Seed sowing is usually a communal Friday morning activity, but needs must!! Since Christmas we have been busy collecting native seed around the property (and that has been a Friday morning volunteer activity until lockdown) – firstly the grasses – e.g toetoe (Astroderia richardii), red tussock (Chionochloa rubra) and Carex (Carex secta). Our diligent volunteers collected lots of those species before lockdown and helped clean the seeds (ie pulled or shook the seeds off stalks into bags). Then the fleshy fruited plants like wineberry (Aristotelia serrata) (which even we failed to get this year) and Coprosma’s (eg Coprosma propinqua, Coprosma lucida) and now the capsule seeds like the tiny koromiko (Hebe salicifolia), manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and the sticky seeded kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium) and lemonwood (Pittosporum eugenioides). Those are just a few of the species we have been collecting. Now its time to sow the seeds – so I have started doing that this week – photos below. For the plants we want a lot of in the nursery, we sow into larger trays, sprinkle onto the surface of potting mix and cover with a layer of pea gravel (or more potting mix).
For a lot more detail of what, when and how to collect and sow seeds go to the following link https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/restoring-your-patch/get-growing/seeds/
Once you have sowed your seed we recommend you make some shadecloth covers (to keep cats off!) and leave them outside for winter so that they get rained on (we dont recommend putting into tunnelhouses as they then need to be watered every few days over winter). A future article will cover the structures we recommend for setting up your own community nursery (they dont need to be complicated or expensive).
Here at the Community Nursery we are specialising in those natives that grow naturally in Southland. There are a few interlopers we don’t want in Southland like Coprosma robusta, Hoheria sexstylosa or Pseudopanax laetum as they can displace our local Southland flora. Please don’t collect just any seed even if it’s a native. I know it sounds pedantic to some but its like looking after sparrows instead of kereru and if we want kereru to prosper, we need to look after them (the sparrows can look after themselves!).
To see photos and descriptions of any of the plant species, the best place to go is to the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN) website and search for the species https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/ (that’s where the scientific name comes in handy, as many plants have a number of common names, but you can still look up common names too).
We are happy to discuss and assist with any plant queries so feel free to email.
Bronwyn will be doing a number of Facebook stories around children’s activities while in lockdown.
Chris and Brian
Posted: 2 May 2020
Four weeks into lockdown and I am missing the “Community” aspect of the Community Nursery! – Bronwyn’s daily visits, the sharing, the camaraderie, the shared food, the ideas, the friendship, the school groups and workshops, but so many people are in far worse positions, so we feel very lucky.
The Nursery is ticking along and my next job will be sowing the seeds (collected and cleaned). Like many people we are also getting done many jobs around the property that have been long overdue! Usually, at this time of year we have our Apple Pressing Community event – Malcolm brings his cider press and we all make delicious apple juice! This year it is just us and the birds eating our apples and I think the birds are winning! Not really, they get their share but I am very busy picking, cooking, freezing apples. It feels like a time not to waste anything. The garden is prolific in its produce and nothing goes to waste and that goes for vegetable plants that are going to seed. Normally I would be tidying them but now they all seem like a valuable resource. Also, before lockdown Linda and I ordered a lot of vegetable seeds from Kings Seeds – it just seemed like a sensible thing to do (I think it was Rays idea). So we have lots of vegetable seeds to sow now and in spring – watch this space it may be a new line for the Nursery! We are a very optimistic group us gardeners and at these times the garden is an inspirational place. For the recent Otatara Pigeon Post Newsletter I found some drawings by Gwen Challoner done in 2008 of a large lawn and accompanying ride-on lawnmower and then a biodiverse garden full of diversity – produce, chickens, places for people and nature – my hope is that when some form of new normality comes people will value their garden spaces much more and create their own havens for themselves and for nature.
