haven’t adjusted my growing practices to reflect the differences between coastal and mountainous. And in actual fact, without some massive tunnel houses a lot of my plants aren’t going to be ready until November. My mother plants are still adjusting to the change so I have limited stock for some plants and none at all for some of my stock standards…

Very limited stock;

Motherwort
Southernwood
Oregano vulgare
Purple sage
Soapwort
Lemon thyme
Vietnamese mint
Bergamot, wild
French Tarragon
Pineapple sage

Plants that won’t be available this year;

Echinacea
Rose geranium
Common sage
Nutmeg geranium
Creeping thyme
Thyme, English winter
Summer savory
Stevia
And I’m thinking I’m going to flag the tomatoes this year as well as the zucchini.

In so saying though I do have new plants available!!

Basil mint (I love this herb, the taste is great but mainly because it sounds slightly bedazzling!)
St Johns Wort
Greek oregano
Elder
Dill
Silver Posy thyme

Give me a bit and I’ll start updating my website accordingly.

Other changes are that courier prices have gone up so I’m having to change my costs accordingly. Whilst we’re on the subject of couriers they just get too crazy busy during the Xmas period so I will not be sending any plants after the 10th December until the new year.

Here’s to learning curves!

Maramataka Māori, Gardening by the Moon Aotearoa Styles

August 4, 2018 By SandRa Timmins 2 Comments

This year I’m planting according to the moon, not just any moon, but our moon, marama.

Haha! Don’t worry, I’m still on the same planet as you – (most of the time) and I’m well aware there is only one moon for us earthlings.

I’m following Maramataka Māori, the Maori lunar calendar for fishing and horticulture. Maramataka means literally, turning of the moon.

(Artwork by Wiremu Barriball of Revolution Aotearoa)

When Europeans arrived in Aotearoa (the ones that knew these sort of things) they were well impressed with Māori horticultural practices; neat, weed-free and obviously productive. Of course Māori weren’t vegetarian and they lived in a mixed economy of gardening, gathering and fishing.

Long long before “gardening by the moon” became hip and before even your grandparents or great-grandparents talked about planting with the moon (lucky you). Māori were walking the talk with Maramataka. In fact the moon and the cosmos were reference point and guide in all aspects of pre-european Māori life. Matariki didn’t start happening in the 1990’s.

So. In my admittedly complete amateur understanding of Maramataka – like most cultures, time was cut up by the cycles of the sun and the moon. (Month = moon. My bet is women cottoned onto the rhythm of the moon before men!). But instead of breaking the month up into weeks then days, Māori had a different name for every single night (which also typically marks a day) in a lunar month.

The lunar month starts with Whiro. Ko te rā i muri iho ō tā tō Pākehā new moon (the day after the new moon on the calendar) and ends with Mutuwhenua… E hara i te rā pō pai tēnei kua hinapouri te ao e ai ki ngā kōrero ō neke rā. It is not a good day at all: The world is in darkness!

It takes a bit of working out if you haven’t been brought up knowing Maramataka and I’m going with the very basics. I imagine that, especially back in the day, it would have slight variances between iwi’s depending on the Tohunga’s readings of the Matariki stars at the start of the year and a lot of other nuances non-related to fishing and horticulture. (Please, if you know more, enlighten me and others in the comments section below!)

My journey has just begun, literally, two days ago. when I bought my seed potato and thought I better start planning when I’m going to start everything.

Old Blue Taewa

Last year I noticed I had pretty rubbish outcomes with seed I sowed during the new moon but had much better luck during the last quarter. I’ve acknowledged moon calenders and they’ve been pretty useful for reminding and planning of things to do in the garden. Koangas Garden Guide (by Kay Baxter) has been my guide, but not my ruler!

Then I read a book earlier this year called Moon Gardening by John Harris, head gardener of Tresillian Estate in the UK. He explained really simply, the moons effect on the water table. (Rises as the moon is coming up to full – waxing, whilst the water table drops when the moon is waning and at its lowest during new moon).

I recommend this book if you can get your hands on it. In it, the author mentions how a television crew came from New Zealand to interview him about moon gardening and he over-heard a crew member murmuring to a mate “Why’d we have to come 18,000 km’s to hear about something the Māori have been doing for hundreds of years?” Fair bloody call. White validation?

Anyway, the good man devoted a whole chapter to Maramataka Māori.

I also have a booklet called NGĀ PŌREAREA ME NGĀ MATEMATE O NGĀ MĀRA TAEWA, Pests and Diseases of Taewa (Māori potato) Crops. You can get this through Tāhuri Whenua the National Māori Growers Collective. This, amongst other good things to know has the Maramataka Maori (Te Āti Awa version) in it. And it is from here that I’m getting my info from.

I’m not going to go over the whole Maramataka here but you can join me on my journey…

Right now (the 4th August 2018) it is Tangaroa piri a mua – the 23rd day after the new moon. He rā pai tēnei ki te ono kai, ki ngā mahi hī ika koura. A very god day for planting, fishing, crayfish and eels, especially from noon until sunset.

