seemygardengrow

[seemygardengrow]

Must admit, I'm starting to get impatient waiting for the grafted apple trees to lose their leaves this winter. I had great success with my first attempt at grafting apples last spring and am looking forward to planting the new trees out in their permanent locations. Plus there are the root-stocks which need to be cut back in preparation for growing even more trees. However while all my peach trees lost their leaves weeks ago, I'm still waiting for the apples to do the same. Maybe this southerly weather we are having this week will help them on their way. #freshperceptions #permaculture #growyourownfood #gardenersofinstagram #ediblegarden #appletree #nzgardener #kiwigardens #plantnursery #heirloomfruittrees — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/3fUaJYc

[seemygardengrow]

I am continually thrilled at how well these coffee tree seedlings are growing. They really were an experiment when I first started growing them. I had no idea what I was doing but our store bought coffee tree gave us a few cherries and I wasn't going to let them go to waste. About 3 years later I have 4 of these little guys. Sadly the parent tree has since died & I learned some hard lessons with trying to grow the coffee seedlings but the 4 remaining trees are doing really well. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that in a few more years these will produce coffee cherries of their own & I can have another try at growing some more from seed. Who knows, maybe one day we'll have enough coffee trees to produce our own homegrown cup of coffee! #freshperceptions #permaculture #growyourownfood #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #plantnursery #ediblegarden #coffeetree #homegrown #selfsufficiency — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/3gsD3SH

[seemygardengrow]

Even as winter sets in, the garden isn't quite empty. Although it does look a lot tidier! Our tuscan & curly kales are now producing lovely leaves without the damage from summer pests. We still have rosemary, thyme & oregano to use in our cooking and the leeks, peas & broadbeans are still slowly growing. We even have some self-seeded coriander popping up. Not sure how that will fair over the cold winter months ahead but I'm happy to leave it and see what happens. With a bit of luck, by the time spring rolls around these gardens will also be full of red russian kale, garlic, shallots & various types of broccoli as well as strawberries, herbs & a few flowering plants thrown in to help things along. #freshperceptions #permaculture #growyourownfood #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #companionplanting #ediblegarden — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2yw7wy3

[seemygardengrow]

Unfortunately my Strawberry Popcorn harvest looks a bit sad this year. I've had great success with this crop in the past but was far too late getting them planted this summer. There is a bright side though! While there isn't really enough popcorn to bother popping any, there is plenty to use as seed for next year when I expect I'll have a much better harvest! #freshperceptions #permaculture #growyourownfood #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #plantnursery #ediblegarden #heirloom — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2Xniyhu

[seemygardengrow]

Having a really good tidy up at the end of summer feels great. The veggie beds have been composted, a new nursery bed set up and the pathway between them mulched. All ready for some winter crop growth and a few seedling transplants. #freshperceptions #permaculture #nznative #growyourownfood #selfsufficiency #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #regenerative #plantnursery — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/3bQo5lZ

[seemygardengrow]

These pesky critters have been taking over the garden while we've been preoccupied with other things. Their reign is coming to an end now though. I'm hoping to make a serious dent in their population before they go into hiding for the winter. Just one of the jobs on the garden list now that the weather is starting to cool down. #freshperceptions #growyourownfood #veggiegarden #gardening #pests #organicgarden #nzgardener — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2QddfOV

[seemygardengrow]

After about 18 months our cabin finally has flooring! It's amazing the difference these final touches can make. Time for a small break over Christmas before we finish the fit out & move in early next year! #freshperceptions #cabinlife #offgrid #tinyhouse #diy #tinyhouseliving #livesimple — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/35UAWRN

[seemygardengrow]

Just like some of the natives we are propagating, our adult Siberian Pea Shrub was already on site when we arrived. While it has taken us a while to figure out what is what, the propagation of these useful plants is now well underway. These Pea Shrub seedlings are currently less than 100mm tall but will one day grow into a lovely small, nitrogen fixing tree with yellow flowers that the bees absolutely adore. A number of these will be available to purchase through our plant nursery next year once they have had a chance to get a bit bigger! We will also have some freshly sourced seed available in the coming months for those who prefer starting from scratch. #freshperceptions #permaculture #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #plantnursery #naturalnitrogen #supporttrees #feedthebees — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2Sas6LG

[seemygardengrow]

Sometimes it can be hit & miss when growing from cuttings and this lonely little Gooseberry is testament to that. What started as 3 cuttings has resulted in just this one little plant. The bright side is that one is most certainly better than none! Plus with some TLC and a year or two of growth, I will be able to multiple this little guy into numerous more genetically identical plants. Learning to propagate plants from cuttings over the last 6 months has definitely been interesting and well worth the effort. While there have certainly been disappointments, there have also been great successes and I look forward to improving my skills next winter! #freshperceptions #permaculture #growyourownfood #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #plantnursery #heirloomfruittrees — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2YX5q33

[seemygardengrow]

