Our Nursery
We established our nursery in 2009, initially focusing on annual vegetable varieties, but we soon became guided more by our permaculture principles. We now grow around 400 varieties of perennial vegetables, edible and medicinal herbs, dye plants, companion plants, shrubs and trees. We focus on perennials and self-sowing annuals which are multi-functional, hardy, and contribute to a diverse and resilient garden or farm which provides fertility and pest control, and which can provide a forage system of food, medicine, fuel, dyes, craft and construction material for you and future generations, as well as a place of beauty and biodiversity.
In 2010 we became certified organic with Organic Farm New Zealand (OFNZ) (certification number OFNZ1360)This means we use certified organic inputs such as potting mix and liquid seaweed fertiliser. Our potting mix does not contain peat, the mining of which has severe environmental consequences, or pelletised slow release fertilisers, many of which are coated with plastic resins. It does contain nutrients from natural sources such as gypsum, seaweed and fish fertiliser, as well as trichoderma, which is a naturally occurring beneficial fungus found in New Zealand soils. Trichoderma is used as a bio-fertiliser due to its ability to form close symbiotic root associations, aiding plants to obtain nutrients and water, thereby improving growth. Furthermore some strains of trichoderma can also control soil-borne pathogens, sometimes more effectively than chemicals.
Permaculture Principles and Organic Management
Fertiliser
We do not ‘force feed’ our plants with nitrogen fertilisers so that they look super lush and green. You may have noticed that when you buy plants like this from other nurseries and take them home and plant them, they suddenly look a bit sad. That’s because you’re not feeding them the fast food diet they’ve been used to! We prefer to take it slow and steady with our plants, and you’ll find that when you plant them out they will wriggle down their roots and say ‘ahhh, thank you, how lovely!’ and continue their growing without further ado.
Pest & Disease Control
Slugs and snails are ubiquitous of course, so we employ a trusty band of Indian Runner ducks and a small flock of bantam hens to deal to them! We’ve learned what plants are vulnerable to the birds themselves, and moved them out of harm’s way, and the troops can get on with their job! In the rare event of other pests or diseases we have several courses of action available – observe and wait – often things self-correct as in nature; isolate the plants; or spray with an approved product. There are still some approved products which we refuse to use as they can still be toxic to bees or other wildlife. However, our plants are generally very healthy – we know because we see it and we hear it from our customers all the time.
Weed Control
We do not use any fungicides or herbicides in the nursery, which means weeds have to be dealt with by hand – this is labour intensive and time consuming, although there are a few, such as chickweed and shepherd’s purse, which we can put in our salads! However our bantams and ducks do a great job keeping the worst of the weeds under control.
Soil Not Weed Mat!
We refuse to use plastic weed mat which kills all soil life. Instead we have a thick layer of sawdust on the ground from a local mill. This helps to suppress most of the weeds, and soak up the poultry manure. Every few months we remove an area of it to make compost for the gardens, and replenish it with new sawdust. Old or surplus plant material and potting mix is also put through a chicken composting system and then used to create new garden beds on the farm or to make compost to go back on gardens or trees.
Water & Power
Water for irrigating the nursery is used consciously and for the first ten years of our business was pumped solely using solar power generated on site. Manure rich water from the ducks’ bath goes through a mulch basin to irrigate plants which provide food for the ducks, or into an IBC used for growing duckweed to feed the birds, and then eventually off through a diversion ditch to a pond, irrigating wetland species en route. The nursery also has compost toilets for anyone working or visiting.
Our tunnelhouses are not artificially lit or heated. We prefer to work with the natural temperatures and cycles of the seasons. Seeds are germinated using excess warmth from the house (which is on solar power and heated with a wood stove). This avoids unnecessary fossil fuel use and also means the plants are hardier.
Seed Sourcing
Where possible we source seeds which are organic. If they are local so much the better. As the years go on and our own plantings become more established, we have been able to source more from our own land. We do not sell any plants grown from treated or hybrid seed.
Supporting Local
We try to support local businesses wherever possible. Our potting mix is made locally in Hastings by our very own next door neighbour!
