Category Archives: Gardening

09
Aug

G.B.

by

If planting large seeds like beans, use the iners of toilet rolls, part fill with seed mix, put in the seed and top up. You can get about 12 of these to stand up in an ice cream container. And in due course plant out the whole tube. No transplant shock. The cardboard will rot […]

09
Aug

Canny Scot, Christchurch.

by

When planting my strawberries I have given them a mulch of wet shredded paper from my shredding machine. It matts together nicely keeping light out to prevent weeds and I should have nice clean strawberries to eat. Makes use of your old bank statements too. Or your advertising junk is very colourful when shredded. Will […]

09
Aug

Egg shells

by

A reader has asked what can be done with egg shells. We put that question to our oily rag research team and they came up with a surprisingly large number of uses and some interesting facts. An egg shell accounts for about 10% of its weight and is about 95% calcium carbonate? For years scientists […]

01
Aug

D.M.

by

When I clean out my fish tanks (2) I save the water for my indoor plants, and out side one’s as well, the water has lots of nutrients, and my plant’s flourish. Give it a go.

31
Jul

Joyce

by

I have four small plastic containers I use to catch the first water from the hot tap. It’s cold and good for pot plants and special garden plants. It saves a surprising amount.

30
Jul

M.E., Auckland.

by

When using rubber gloves I usually find that the glove I use most (being right-handed) is the one that rips or splits. Splitting one this morning while cleaning my oven and not wanting to take a trip to get more, I turned one of the many left gloves I was reluctant to throw away inside […]

30
Jul

Anonymous

by

A Masterton reader has a good idea for the leaves shed by cabbage trees. Use the dry leaves as fire starters or in your garden as plant ties.

29
Jul

Michael, Auckland.

by

If you or a friend have one tomato plant it is really easy to get many freebies. Use the laterals. These are the ‘unwanted’ side shoots that you are told to remove. Do remove them. As you do your gardening keep a cup of water handy, carefully pull the shoot off and put the shoot […]