Hi fellow gardeners!
This week let’s talk compost and EM (effective microorganisms and bokashi), inspired by my visit down to Christchurch. I’ll continue on with beneficial plants in my next blog, so stay tuned!
Last week, I flew down to Christchurch to meet my mentors Mike Daly from EMNZ and Neville Burt from Zing Bokashi. I learnt so much down there, like how to brew bigger quantities of EM and I have also come back with some exciting new products, including a garden mix that has seaweed, fish and EM and a septic flush brew. Exciting times ahead!
We visited a community project where they have a huge piece of land growing and educating disadvantaged people in growing food and selling their produce. Such a great way to get people involved. In another area of Christchurch, we observed an organisation picking up food waste with a bicycle system! I find it is always so inspiring to see what others are doing and to learn more.
This week on Waiheke has seen us kicking off our pilot project to get Bokashi into vineyard restaurants and processing grape marc using EM and carbon. I am so excited to be getting into the commercial sector, where more than 80% of our waste to landfill comes from.
In your home garden this weekend, it is a great time to start getting your winter beds ready and clearing out your summer beds. Remember that if you compost or would like to compost in your own garden, it is good to alternate your pile with carbon and nitrogen, greens and browns, with at least 60% carbon to 40% nitrogen.
Below is a list of some of the most common forms of nitrogen and carbon you could use:
| CARBON | NITROGEN |
| Paper | Poo, chook, cow, sheep, donkey, horse |
| Sawdust | Bokashi |
| Straw | Greens from garden, weeds etc |
| Dried leaves | Worm castings |
| Dried grass | Seaweed |
| Sticks | Coffee Grounds |
| Ash | Fresh grass clippings |
Later in the week from Tuesday on, we have a new moon rising so it is a good time to plant leafy producers, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, lettuce and green manure crops. On Tuesday the 20th March we have the Autumn Equinox, which will be a good time to plant berry and grain crops.
Hope all is going well in your gardens – where does the time go!
Happy gardening
