Autumn is our favourite time to weed...
Weeding is easiest and most rewarding once the days are cooler and soil becomes moist. Surrounding plants are not drought-stressed, and the weeds can be uprooted, cut or broken down without disturbing desired plants and new native seedlings.
For ecological restoration of a forest edge or mini-wilderness area, make sure you identify ALL your plants, big and small, wanted and unwanted, including the new ones that have appeared over summer.
Then, consider what will be the likely result from reducing or removing each of the weeds. Which ones first? How much to remove at once? What will replace them, and how quickly?
We can never be sure what Nature will do, but care and experience make the difference between producing an endless cycle of "tidy-ups" in unwelcoming conditions, and producing a haven of unique and unexpected beauty and birdsong, resilient to wind, rain and sun, and resistant to weed invasion.
In areas bordered by forest, our well-tested techniques of weed control support strong, diverse native revegetation, without chemicals or the need for planting.
As a forest edge is freed from weeds, native plant communities form spontaneously. Each native grass, moss, fern, shrub or vine finds its niche.
From ground level to the treetops, there is always something new to discover and watch, all the year round. However, the still, damp days of Autumn are the most lush. Bursting with potential for change: fallen branches creating room for growth; dry leaves and weeds becoming compost; dry bare earth yielding baby ferns and tree seedlings.
Autumn is a beautiful time to explore and enjoy the year's growth, while taking the next steps in restoration.
Your Christmas shopping just got easier
Mags4gifts.co.nz is having a Christmas sale with up to 40% off best-selling magazine subscriptions, including NZ Gardener, NZ House & Garden and TV Guide. Add a free e-card at checkout and schedule it to arrive on Christmas morning for a perfectly timed surprise! Make Christmas thoughtful this year with a gift that lasts long after the holidays are over.
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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71.9% We work hard, we deserve a break!
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16.3% Hmm, maybe?
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11.7% Yes!
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
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