Community Nursery News March 2025
After a quiet start to the year, we have had lots of volunteers on Fridays and the year seems to be speeding into Autumn. Watering has remained a major job through summer and other major nursery jobs recently have been seed collecting and seed cleaning in preparation for sowing all seeds in June. In general terms it has not been a good year for seeds, they seem to be much less available than previous good years so, vigilance is the key. When you are out and about look at our web guide first to see when seeds are likely to be ready and what they look like when mature for picking - https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/restoring-your-patch/get-growing/seeds/
Weeding is of course a major nursery task, so thanks particularly to Geoff Dembo and Ann Irving for keeping up the good work on that front. While keeping the plants alive through summer has been a major task for me, plants are now starting to go out of the Nursery for planting projects in Autumn and we are at last having a few gaps in beds to fill up with small seedlings for next season. Thanks to all our volunteers for great work on Fridays.
We have had a number of visiting groups, from Judys Trefoil, ex-guide leader group, to Rural Womens group to a Spanish tapas night! All while Brian was away to the Subantarctic Islands. Linda Ray and I did however, visit Antarctica (virtually!).
Jo Ogier has made a generous donation of one of her paintings (photo below), proceeds to the Community Nursery. Tickets are $5 each and you can pay cash in the Nursery or internet banking. To be sure the name and bank number match please use the following name STHLD COMMUNITY NURSERY CONSERVATION TRT, and Bank Account Number 031355 0645582 00 and make sure you put your name on the payment so I can allocate a ticket!
A date for your diary – Southland Ecological Restoration Network (www.sern.org.nz) Bus Trip to Waituna Saturday 5 April 2025 – details here, BOOKING ESSENTIAL
https://www.sern.org.nz/events/sern-autumn-field-trip-waituna/
A couple of exciting developments for the future – a new pond will be appearing in our paddock near the education centre (see Jason’s drone photos below) and we welcome Bronwyn back in her new Otatara School role connecting the Nursery and Bushy Point with Otatara School again.
Chris
Posted: 17 March 2025