Things to consider: Ventilation – Plants don’t grow well above 30 degrees C. Ensure ventalation on the roof (hot air rises) As well as neas the bottom to draw in cooler air Temperature – But a max/min thermomenter so you can monitor overnight temperatures Light – Wash greenhouse to remove […]
Daily archives: 24 October 2025
18 posts
Organic Made from plant and animal waste: seaweek, fish food, sheep pellets, chicken manure, blood and bone* Tend to be low in NPK but lots of organic matter that is a good soil conditioner. Need to be broken down to work. Inorganic Syntetics: Urea, nitrate of soda, sulphare of […]
Best veges for containers Beans Tomatoes Silverbeet lettuce peppers Aubergine Potatoes Sprin Onions Shallots Carrots Beetroot Rdishes herbs
Heat loss Statistically loss in your home occurs through: 30-35% Roof 21-31% Windows 18-25% Walls 12-14% Floor 6-9% Air leakage Obviously the *best* way to insulate your home is to have batts or blankets installed in your ceilings, walls, and underfloor. If you are a home owner there are grants […]
WHAT IS GREY WATER? Grey water is the waste water that comes from your bathroom, laundry, and kitchen. Water from the toilet is referred to as ‘Black water’ and cannot be recycled in household systems. Some sources do refer to the water from your kitchen as black water this is […]
Where do you use water? Studies such as the Auckland Water Use Study (BRANZ 2008) which monitored fifty one households in the Auckland suburbs fount that the average household uses 179 litres of water per day in summer, 174 litres of water per day in winter. This followed a study […]
The facts about what happens with recycling in Central Hawke’s Bay Recycling from the kerbside collections and the drop-off centres is sorted, consolidated and bailed at the Waipukurau Transfer Station. The Hook containers, used at our larger drop-off recycling centres, accommodate larger volumes of recycling compared with the previously used […]
NO MESS. NO FUSS. NO SMELL varnish remover that costs next to nothing and involves little effort! (This will also work on some paints – you will need to test/experiment with length of time depending on paint type..) You will need: Soda Ash (Washing soda) – I used Soda Ash […]
For Boiling Water canning refer to our section on Water Bathing. Pressure CANNERS and Pressure COOKERS are TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THINGS! You cannot pressure can in pressure cooker. You can cook in a pressure canner. A canner works at a sustained high temperature with a great deal more accuracy. Safe […]
There are three main forms of dealing with food waste and green waste. These are: Bokashi Composting (Hot and Cold) Worm Farming Which one (or ones) will work for you will depend on your type of waste, the amount, how much you want to spend, how much effort you […]
Divide garden into four plots for rotation. Rotate based on nutrient requirements and watering needs Brassicas – Broccoli Cabbage cauliflower, radish (all need a nitrogen rich soil) legumes – Beans, Peas, Fixes atmospheric nitrogen in their roots Alliums – Onions, Leeks, garlic, shallots. Like a rich soil Umbellifers – […]
Only eat flowers you are 100% sure of avoid anything growing on the road side etc that may have been sprayed dont eat flowers from a florest dont eat in excess remove pistils and stamens before eating Some plants have edible flowers but the rest of the plant is poisonious […]
Chicory Cicorium intybus Identified by its blue flowers. Drought resistant and nutritious. Fresh leaves can be used all year round. Add to salad or steam lightly. Chickweed Stellaria media Nutty flavoured. Goes well with scrambled eggs. Use instead of parsley, High in potash and copper. Great as a green-crop in […]
Plants for Aquaponics Basil Chard Chillies Coriander Lettuce Mint Silverbeet Spinach Tomato Plants for Hydroponics Capsicums Cherry Tomato Lettuce Rocket Silverbeet Spinach Herbs – Chives, Basil, Dill, Thyme, Catnip, Oregano, Marjoram, Parsley, Mint Plants for Small Spots Blueberry Coffee Figs Inga Tree Japanese Raisin Tree Limequat Orangeberry Pepino Seaside […]
Aphids Birds Slugs and Snails White Cabbage Butterflies We all know the feeling: You plant brassicas and your old friend Pieris rapae, or White Cabbage Butterfly crashes the party and want’s to eat all the snacks! Accidentally introduced to New Zealand in the summer of 1929-1930. Like most of us the adults […]
Rheum rhabarbarum Sustainable Ewe favourites: History Natural habitat across mountains of Turkey and the lower Himalayas, through central China, into Siberia. Chinese dry and powder the roots – this sold for more than twice the price of Opium in 1657 on the European spice routes. It was used for regularity […]
[scientific name] Sustainable Ewe favourites: Quick Reference Optimum Soil Temperature Days to Germination Days to Harvest Direct Sow or Transplant Distance Apart Soil pH Annual/Biennial /Perennial History Closely related to the swede Growing Storing harvested [name]:Seed Saving: Maintenance Feeding: Fun Facts Problems Downy Mildew – pale spots or blotches on leaves. […]
[scientific name] Sustainable Ewe favourites: Quick Reference Optimum Soil Temperature Days to Germination Days to Harvest Direct Sow or Transplant Distance Apart Soil pH Annual/Biennial /Perennial History closely related to the turnip Growing Storing harvested [name]:Seed Saving: Maintenance Feeding: Fun Facts Problems Downy Mildew – pale spots or blotches on leaves. […]