Gardening with Gael - Mulching, asparagus, and planting possums

 

This is the time of the year when everyone starts keenly watching the weather report for reassuring signs of rain. As the heat increases and the rain decreases, moisture trapped in the soil over winter begins to be released from the soil. Add a bit of wind, often prevalent during spring and early summer, and the loss of moisture increases. The best way to protect the soil and retain as much moisture as possible is to mulch.

At this time of the year I am once again tempted to write ‘mulch’ 500 times and every year I write an article extolling the virtues of mulching. Not only does a good layer of mulch slow down the loss of moisture but the soil, plants and crops all benefit as well. The mulch, as it rots down, increases the soil fertility and structure. 

I remember leaving a pile of weeds in the garden and then throwing a catcher of lawn clippings over them to heat them up and accelerate their decomposition. When I finally got back to the area and dug it over the ground was moist and friable. 

I use whatever is at hand. Most of us here on the coast have access to pohutukawa leaves. Rake them up and spread them around the plants. Collect pine needles for all those acid loving plants. Camellias, daphne, rhododendrons, gardenias, pieris, ericas and  blue hydrangeas are the most common. Pine needles are loved by these plants and make excellent mulch. 

Blueberries benefit from them as well. This year my blueberries are bearing well. Down the road is a stand of pine trees providing enough mulch for many gardens.

If using grass clippings counteract the uptake of nitrogen as the cycle begins by sprinkling blood and bone under the clippings until your garden establishes its own cycle.

There is still moisture in the soil and it may rain again, but in case it doesn’t: mulch, mulch, mulch.

A crop that relies on large quantities of mulch is asparagus. This year is our first real year of enjoying our asparagus crop and we are loving it. We planted the asparagus at least five years ago. Asparagus takes at least three years to produce so pick an area that can be a permanent bed.

The area we chose was the top terrace. I wanted to be able to weed it easily from below and also to be able to access it with the wheelbarrow. The ground was probably the densest clay on the property. Box began to break it up by burying the hordes of possums we had to contend with at the beginning of owning The Block. He buried them over a period of a year and at least 200 possums enriched the soil. I added some gypsum to aid the breaking down of the soil. Before planting I piled on grass clippings and animal manure. Whenever possible I collected seaweed and added that too. Then, for three to four years, we just let the asparagus send up its feathery spears, weeding and mulching whenever necessary.

This year it all paid off. Over winter I piled on Polly’s horse poo hoping I hadn’t overdone it. Clearly I hadn’t. The asparagus has poked its happy little spears up all over. Each asparagus plant strengthens every year. Allow a generous metre for each plant. Our bed is about 15m x 1m. Once established the plants can last for up to 20 years.

After a weekend away and not picking them for  five days I arrived at the block tonight to a sea of spears waving at me. There is nothing like the flavour of freshly picked asparagus. 

At the end of the production of the asparagus spears we leave them. The spears grow tall and feathery and as they die off feed the crowns. Once again they are ready for feeding and mulching.

Be patient… asparagus take at least three years to produce.