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WAIAU PA TURF Just roll over soil and water often, especially in the dry. Order as much as you need. To order, email willowbrook.farm@xtra.co.nz
Come to us to pick it up, cut, rolled and ready to go.
Turf type: Native Kikuyu Uses: Sports grounds & house lawns Features: Tough in basically any weather. Hardwearing, outstanding appearance and colour, grows fast, ideal for coastal areas, easy to maintain, good for around pool areas, weed resistant.
71 Saddleton Rd, Waiau Pa, RD4 Pukekohe Phone 09 232 1008, mob 0272 489 813 email willowbrook.farm@xtra.co.nz 120305-v2
Engineering Supplies & Service • Bearings & Seals • Steel Sales • FASTENINGS – all types • Chains & Sprockets • Galvanised & High Tensile Chain • Wire Rope • V-Belts • TOOLS • Manufacture of replacement machine parts
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143-145 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe • Ph 09 238 3281 53848
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All types of Vacuum Loading Septic & Water Tank Cleaning Grease Taps, Cesspits, Ponds Drilling and Concrete Waste Drain Unblocking, Jetting
COMPLETE, PROMPT COMPLETE,SERVICE PROMPT EFFICIENT
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EETRE RMMCCKKEEAA N P E PTCovers Warkworth from Pokeno Covers Warkworth from Pokeno Tel 09 416 1071
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Tel 09 416 1071Email Mckean@xtra.co.nz Fax 09 416 6171 Email Mckean@xtra.co.nz
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PH 09 238 3206 40 CROSBIE ROAD, PUKEKOHE
Hot tomato has, perhaps, fresh meaning now that irradiated Australian tomatoes and capsicums are available in some New Zealand retail outlets. Keen to ensure customers are informed about this issue, Tomatoes New Zealand is calling on those importing, selling or serving tomatoes to understand they must comply with the NZ Food Standards Code. The code states all food that has been irradiated or food that contains irradiated ingredients or components, must be labelled or have a label displayed on or close to it stating that it has been treated with ionising radiation. Alasdair MacLeod, Chair of Tomatoes New Zealand says all food and hospitality retailers are being asked to understand the responsibility they now have to customers. “They must work to clearly label their irradiated produce
at point of sale and on menus to avoid any public confusion.” Tomatoes New Zealand represents more than 150 commercial fresh tomato growers, with a farm gate value of $110 million per annum, including $10 million of exports sold last year, Mr MacLeod says unlike Australia, New Zealand does not have compulsory labelling of fresh produce so, unless retailers clearly label the irradiated produce, consumers won’t be able to distinguish irradiated tomatoes from NZ tomatoes which are never irradiated. “We acknowledge irradiation is a vital tool to protect New Zealand’s vulnerable horticulture industry from fruit fly and we support its use on at-risk produce,” he says. “However, we do want consumers to have information at point of sale so they can make an informed decision on whether to eat irradiated tomatoes.”
TWICE THE VEG How things change. The ing concept. commercial release of a ‘Is it a potato or a tomato, grafted on to a tomato’? The Potato Tom™ potato – the Potato Tom is a cherry tomato with – is expected to give ‘benefits’! Treat and experimental gardengrow as a cherry tomato. ers a lot of fun this Avoid frosts; grow in year. a sunny spot in fertile Katikati-based, soil; stake and train as Incredible Edibles normal. has successfully To reap the grafted the prolific ‘benefits’ of the fruiting Gardeners’ potatoes, let the Delight tomato on emerging potato to favourite potato shoots grow variety, Agria. underneath the Tomatoes staked tomato. As are members of the crop of tomathe Potato family toes grows and (Solanaceae) and is harvested the so are naturally Agria potatoes are compatible with developing below. Image supplied / thinkstock.com potatoes. Once the tomatoes The idea of grafting a have finished, simply dig tomato onto a potato to get two out and harvest the potatoes. vegetables from the one plant The Potato Tom™ also grows is not new but has not been happily in a pot size of 30 to 50 commercialised here before. litres. Good rich growing media Improved growing methods or compost is essential as is regand better use of space has ular watering and a sunny shelpaved the way for this intrigu- tered location.