National gardening day

Actually it was nothing of the sort. It is Waitangi Day in NZ today, a public holiday and an opportunity to reflect on our national identity. I decided that we would all be better off if we gardened more and that I should lead by example.

So today I did compost and transplanting.

The lunar calendar says today is good for making and applying compost. I like the lunar calendar because it prompts me to do things now instead of some vague time that I might not actually get around to. I use the lunar guide from NZ Organics magazine. Indeed I have it photocopied and stuck on the study wall. That's cos I lost the magazine and was in the local health shop last month (where I bought the lost magazine in the first place) looking up what to do and Kerrie the lovely shop assistant went and photocopied the moon pages for me. Life in small town is sweet like that.

I don't do that fast compost make it in one day method. I leave it all in a big pile for ages and eventually turn it over and discover lots of worms and earth. Working well for me so far. Today's composting project was one half of our big raised bed. The other half still has some potatoes in it. I spread a big barrow load of home made compost and then went down the road grass clipping stealing. Nice big barrow of that then went over the top of the compost and it was ready to be replanted.

Two problems. One I have no brassica seedlings ready to be transplanted, or indeed any other kind if I wanted to break my crop rotation plans, which I don't. Two the lunar guide says compost, not plant. The second problem was easily ignored and the first was solved by a trip to the local nursery. They know me well there. I visit nearly every week and spend an average of $3.08 per trip, maybe less. Always nice to window shop. I got kale, leeks and green brocolli seedlings. I've now planted some of the leeks and most of the brocolli and kale.

These leeks, which are being planted amongst the tomatoes, are bigger than my own seedlings which I transplanted a few days ago. This time though I remembered what Linda Woodrow said and planted them very deeply. The theory is that this way I will get long white stems. Leeks are $2 each at the supermarket at the moment, so my 13 cents leeks will be a great bargain if they all grow up strong and tasty.

Sungold cherry tomatoes rock. I recommend them unreservedly. They taste fantastic, crop prolifically, taste good even when the leaves look dodgy and mature very early. We've been eating our sungolds for six weeks now, whereas the fruit on our other tomato plants are mostly still green. You can buy them here from Kings Seeds if you live in NZ.