June and July has been a busy time for seed preparation and sowing and for propagating native plants from cuttings. Friday mornings have largely been spent inside the Education Centre (probably just as well given the weather!) with various sorting activities. Sticky kohuhu and lemonwood seeds have been rubbed through sand to remove the stickiness, seeds covered in fruit have had that layer removed, kowhai seeds have been soaked, all in preparation for sowing. Seeds in Southland can be sown and left outside through winter where they get watered and “cold stratification” naturally. Don’t expect to see seedlings until the end of September. For a refresher on what to do with seeds.
The best time to do native cutting is now during the plants dormant period. Like seeds, don’t expect cuttings to make roots until around late September. For a detailed description of what to do and what you’ll need – see cuttings section.
Posted: 7 July 2015
Robert and Robyn Guyton are running this years “Go Organics Course” and on Saturday 4th July the group came to the Community Nursery to learn about native plants. Particularly of interest were the topics of native shelterbelts, creating wetlands, plants to attract birds and propagating plants from seed and cuttings. Time was spent walking around the pond and bush track looking at different aspects of native plants for restoration projects. The day was completed with a brief look at some of Southland’s rarest plants in the Threatened Plant Garden.
Posted: 7 July 2015
Come armed with good food as we celebrate the past season and look forward to spring. The nursery will be closed for winter and will re-open on Friday 18 September.
Its also an opportunity for me to thank everyone who has helped with the Nursery and Education Centre during the year and look forward to more exciting events next season! Have a happy winter break! Chris
Posted: 7 July 2015
We were very lucky to enjoy a clear and calm night for our Matariki celebrations! We celebrated the end of one productive year and look forward to another successful season. A night walk with Lloyd looking at the brilliance of the stars was a highlight of the evening. Within the comparative “warmth” of the education centre – swede lanterns were being carved and hazel brooms made for sweeping away the old year. Then a shared supper with mulled wine completed the evening.
Some of the photos below would form a great “caption competition” – send any suggestions to Chris!
Posted: 21 June 2015
On a very cold Tuesday 16th June, 34 students, 3 teachers and parent helpers from St Josephs School in Invercargill
came to the Community Nursery. The students were studying “people affecting natural resources” and for social studies “roles in the community of people who care and are doing something about it”. Here at the Nursery we concentrated on bush clearance and growing native plants to restore areas back to nature. The Community Nursery provides a great place to learn about restoring a paddock back to bush, creating habitat for birds and other creatures and practical activities for seed collecting and sowing and how to grow new plants. Lloyd Esler lead groups around the restoration areas and Chris lead seed lessons in the Education Centre, with assistance from Kari Beaven and Gretchen Leddington from DOC. The children learned how to identify different native trees and how to grow new plants. Chris asked the question “what do seeds need to grow”? - the answer from one student was “soil, light,
water and LOVE” – you just can’t get a better answer that that!
Posted: 21 June 2015
