An Experiment in Back Yard Sustainability

Click on this You tube link for a movie. It is quite long at 25 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOaPFt_ajvU&feature=related">An Experiment in Back Yard Sustainability

House maintenance tips for May

· Check spouting, gullys, drains and down pipes clearing them from leaves and other blockages

· Lay mouse and rodent poison in places where they are likely to seek warmth over the winter

· Block up openings around pipes to seal house and stop mice.

· Wash down house quickly with water to get rid of summer grime.

· Check windows and doors are tight fitting for winter.

· Use draft stoppers at the bottom of doors to retain heat and stop draughts.

· Cut back plants growing against the house especially on the shady side so it will dry out and help keep the house warm.

· Dig up and shift larger plants away from the house.

May in the Garden

General

Reflect on your garden and plan for any changes. This is good time to think about all the changes you want to make and plan to do them in the next few months. It is also a time when the first of the winter rains usually strike bringing summer to an abrupt end.

Plants at this time of the year are very vulnerable to early frosts. Take some time out to erect frost protection structures if required.

Ornamental Garden

· Trim back perennials and lift and divide those perennials that have become too big or are starting to decline in vigor because they are to cramped. Use some extra compost to replenish the soil.

· Finish planting annuals for spring display. These include stocks, wallflowers, polyanthus, Myosotis, Sweet William, pansies, violas and Calendula.

· Plant lilies and nerines in new positions. Lift, plant and divide lilies in one operation.

· Manure helleborus with liquid fertiliser until flowers show or apply a short term slow release fertiliser for better displays.

· Prune dead heads off hydrangeas.

· Spray plants for scale insects, pests and diseases using all seasons spraying oil.

· Transplant trees and shrubs to new positions, do this before you go out and buy new ones.

· Start planting new trees and shrubs in there permanent positions.

Vegetable Garden

· Sow broad beans

· Continue succession planting of cabbages, cauliflower's broccoli and silverbeet.

· Plant green crops in the garden to protect the soil and provide future green material to dig into the ground to provide humus.

· Complete the harvesting of vegetables and fruit.

Glasshouse

· Remove old tomato vines and other plants and clean out all the old leaves and material that might harbour pests and diseases. Cultivate the ground and apply a mulch of pea straw to protect the soil over winter.

· Wash down both the inside and outside of the glasshouse with detergent to keep it clean and pest and disease free.

Indoor Plants

· Reduce the amount of water given to pot plants.

· If frosty shift susceptible plants away from the windows.

The Garden Economy

Gardens, especially vegetable gardens will be booming next spring and summer as the increasing cost of living impacts on household budgets. Healthy living trends will also influence the rediscovery of the benefits of growing fresh vegetables.

The trends influencing this are

· Higher fuel costs resulting in less use of the car for recreation and shopping

· Lower levels of disposable income due to the increase in costs of house mortgages, fuel, foods and goods.

· Higher travel costs for overseas and inter-island travel

· Higher food costs due to energy costs affecting manufacturing and transport

· Decrease in pay for leisure and recreation due to reduced disposable income

· Increased working hours as families try to make up the shortfall in their income levels.

Putting all those together people of all ages and all socioeconomic groups will spend more time at home.

What will they do?

· All forms of home improvement

· All forms of home maintenance

· Vegetable gardening to supplement family income

· Landscaping and garden development to improve the value of the property

· Develop hobbies at home

Benefits received

· Improved health and wellbeing

· Cost saving

· Improved personal fitness

· Improved DIY knowledge and skills

· Improved value of their investment

· Self development as a person

· Increased self sufficiency

· Longer term family sustainability

· Increased financial security.

The focus for this will be the home and land. For those living in apartments maybe some spare land in community gardens, allotments, school gardens or similar.

I will also predict that there will be an investment of both time and money into developing all sorts of energy conservation measures and innovative ideas will emerge for long term sustainability.