SELWYN TIMES
Gardening
Latest Christchurch news at www.
Tuesday June 20 2017
.kiwi
27
Herbs flourish in winter By Marilyn Wightman Many herbs are underground for winter months. They know how to take a holiday and avoid the cold weather. Winter, though, is when ‘pot herbs’ come into their own. They gained their name centuries ago when the daily food was prepared in probably the only pot in the house (or hovel), which sat over the fireplace.
thyme likes sun and good shelter. ROSEMARY (ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS) A heat-loving herb, rosemary flourishes in well-drained, sunny positions in the garden. Its Latin name translates as ‘rose of the sea’. Rosemary grows into a healthy large bush in the right conditions. A trim in autumn helps keep it tidy and uniform, as well as compact and less prone to wind damage.
Once spring arrives and the weather warms, chervil leaves quickly turn pink. The plant shoots up into flowering mode, sets seed and dies. Leave the bedraggled plant as long as possible so those elongated, black seeds mature and drop to provide new plants once winter weather arrives the following year. Chervil has a delicate, anise flavour.
SAVORY (SATUREJA MONTANA) MARJORAM (ORIGANUM This little-known herb has VULGARE) ‘montana’ – Latin for mountain Able to be called either – in its name, indicating it is SAGE (SALVIA VULGARE) marjoram or oregano, there a hardy herb. Savory prefers The Latin name comes from are about 25 different varieties poor soils and good drainage. ‘salvere’ meaning ‘to save’. available in New Zealand. Rule This perennial herb grows up Adding too much compost of thumb is the lighter the to 50cm high in a sheltered, full or manure tends to soften flower colour the stronger the sun position where it will thrive the growth so give it just a flavour. The colour range of for many years. It dislikes heavy, moderate top-dressing in flowers goes from white, light boggy clay and if conditions are autumn and spring. pink, through to dark pink and not to its liking then it will die. deep purple. Mounding it up to give better BAY (LAURUS NOBILIS) Oregano is a low-growing, drainage is one solution. The hardy, leathery leaved spreading perennial. It is only There are different varieties trees provide great shade, can in summer that the flowering available – red sage, variegated withstand windy conditions, are sprigs grow to 30cm or more. sage and non-flowering types as easily clipped and shaped, and well as the usual blue-flowered grow as well in a container as in THYME (THYMUS common sage. the garden. Trees can grow up VULGARIS) to 5m high if left untrimmed. The thyme family has lots Bays look after themselves. CHERVIL (ANTHRISCUS of varieties, mainly shrubby An annual dressing of compost CEREFOLIUM) perennials that get 30cm high. TASTE AND COLOUR: (From left) – Marjoram; Thyme; Rosemary; and manure is their one This herb is a short-lived Finely leaved and multi-stalked, annual that thrives in winter. Sage; Savory; Bay. Centre – Chervil. requirement.
urGent notICe Intelligro entrance changes If you are travelling from Rolleston, or surrounding areas and would usually come up from Weedons Ross Road, you will need to go along Jones Road, turn right onto Curraghs Road, and then right into Manion Road just after the railway.
If you are travelling from Christchurch, the best way to Intelligro is to turn right from Main South Road onto Curraghs Road, then left onto Manion Road just before the railway.
Visit our facebook page for regular updates: @igro.co.nz
NZTA has now closed the original Main South Road entrance to Intelligro. For the remainder of June, access to Intelligro is only available via the Curraghs Road end of Manion Road. Follow Manion road along the railway line and you will find us where “261” is on the map. Access from Weedons Ross Road will not be available until later in June/early July while the contractors finish sealing Manion Road. While these changes are out of our hands, we would like to extend our thanks to you all for your patience and understanding as these changes take place. The new road will definitely make things a lot safer for everyone, so we are looking forward to having it all completed.Once the road is all sealed, you will be able to access Intelligro from both the Weedons Ross Road, and Curraghs Road entrances. Our new address will be 261 Manion Road.
We are stIll open for busIness!
If you are at all unsure about what is going on, give us a call 03 3479 415, email us info@igro.co.nz or check out our website www.igro.co.nz for more updates.
www.igro.co.nz | Phone 03 347 9415