Very impressed with how well my oak seedlings are doing. A year ago, I didn't even have any plans to grow oak trees but a brief stop in the Karangahake Gorge on the way to Auckland changed all that. The ground was littered with seed from the old oaks along the side of the river and they were just starting the sprout. Never one to turn down a gardening opportunity I gathered about a dozen seeds to take home. The success rate has been good with at least 10 growing into lovely little seedlings. I also have two oak babies sourced from a beautiful old tree growing on Mauao (Mount Maunganui). One day I hope that logs from some of these trees will be home to a selection of tasty mushrooms but for now I'm just happy to watch them grow. Due to restrictions on how many I can get planted in one season, a small number of these trees will also be available to purchase through our plant nursery next winter. #freshperceptions #permaculture #growyourownfood #selfsufficiency #gardenersofinstagram #nzgardener #kiwigardens #regenerative #historictrees — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2PQPWt4

[seemygardengrow]

The manuka growing wild on site really is beautiful at this time of year. The added bonus is that it also keeps propagating itself - the seeds have been falling on the ground below & new trees grow. So far I've spotted about 10-12 little seedlings that have been collected and planted elsewhere to carry on the local genetics rather than bringing new trees in. I've also tried collecting the seed to try & grow a few more but have a rather poor success rate. Anyone got any tips for getting those tiny little seeds to grow into a full sized seedling? #treesthatcount #freshperceptions #permaculture #nznative #nzgardener #kiwigardens #regenerative #feedthebees — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2PkMyHU

[seemygardengrow]

These seedlings are possibly the most exciting thing in the garden at the moment. A big call given that there is so much going on at the moment but these guys are a bit special. These are potato seedlings grown from actual potato seed - not seed potatoes. The seed is from the Koanga heritage collection and with the seeds throwing back to the genetics of their ancestors, I have absolutely no idea what kind of potatoes I'm going to get. I'm hoping for some great colours but at this stage I would be excited about any tubers at all! #freshperceptions #growyouownfood #heirloomvegetables #permaculture #freshisbest #organic #veggiegarden #gardenersofinstagram #nzgarden #kiwigarden #selfsufficiency — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2PxOT16

[seemygardengrow]

Little by little our cabin is starting to look less like a building site & more like a home. Waste & cost minimisation is important to us so the new kitchen ceiling is put together from offcuts of the wall lining & the main ceiling will be upcycled exterior cladding that we replaced. With a bit of luck we might even have the inside finished by Christmas! #freshperceptions #cabinlife #offgrid #tinyhouse #diy #reducereuserecycle — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/32epqhj

[seemygardengrow]

Just because this season of tree planting is almost over, doesn't mean the design work stops. With up to 20 apple tree saplings & cuttings currently residing in the plant nursery, they will need a home to go to next winter and the time to start planning is now. Not only do we need to decide where they will be planted but we need to figure out what will grow along side them to maximize their potential. These companion species will also need to be grown over the spring & summer so that they are ready to be planted along side the apple trees next winter/spring. #freshperceptions #permaculture #foodforest #fruitorchard #growyourownfood #landscapedesign #ediblelandscaping #companionplanting #gardensofinstagram #permaculturedesign #gardendesign #instagarden #gardentotable — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2netUWS

[seemygardengrow]

A month or so ago I discovered that our site has started regenerating itself with more natives than I realised. In particular, Mahoe & Kotukutuku (Tree Fuchsia) seem to be growing really well. The Tuis & Bellbirds love the nectar and there is sure to be a fight for the berries when they appear. The tree is also said to be a preferred food source of possums, to the point that possums kill the trees & have caused a decline in this species of tree. Having a few cutting beds set up, I figured it wouldn't hurt to see if the Kotukutuku would propagate from cutting so that I could do my bit to help replenish the species and feed some of the local fauna. I thought I may have taken the cuttings a bit late but it turns out they actually root from cuttings very easily. While this has been a bit of a surprise, they will be a welcome addition to our planting list as well as the plant nursery stock. #freshperceptions #permaculture #treesthatcount #nativetrees #feedthebirds #regenerative #nznative — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2oDHeUZ

[seemygardengrow]

After a long break due to leaks and other issues, our cabin build is back on track. We have had to add re-cladding the whole building to the project but luckily with it being a small building, it's not such a huge task. The most exciting part for me is doing the interior work. Seeing it progress from a building site to something that resembles a (very small) house is very rewarding. We haven't quite finished the exterior work but we've finished enough to start working on the internal lining and even the paint work. Our experimental plywood white wash turned out better than we hoped & is helping brighten up the space. Time & weather permitting, we may even be able to move in before Christmas! #freshperceptions #offgrid #cabinlife #tinyhouse #DIY — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2njkg5q

[seemygardengrow]

Support species, especially Nitrogen fixers, are a vital part of every food forest garden. This little guy is a Siberean Pea Shrub seedling and will eventually take up that important role. We were lucky enough to find an existing tree on site that we could collect seed from so these seedlings should automatically be well adjusted to our particular climate. These trees aren't very common but make a great addition to your forest garden. In addition to their nitrogen fixing abilities, they flower in winter so are great for the bees and they don't grow too big. Not too mention the peas are actually edible! #freshperceptions #permaculture #foodforest #nitrogenfixer #legumes #seedlings #trees #plantnursery — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2lX0ps2