Newsletter: Term 4, Week 4

Outdoor classroom: During November our outdoor classroom will be assembled. We have also been very fortunate to purchase a kitchen for the classroom.

Mr Green Says: Have you ever considered a worm farm? Worm compost provide nutrients for your plants and will help the soil hold moisture.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Even if you have little growing space you can always squeeze in a few herbs to add freshness and flavour to your food. Try growing basil, dill, garlic, mint, oregano, parley, thyme. They are easy to cultivate and ideal for beginners.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

May is the last opportunity to plant spring flowering bubs. Make sure to plant your tulips, daffodils and jonquils now.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Autumn is a very busy time for the gardener. Get your hands dirty and enjoy the sunshine before the cold comes! Plant and sow now and make sure that you have the right herbs/veggies in before it is too cold.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Did you know that milk can be used as a fungicide on tomatoes? Use a mixture of 1 part milk and 9 parts water to spray on your crop.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Did you know that organic honey can be used to propagate your plants? Just dip your fresh cutting, with a 1/3 leaves removed, into the honey and then plant in an open free draining soil mix.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Make sure to have a look at page 20 of the Hornsby Advocate this week. There is a fantastic article about our new gecko garden. (Mr Green is a small green gecko who is our garden mascot. He loves to give trivia and permaculture gardening advice)

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Have you ever considered setting up a worm farm? You add peelings to the worm farm just as you would a composter. The worms will appear and break down your peelings into small amounts of garden compost. You can then use this compost as top dressings for your container plants.

Mr Green the Gecko says

Did you know that if you replant the top of beets, onions and carrots, they will grow a new plant for you again? The new root won’t be as pretty as the original but regrowth will be much faster than if you started from seed.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Mr Green Says: Have you ever considered growing an olive tree? The olive tree is the oldest cultivated tree in existence and can live for thousands of years. It can survive poor soils, with little water, and its hard, thin leaves are adapted to prevent water loss, so it's an extremely hardy and forgiving tree.

Mr Green the Gecko says...

Repotting is an important part of keeping pot plants. The best time of year to repot is in spring, before the new flush of summer growth.

Mr Green the Gecko says

Mulch keeps down weeds keeps in moisture and feeds your plants as it breaks down. Renew your mulch when it starts to look thin.

Mr Green the Gecko says ....

Happy Birthday to "the Girls” It has been one year since the chooks arrived and they are such a big part of the school. Chickens only need a few things to be healthy and happy and they certainly brighten our every day!

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

If you want to enjoy fresh tomatoes from your garden before Christmas, you can start growing them indoors now so that you have advanced seedlings ready to plant once the cold weather has passed.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Winter is the perfect time to prepare soil, dig compost into the soil and start looking at the wonderful vegetables or flowers you can grow.

Mr Green the Gecko says ...

Aloe vera is an easy plant to grow by providing full sun, a warm climate and good drainage. Use aloe vera plants to heal wounds and burns.

Mr Green the gecko says...

It’s Rhubarb Time!
If you have rhubarb planted it’s a good time to harvest now and make a yummy rhubarb crumble. Add some orange rind to make it extra tasty. YUM YUM!

Mr Green the Gecko says

Autumn is the perfect time to plant silverbeet, cauliflower, beetroot, lettuce and herbs.

Mr Green the Gecko says...

After all this heavy rain you may find nutrients have been carried away from the soil. Make sure to replenish
these nutrients with an organic all purpose fertilizer or fish emulsion.

Mr Green the gecko says...

 “Plant some seeds for you and me!”

Plant out some seeds in an old egg carton filled with seed raising mix . When they have grown plant some and share the rest with your friends.