Everyone is cooking!! Hopefully you will have tried out some of the recipes from our first Community Nursery Cookbook. To reconnect with Nursery friends we are going to do another Community Nursery Cookbook – “Lockdown Edition” – so send me your recipes, photos and tips for surviving the lockdown – I know Maggie’s been foraging in Clyde, Eleanor has sent me her sourdough starter recipe, Sally has baked for me (and eaten) her lemon and poppyseed muffins, Ive been doing my zucchini fritters and cooking up my own blackboy peaches, Lesleys Kumikumi’s were amazing and I am sure Bronwyn and Abby have been cooking up a storm!
The bear in my hut window is for someone who’s on the frontline. Our thanks to them and everyone-else working so hard to keep us all safe.
We have a way to go, but stay safe, and be kind.
Chris and Brian
Posted: 20 April 2020
We are in lockdown but I have been able to seed collect on our property. A few people have been asking if various seeds are ready to collect yet so I thought I would add a few photos of what I have been collecting recently for the Nursery. There is also a dedicated page on seed collecting at the following link - https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/restoring-your-patch/get-growing/seeds/
The general rule of thumb is not to collect green seed. Usually fleshy seed turns a different colour when ripe. Yesterday I picked some blue mingimingi (Coprosma propinqua), orange Karamu (Coprosma lucida), black broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis) purple narrow leaved mahoe (Melicytus lanceolatus) and brown manuka pods (Leptospernum scoparium) - they will open in the sun spilling tiny brown seeds. Most koromiko (Hebe salicifolia) was still green (see photo below of brown pods and tiny seed on the hand) and most of my cabbage tree seed had not turned white yet.
I have failed to find any wineberry seed this year, if you see any, or have collected any, I would be pleased to know.
There are a few native species that we wouldn’t recommend you collecting seed from as they are regarded as “weedy” natives – ie they don’t occur naturally in Southland and have a tendency to replace our local Southland species – they are Hoheria sextylosa – northern lacebark, Coprosma robusta (similar looking to Coprosma lucida) and Pseudopanax laetus – Northland fivefinger. All are present in Otatara. If you are interested in knowing the differences or are not sure send me an email. In their place we would recommend using Lowland ribbonwood (Plagianthus regius), shining karamu, (Coprosma lucida) and pate, seven finger (Shefflera digitata) and I will have lots of seed from these species to share.
Regards
Chris
Posted: 6 April 2020
Some ideas for children during your “home time”
While you are at home there are lots of fun family things you can do together in your garden to connect with nature. We have a range of resources you can download from our website then go outside and try them out!
https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/education-centre/activities/school-activities/. Below is a link to that page and the pdf documents you can print out or put on your phone – then start discovering!!
Learning Resources
We have developed a range of site-specific learning resources to help you get the most out of your visit. Download them as PDFs or use the hard-copies available at the Nature Education Centre.
Or do a garden bird survey – there is everything you need to know at this link - https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/science/plants-animals-fungi/animals/birds/garden-bird-surveys
The official survey starts in June but why not have a practice now and keep a bird diary, noting each day what birds visit your garden!
Or have a cooking session using our new Southland Community Nursery Recipe book – it has lots of good recipes using locally grown produce (such as “what to do with Zucchini!) as well as tips for local foraging – you can download it at https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/how-the-nursery-works/. All recipes were donated by our volunteers and put together by Bronwyn. When you are cooking, think about the people who submitted the recipes – you are bound to know some of them! Printed copies the Recipe Book are available from the Nursery, but that may have to wait a while! You can still put your order in though.
We will be putting stories on our website soon about seed collecting and other subjects so watch this space https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/news-and-events/
Chris and Bronwyn
Posted: 27 March 2020
Due to these uncertain times we are closing the Community Nursery until further notice. We will think of some inventive ways to connect with you all and we will be keeping the nursery running - just behind closed doors for now. We will collect seeds and prepare for a new season, whenever that happens. Education programmes will be postponed for now but we will think of some good ways you can still enjoy the outdoors with your children - “a nature diary” maybe! - watch this space!!
In the meantime stay safe and do email me with any questions on growing your own native plants! I will also still be taking orders for plants so if you have any requests just email but we wont have any pickups until the situation changes.
kind regards
Chris and Brian
Posted: 23 March 2020