According to Maramataka Māori it’s a pretty good day for planting (and fishing) from midday til sunset three nights before last quarter, called Korekore tūroa (which was the 2nd August). and we’re all good for sowing and planting and fishing until Mauri (a couple of night before new moon), the 9th August, E hara i te rā pai tēnei he oro mauri te kai ka omo. Not a very good day for planting or fishing. fish, eels and crayfish are very elusive.

I have sown white sage, licorice, thyme, motherwort, common sage and spillanthes so far (with use of a heat-pad). With dill, parsley, chervil, shiso, savory, tulsi and catnip to go. It’s a bit early for some but I always like to push the boundaries! (My early potatoes will go in next month).

Another book I highly recommend if you’re into this sort of thing is A Tohunga’s Natural World, plants, gardening and food. by Paul Moon. Gardening from a Tuhoe Tohunga’s perspective.

I’ll be updating on here on how I go and what I’ll be doing next according to the Maramataka. Have you done this/do this? Please comment below on how it works for you~ ngā mihi!

Matahiwi ~ A Food Forest

May 20, 2018 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

Our local home ed group had a picnic at Garry and Ali Fosters‘ food forest, Matahiwi, this week.

This is the old school house, now a live in studio rented out by a local artist.

Their property just out of Masterton used to be a school that closed down in 1971. They’ve been there for 30 odd years, brought up their three children there and in the last four years Garry has been developing their food forest.

For those not in the know a food forest is the ideal permaculture garden where all layers from the top most canopy to the roots (seven layers in all) live in a symbiotic relationship feeding and protecting each other whilst also providing for you and ideally the community. Go here for an article about 5 pretty amazing food forests from around the world.

No digging is involved here part from the action of harvesting roots and tubers like potatoes, yams, kumara (he harvested one beauty that weighed 2.4kg!), chinese artichokes and yacons.

Garry pulling up some yams

The amazing thing about their food forest aside from the diversity of plants they have is that a lot of it was built on top of a carpark (school carpark) and/or old riverbed, so the “soil” is actually arborist mulch.

Garry showing us the bounce and beautiful spongy-ness of the mulch/soil.

Garry is actively (and joyously) crushing long held gardening myths – firstly by growing in mulch alone. (In regards to his fruit trees he scratches into the mulch til he hits soil then plants the trees and lets their roots do the work). He doesn’t dig, doesn’t need to hoe (the weeds easily pull out from the mulch, though he does have the dreaded Italian arum). He doesn’t even make compost..but he does have a chook yard that gets moved year about, putting his mulch gardens on top of the scraps and garden rubbish that the girls have dealt with.

The chook yard..but check out those solar panels!

This hen “Bonnie” is impressive in size!

You could say Garry is a biological permaculture gardener whom believes the most important thing is the micro and macro organisms within the growing medium rather than the medium itself.

Garry Foster, renegade gardener!

The fungi and bugs do their job, deep rooted plants bring up nutrients alongside shallow rooted plants doing their business, nature is left to her devices and the reward is a bounty of produce. A lot of people aware of the importance of those micro-organisms often bring them in with EF products but Garry does it alone with his mulch and his mulch alone.

Their crop of Austrian Hulless pumpkins

Everything works together so well at Matahiwi and is quite the inspiration, particularly for us folk that live on impenetrable clay ground or old riverbeds.

We’ve been working on our grounds and honestly it feels more like mining than gardening.

Gardening on an old riverbed, the sound of grinding stones stays long after you’re done!

We’re using a spade to get the turf off then it’s all crow bar baby. At least my garden beds are making their own borders!

Team Timmins on the job!

But after our visit here at Garry and Alis’ place I’m re-thinking how I might do the rest of the garden areas.

Garrys’ other horticultural passion is Aotearoa’s native flora. This time round I didn’t get a full gander at them but I did see the biggest Muehlenbeckia astonii I’ve ever seen, they’re usually so wind blown it’s rare to see them at their full 2.5m height! Its seeds are designed to be spread by lizards. In turn it provides food and shelter from birds for them. Natures design is incredible.

Did you know New Zealand has 5 endemic species of mistletoe? I didn’t even know we had one! The one Garry showed me is Ileostylus micranthus. In rongroā (traditional Māori medicine) mistletoe bark was pounded and used to treat “the itch” caused by a type scabie known to the Māori as hakihaki.

Ileostylus micranthus

There was plenty of Poroporo Solanum laciniatum around Matahiwi too; when the berries are ripe (yellow-orange in colour) they’re a nice snack for people and birds, similar in flavour to the Cape gooseberry. The expressed juice of the poroporo was sometimes used in tattooing and again “the itch” could be treated with poroporo leaves. You can also use the leaves as a hair shampoo. You boil the leaves and use the water for washing your hair, leaving your locks lovely and shiny as well as apparently dandruff and grey free!!

So it was a great day in all – oh, the kids had a good day too!

Adventuring in the food forest~

Beehives in the background there

A little help needed getting off the tree overhanging the meandering river

Where once there was a carpark…

Look forward to going back in summer when everything is in full swing!

The mighty oak tree out the back

Search site

A Bit of Bee Backstory…

What Can We Plant for the Bees…

References/Recommendations;

苔玉