Companion planting for apple trees

Chives are supposed to be one of the useful companion plants for apples, reduces bugs attacking the apples. So I've put 3 plants around the early apple, when I get some more I'll put them around the granny smith apple too.

How to make a temporary clothes line

So, before the proper clothes line is built, here is a camping-style line. I fished out 3 tent poles and some guy ropes and strung them all up, with the other end of the clothes line tied around the fence palings. It hasn't been tested with clothes yet, and I suspect it will fall over at the moment, because the pegs holding the guy ropes pull out quite easily from the soft wet clay. I will really hit them in firmly before I hang any towels. Maybe let the ground dry out and the clay harden too. Not quite clothes hanging weather yet, still too cold.

Early spring vegetables

I know, it is waaayyyy too early to plant these things, and I need to wait another month. But I couldn't resist. So here a lebanese cucumber plant.

And a cherry tomato.

And the broad beans, not really up yet but on their way.

Tui in a kowhai tree

This lovely tui comes and visits my flowering kowhai several times a day. Doesn't seem at all wary of humans or cats either, although is safe enough in the tree. A lovely spring sight.

How to dig dirt

This blog should really have been called 'How To Dig Dirt'. Seems like I have been doing nothing else for a year.

Before we began again...full of soft patches, holes and lots of water.

Digging further back towards the edge of the section.

Lots of lovely top soil came out of this hole, this is from a garden area that has been cultivated for 100 years, so lovely dark, rich soil to save and use on top of clay somewhere.

 Newly flattened out ready for a layer of gap7 stones as the under layer for the paving. Its supposed to rain soon, so we shall see how good the slope and drainage is.

Laying Stone Paving

I've finally got on to finishing the Harmony Garden paving. I've spread out a few bags of river pebbles around the bigger pavers. And planted some creeping thyme in some of the gaps. I've also made some cuttings from the thyme so I'll have more plants to fill some of the other gaps, I'm thinking about 20-30 plants. Thyme is supposed to be a sure fire cutting plant, so we shall see.

And along the front of the Harmony Garden I've planted the rest of the hebe hedge, with pratia as a creepy inbetween.

Spring Flowering

Spring has sprung! Almost. Things are starting to flower in readiness.

The kowhai is in full swing, tuis and a flock of little birds feast on the nectar of this one.

Spring bulbs

Rosemary, been in flower for a while now.

And the bay tree has started flowering.

Cuttings Progress

These look pretty tiny here, and in fact they aren't all that big. But, a big moment! The first plantings of the cuttings. These are rosemary and pineapple sage. I've put one each into each bay between the retaining wall posts. They've already been potted up, and I chose the ones showing some growth, that had developed roots, so I expect these will just go like a rocket once the weather warms up a bit more.

Ready Lawn

So...I have 2 problems. One is grass growing like a weed in all the wrong places, large and luscious. Two is trying to make a lawn - I sprinkled a couple of VERY EXPENSIVE big packets of grass seed around, but nothing doing. I have noticed a couple of pretty and fat greige coloured birds visit every afternoon, having a good old time of pecking around.

So... solution (and I'm pretty proud of this), put the pulled out weeds onto the lawn area - Instant lawn! Everything is so wet and muddy and gloopy that I think it is perfect transplanting conditions. I did go round and stomp on each clump with my gumboots, to bed them in firmly.

New Spring Growth in NZ Natives

All those native trees that I planted in autumn are beginning to bud up and produce beautiful glossy new leaves. 

Flowering Manuka

Some of my manukas have started flowering already. I suspect that any bees around are still tucked up in their hives still as it is really winter for a while longer. These ones are very pretty, usually manuka has white flowers.

 And this one is getting big fat flower buds, really to burst open.

Planting strawberries

I planted a few strawberry plants the other day. I don't have all that much sunny space, which I think these need, so I've put them in between the hebe hedge plants, where they will be nice and warm. Long term this will be too shady for them I expect, but in the meantime, a nice way to fill up the gaps. These ones have flowers already, so should be well on their way to strawberries.

Peas from Peastraw

My peastraw is sprouting peas! All over. I've got a path through that tromps the minimum new shoots, a bit like walking blindfold through a maze though.

And here, much smaller, are some peas that I planted (why???). I guess you can't really have too many pea plants, it takes a lot of pods to make meal, and everyone likes peas.

And look! Broad beans just poking their heads up. I hope these all hurry up and produce, I need the space and the climbing frames for summer beans. Not quite spring yet, but can't be far away. Theory has it that Labour weekend (end of October) is the time to plant things like tomatoes and cucumbers and beans. Still a bit to go then.