Gardening from South to North

 

Though many of us are not people of the land we still hold a close affinity for things essentially Kiwi and this is what makes our Country Calendar programme one of the most popular TV shows of all time.

The programme three weeks ago featured Robert and Robyn Guyton of Riverton near Invercargill. Robert is currently our gardening guru writing a monthly column for The Focus on gardening by the moon.

While Robert has taken, according to some, the path of least resistence in dealing with weeds, he tears them out when necessary and uses them profitably for mulch, mulch and more mulch. Thus his plot is treated similarly all over. ”I recommend mess,” he says.

Keeping fairly well away from traditional neat, tidy straight lines of peas, carrots and the like, the Guyton’s plant wherever there is a gap so vegetables may be dotted all around their one hectare oasis. Their planting over time has created its own micro-climate food forest and can grow fruit and veges all year round.

Over the years Robyn has cultivated a growing interest in heritage apple research, both at home and around the south, hunting down old trees and identifying breeds whose roots can be traced as far back as the 14 and 1500s from England and the United States.

Eating, cooking, cider, sweet, mushy, tart and growing under a variety of weather conditions and throughout all seasons, Robyn has an extensive knowledge and equally extensive catalogue of these old and interesting genes, sowing and grafting over the past eight years in the name of research and preservation.

It’s a most interesting insite into a couple dedicated to their piece of earth and happy to share their knowledge. If you missed the programme it’s easily found on your computer throughTVNZ On Demand.

- Rob Pooley