PUBLISHED 2 APRIL 2020
Sustainable self sufficiency during self isolation
“He waka eke noa”
We are more than a week into lockdown and the reality of separation from society is setting in (even though we still have virtual connection via internet). Nobody knows how long lockdown will continue; it is more productive to look inward at our own lives and habits than to deliberate over the duration of our isolation. Although we prefer not to prolong the situation we can prepare for extended seclusion. This is an opportunity to look ahead and plan for improved self sufficiency in our own space. Nothing we do is folly as it is as important to keep our minds and bodies active with projects which will produce results.
The virus we are endeavouring to protect ourselves from is protected by a fatty envelope. Imagine having butter or oil on your hands and washing it off by rubbing your hands together with warm soapy water; the fatty envelope of coronavirus dissolves and the virus is exposed and dies. Please wash your hands often with soapy water as advised (especially when moving between different areas of your property) to minimise the risk of infection.
We must maintain good health and a level of fitness; getting outside to work on projects may help keep the family busy providing recreation and fun at the same time.
This week we look at what we should be doing now to improve our home situation. There is no longer access to nurseries or landscape supplies which means we have to think laterally in regard to garden installations.
Preparation
Installing gardens requires some planning. How much area have you got for planting? Will it be a raised garden, garden bed, or a container garden? What resources do you have that are ready to use? What plants do you want to grow? It may pay to start small and see how the garden evolves. What plants or vegetables do you want to grow and what do you have available to use? Many of you will have some form of garden in place already and even have a stock of landscape supplies however the rest of us will need to get creative.
What can we do?
Once you decide on the type of garden you want you can begin to prepare, you may want a combination of the gardens inside and outside. Window boxes inside are a good way of keeping plants thriving throughout the colder months. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST BE SURE NOT TO CUT THROUGH DRIPPER LINES IN YOUR SEPTIC FIELD OR ELECTRICAL CABLES. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE BEFORE YOU DIG AS SEVERED SEPTIC LINES MUST BE JOINED TO PREVENT A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE (PLACEMAKERS HAS THE JOINERS BUT IS ONLY OPEN FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES). Dig up the soil for the area you want your garden, use a garden fork or spade and turn the soil breaking it up so that it is crumbly and not too lumpy (as air and water will fill the gaps and you will be fighting a losing battle to keep plants alive). You may need to dig a corner of the garden to fill containers with soil. If you have compost this is the time to add it to the soil to condition, aid moisture retention, and encourage earthworms. Do as much preparation for planting areas while the weather is favourable (you do not want to be working with mud as that destroys soil structure and creates sediment which is a contaminant for our waterways).
Making waste work for us
Although we regard “waste” as something to dispose of it is actually a very valuable resource. Remember the waste management mantra: reduce; reuse; recycle (let’s keep it simple)! We are at a point where we have time to consider what is essential and what we truly need; this is not the moment for excess. Let’s look at what we purchase and what we throw into our rubbish bins. Buy what we need and reuse what we can by pausing to look at everything before we discard it. Could there be a better way of dealing with that rubbish, could it be reused? Tin cans, for planting seedlings; glass jars with screw tops for jams, relishes, or storage; paper for garden preparation; food for compost bins with meat separated (it can be buried in the garden if you don’t have a pet to feed); plastic trays and egg cartons can also be used for planting seedlings. Paper, including the Gulf News (which uses non toxic colouring for print) can be added to compost however it is best not to use glossy paper. There are many resources available with creative suggestions for reuse (some are listed at the bottom).
Most vegetable plants are annuals which means that they grow, produce fruit and seed, then die off. The perpetuation of the plants comes through germination of seeds when the conditions are suitable. There are also perennial plants such as rhubarb, kale and asparagus. Perennials can often be split up so you can have them growing in different areas or even inside.
Gather seeds
Any edible or ornamental plant in the garden that produces seed is providing a resource for the future so collect the seeds and store them for planting at the right time. Some seeds may be obvious and others not so obvious; look at the urls listed below to find how to collect seed from different plants. Once dry, store them in envelopes or folded paper towels; write the name of the plant clearly to identify the seeds and keep them in an air tight container (a reused jar with screw on lid is perfect).
This is not the hour to be sharing plants and seeds with neighbours and friends but that will change in the future and they will make precious gifts; the harvest of a time when separation united us all.
Make a compost bin
There are many unused compost bins that have been cast aside so check to see if you have one stashed away. If not, compost bins can be made from materials you may find around your site (refer to resources below). As all rubbish is presently being sent to land fill (due to the health risks of recycling) you may be able to use one of your wheelie bins as a temporary measure so long as it is not damaged (please note that compost bins must have aeration). If you have four wooden pallets lying around they can form the sides of a preservative-free bin (screwed together and anchored in place with pegs or rebar). The front pallet will need to be either hinged or have removable for entry to the compost. As we don’t have access to hardware it is not an important detail. Any bin or drum with holes drilled in the sides makes a suitable repository for compost.
We have to make do with what we have to work with so if you don’t have compost we can make it. Start by keeping all food scraps (separate the meat which can be buried). The resources listed below have a wealth of information on how to do this.
Mulches can be made up of anything you have to cover soil to protect it and retain moisture which can include leaves, sticks, grass clippings, gravel. Gather these and make piles – the mulch will break down into compost over time and feed the soil.
