Gardening

Let it Be

WORDS LYNDA HALLINAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

When I find myself in times of gardening trouble, I reckon the best remedy is to simply think of Paul McCartney's mother Mary and, well, let it be. Powdery mildew a plague on your pumpkin vines? Let it be. Can't see the woods for the weeds? Let it be. Lawn barely alive after a long summer without rain? Let it be. Radishes run to seed? Let it be. Birds pecking holes in your unripe autumn pears? Let them be, too. Last spring, I had no choice but to let it be because, on the eve of the biggest planting weekend of the year, I broke my foot in an ill-fated return to the netball court for the first time in 25 years. Thus, while my fellow gardeners laboured in their vegetable plots, I sulked indoors on crutches with a cantankerous constitution. Consequently, I can count the number of hours I've worked in my vegetable garden since Labour Weekend on one hand, which means there's now nothing to harvest but rhubarb, a few spuds, self-sown tomatillos, angelica stalks and perennial 'Scarlet Runner' beans. The parsnips, leeks, dill and coriander all bolted to seed, my asparagus bed is an unruly forest of fronds, and the weeds are in control as opposed to under it. (On the plus side, I now have free dill and coriander seeds to fill my spice jars, and leek and parsnip flowers for foraged floral arrangements.) Letting it be—at least for a season—has reminded me that growing food shouldn't be a chore. Whether you consider your edible garden to be high or low-maintenance is entirely dependent on whether you're offended by weeds, pests and diseases, overgrown undergrowth or plants that are past their best. All too often we actually make work for ourselves when, if we just learned to let it be, the less there would be to do. The bigger weeds get, for example, the fewer there are to pull out, and the more soil each interloper clears upon eviction. Let the bugs be too; they're an integral component of a biodiverse backyard and if you get rid of them all, there'll be nothing for beneficial insects to parasitise. So as your garden winds down with the end of the golden weather, don't be in a rush to clean it up. By all means, snip the heads off weeds before they shed their seeds but let annual herbs and salad greens run wild. Shake, rattle and roll their dry seeds NOURISH | GARDENING

SEED SAVING TIPS · Only save seeds from your best, blight-free tomatoes. Choose a large, healthy fruit and let it ripen fully on a sunny windowsill until it oozes juice. Squeeze the seed pulp into a sieve and run under cold water to clean. Tap onto paper towels to dry. · Dry chillies whole and you’re saving their seeds at the same time. · Let beans (including broad beans) and peas dry fully on the vine, then harvest the pods. Shell out to save. · Don't save the seeds of modern hybrid varieties, or any cucumbers, pumpkins or zucchini. The cucurbit family is notoriously promiscuous and cross-pollinated fruit are rarely worth eating. · To save sunflower seeds for roasting or sprouting, cover the drooping heads with a sack or pillowcase as soon as they bend their necks or birds will beat you to the plump inner seeds. Cut mature heads and store intact. To sprout, just dunk the whole head in a bucket of water, rinse and repeat daily until the green shoots emerge.

Lynda Hallinan Waikato born-and-raised gardening journalist Lynda Hallinan lives a mostly self-sufficient life at Foggydale Farm in the Hunua Ranges, where she grows enough food to satisfy her family, freerange chooks, kunekune pig and thieving pukekos. She has an expansive organic vegetable garden and orchards and is a mad-keen pickler and preserver.

SURREALIST GARDEN The newest addition to Hamilton Gardens' fantasy collection, the Surrealist Garden opened this February. Inspired by Surrealism, an artistic movement popular the 1920s and 30s, the garden feels like another world. Surrealism explores the mystery behind dreams and the subconscious mind, largely inspired by Sigmund Freud. With a giant white door, garden tap and more. As you step inside you may feel you have suddenly shrunk. But scale is not the only mind bending trick this garden has to offer! This is a garden you don’t see but experience. Hamilton Gardens, Hungerford Crescent, Cobham Drive (SH1), Hamilton www.hamiltongardens.co.nz

FALLS GARDENING WORKSHOPS

If either getting more out of your garden or perhaps starting a vegetable garden is your goal, Falls Retreat have some fun and inspiring courses designed just for you. Join the team in their working garden to learn everything from the basics of composting or worm farming to propagating your own plants. These are fun and interactive and include a beautiful shared lunch.

SATURDAY MAY 2 SATURDAY JUNE 6 THE FULL MONTY $125pp includes morning tea, full day interactive workshop with Nicki Murray-Orr of VitalHarvest, notes to take home and a delicious shared lunch. www.fallsretreat.co.nz/the-full-monty

SATURDAY 28 MARCH, 9.30AM & 1PM EDIBLE GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS Includes morning tea, half day interactive workshop with notes to take home and delicious shared lunch - $75pp COMPOSTING & WORM FARMING 2 hour interactive workshop with take home notes and includes complimentary welcome drink and nibbles – $60pp SPECIAL OFFER – save 15% if you book both for $115

SATURDAY APRIL 18, 9.30AM GROWING HEALTHY VEGIES Learn how to grow your own fruit and vegies from seed or cuttings. Spend time in the glasshouse, get invaluable tips and techniques including planting by the moon, potting and more. Includes morning tea, take home notes and a delicious shared lunch. $75pp

SATURDAY 9 MAY, 9.30AM THE EDUCATED GARDENER Aimed at those that want to build upon their gardening knowledge, this workshop focuses on bio-intensive planting methods, soil nutrition and our permaculture model. Includes morning tea, take home notes and a delicious shared lunch. $75pp

GARDEN CLUBS Are you looking for a place to visit? Get in touch with Falls Retreat who’d love to tailor a garden session/ lunch to suit. Email enquiries to info@fallsretreat.co.nz

THE FALLS RETREAT 25 Waitawheta Road, Waihi For more information and to book go to www.fallsretreat.co.nz