Be innovative as that is what Kiwis are best at!
The Waiheke Resources Trust is currently running programmes to help with self sufficiency with an emphasis on backyard weed identification and eradication, composting at home and managing our waste. They are hoping to put up a video every day or so and aim to respond to the needs of the community through real-time interactions. They want your feedback and offer practical advice, support, and encouragement.
Please email me if you need help or inspiration with projects or visit some of the resources listed below.
RESOURCES
Sustain at Home with the Waiheke Resources Trust
https://www.facebook.com/waihekeresourcestrust/
How to start and use a compost bin
https://upgardener.co.uk/how-to-start-a-compost-bin/
Online jigsaw puzzles (when we need a break from the garden)
DIY compost bins
https://www.diyncrafts.com/33618/home/gardening/35-cheap-easy-diy-compost-bins-can-build-weekend
Making compost
https://www.planetnatural.com/home-composting/
Kitchen waste in gardens
https://www.familyhandyman.com/smart-homeowner/kitchen-waste-you-should-use-in-your-garden/
Growing kumara
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10821494
Growing food from food scraps
http://momsneedtoknow.com/growing-foods-kitchen-scraps/
Saving seeds
https://www.growveg.com.au/guides/saving-seeds-from-your-homegrown-vegetables/
PUBLISHED 26 MARCH 2020
Self sufficiency during self isolation
Cultural practices
As we enter an unprecedented period of “social distancing” and “self isolation” our focus moves to our homes, our living spaces. Many who have been confined to solitude or reduced human contact have documented the experience which can be distressing and demoralising. We have been living in a disposable society where instant gratification fuels consumerism which politicians encourage because it builds a strong economy. Now the time has come to pause and look at how we can sustainably manage a situation which we never expected and never prepared for. Over the past year we have become more aware of the impact our waste has had on the environment and there has been a global response to reduce plastic use. The next step is to actively contribute to improving our quality of life and to help mitigate the effect of over consumption. Growing food from home is not only possible, it is not difficult, it is fun, and it is very rewarding.
For the foreseeable future it seems that imports will be heavily reduced so growing our own fruit and vegetables makes a lot of sense. The community can come together to share their food and to swap when they have excess. This will also be a good time to start making our own preserves, jams, jellies, relishes, chutneys, and pickles.
Home gardening
The word horticulture is derived from the Latin hortus (garden) and colere (to cultivate). Cultural practices include everything involved in planting preparation, planting, post planting, and harvesting activities. Plants are grown for food, ornamental, or practical purposes (e.g. to support other plants or to stabilise the soil).
Gardening has many therapeutic benefits along with the practical. There is a long list which includes: exercise; reduced blood pressure; a source of vitamin D; healthier food; stress relief; sense of community as food and tips can be shared; increased levels of happiness; improved self esteem; better quality of sleep; financial advantages; something to nurture. Gardening allows ruminations of past events and anxiety about the future to be released as senses are engaged bringing us to the present. This can be restorative like hitting a reset button!
Let’s get started
Establishing goals
The first thing to consider is what you need from the garden and whether you want to employ organic or inorganic methodologies. A self sustaining garden is organic; this approach is holistic and uses homemade compost and mulch, gathering seeds and other forms of propagation, and making fertilisers and sprays. Using inorganics may be easier for some people and is also a very good option. There are no rules about strictly choosing one or the other.
The purpose of the vegetable garden is primarily to provide a food source however the other benefits may be just as valuable. Gardening need not be confined to vegetables as this time is also an opportunity to establish rain gardens and ornamental gardens.
Garden bed or raised garden
Garden beds can be a defined area in the ground where the soil is dug up, turned over and worked with compost to prepare for planting. A very simple garden has no edging and the soil is mounded in the centre to allow water to settle in the trenches on the edges. Raised gardens are popular as they enable an easier way to control weeds, soil compaction is less likely due to good drainage, they provide a barrier for many pests like slugs and snails, and it is much easier on a gardener’s back. Due to superior drainage raised gardens can be planted earlier in the season and the plants survive for longer. Raised gardens come in many different shapes and sizes. They can be terraces built into slopes or structures built on top of flat surfaces with innovative designs that bring beauty and splendour to an area. Some may find a use for an old bath tub, barrel, pots or anything that will hold soil (e.g. hollow concrete blocks). It pays to look at the materials used as many of them may contain toxins not suitable for food however they may be suitable for other plants such as companion plants like the marigolds which repel aphids and greenflies from vege crops.
Plant choice
Once garden areas have been decided it is time to look at the crops you would like to grow. Seasonal planting is the first consideration, perusing the list of appropriate plants for our region and those suitable for the conditions of your garden will form the basis of what you ultimately choose to grow. Fruit trees are an asset to any garden and they can generally be planted any time of the year on Waiheke if planted correctly.
Record keeping
Keep records of planting with as much detail as possible as this will become a valuable asset to you and your friends in the future. You will be able to monitor what has worked for you and what hasn’t; it is not always easy to determine why these things happen. Keeping records may help you figure it out in the future although sometimes it will remain a mystery. The truth is there is much more about gardening that we don’t know than what we do and for this reason it is best to employ cultural practices that work with nature instead of resisting it.
For the next few weeks we shall look in depth at cultural practices and how to create gardens (from concept to harvest) in order to enhance our self sufficiency and to improve our well being.
