Good Garden

Invasive species suppression

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1300

After clearing masses of privet and muehlenbeckia australis, I've been left with a spreading, all conquering alstroemeria that requires various techniques to suppress.

First banana flower

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1300

In less than two years from transplant as a pup (from Taranaki), I have my first banana flower!

Hügelkultur (Two year update)

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1300

Two years in and the hügelkultur bed is thriving! Tithonia diversifolia and comfrey are growing as fertiliser crops, chopped and dropped regularly. Alyssum is functioning as a seasonal groundcover on the north face of the mound, pulling in plenty of pollinators. Banana, loquat, avocado, grapes and olives have all found fruiting homes in the bed. Arrowroot, salad burnet, silverbeet, heal all and parsley fill in the remaining space, with the herbs adding to the chop and drop component after bolting.

Saitomo (Japanese Taro)

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1300

Joining the common Taro here in Aotearoa, (Colocasia esculenta - background of picture) is Colocasia var. antiquorum (Saitomo - in my hand). It is stated as smaller taro root, with a more desirable flavour and texture than the common taro. In Japan it is commonly used in stews and soups.

Needle in a haystack

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +1200

Likely decades old large calibre bullet found lodged in the side of a boulder in the Kaimai Mamaku

Winter fog

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +1200

Late into winter, the garden is ready to wake up out of its slumber: YouTube short

Queensland Arrowroot harvest

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +1200

Domesticated in South America thousands of years ago for its starchy edible rhizomes, Canna indica (or edulis) is likely familiar to most kiwi due to its close resemblance to the masses of Canna lily and their various floral displays planted about the motu.

Taro x Kūmara x Basil

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +1300

Summer success in my chestnut terrace gardens.

Bondarzewia

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +1300

Unknown species from the Bondarzewia genus. Found on a rivers edge on decaying wood in the Kaimai Mamaku.

Mātātā

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +1200

Bright green emergent Mātātā (Histiopteris incisa) frond in the Kaimai Mamaku.

Ureure

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +1200

Not quite ripe fruit of the kiekie, Freycinetia baueriana ssp. banksii. Found in the Kaimai Mamaku.

Autumn waxcaps

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +1300

Found in the Kaimai Mamaku ranges early April.

Orange pore fungus and moss

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 19:03:00 +1300

An almighty collaboration, found in the Kaimai Mamaku.

What drives ecosystems to instability?

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:13:00 +1300

Trying to decipher all of the factors that influence the behaviour of complex ecological communities can be a daunting task. However, MIT researchers have now shown that the behaviour of these ecosystems can be predicted based on just two pieces of information: the number of species in the community and how strongly they interact with each other.

Cont. MIT

Hügelkultur

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +1300

Hügelkultur, translating in English to mound bed or mound culture is a method I have used successfully in the past with great success for growing. With previous experiments I was lucky enough to have large supplies of rich woody decomposing mass. This, in conjunction with green biomass and rich compost meant everything I planted flourished in this micro biologically thriving environment.

Scientists discover compound found in trees has potential to kill drug-resistant bacteria

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +1200

Researchers have found a naturally occurring compound, known as hydroquinine, has bacterial killing activity against several microorganisms.

Cont. Science Daily

Avocado leaf fermentation

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 10:53:00 +1200

As my early spring potatoes begin to pop up I'm experimenting with a leaf mulch ground cover that has been brewing away for around six months. (Updated)

Global spread of powdery mildew through migration and trade

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 16:43:00 +1200

The worldwide distribution of one of the most important cereal pathogens is the result of human activity. Researchers at the University of Zurich have traced the history and spread of wheat powdery mildew along wheat trade routes and found that mixing of genetic ancestries of related powdery mildew species played a central role in the evolution and adaptation of the pathogen.

Cont. Science Daily

Chickens

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 09:37:00 +1200

I love having chickens as part of my garden set-up. They provide so many benefits, from nutrient rich eggs and their wonderfully quirky company to their weed and bug devouring capabilities (just to mention my top picks).

Kāhu / Swamp harrier

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 22:34:00 +1200

Culling the local mischief of magpies has allowed this native to take back the skies uncontested from all but other Kāhu here in Kingseat.

Perennial pūhā

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:04:00 +1200

Pūhā, originally describing Sonchus kirkii, has evolved to encompass introduced edible sow thistle species. The latter is perennially prolific throughout my garden and a regular addition to leafy green harvests.

A warming climate decreases microbial diversity

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 19:49:00 +1200

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have found that the warming climate is decreasing microbial diversity, which is essential for soil health. Led by Jizhong Zhou, Ph.D., the director of the Institute for Environmental Genomics at OU, the research team conducted an eight-year experiment that found that climate warming played a predominant role in shaping microbial biodiversity, with significant negative effect.

Cont. Science Daily

Home ngahere foray, Omata, Taranaki

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:07:00 +1200

It's always special to investigate the ngahere/bush that I spent so much of my childhood exploring, even more so in early June after a torrential downpour and hundreds of ferocious thunder storms!

Kaimai Mamaku Autumn foray

Thu, 26 May 2022 20:26:00 +1200

Kaimai Mamaku describes the forested mountain range stretching from the Coromandel mountain range right down to Rotorua. Interestingly Kaimai roughly translates to fermented food and Mamaku is a name for the mighty black tree fern. Mamaku is known to have two edible components, the young fronds and the pith from the upper half of the ferns trunk.

Friendly fungi announce themselves to their hosts

Thu, 19 May 2022 08:31:00 +1200

Many people are familiar with the concept of probiotics, or "good" bacteria. Scientists also have learned that fungi can do good for people, including sometimes replacing bacteria in the commensal state and performing similar beneficial functions.

Cont. Science Daily

Lentinula novae-zelandiae / New Zealand Shitake

Mon, 16 May 2022 07:14:00 +1200

While true Shitake is not found naturally here in Aotearoa we have an edible relative, Lentinula novae-zelandiae. I was lucky enough to find this rare specimen on some decaying native wood in the Waitākere ranges.

Harwoods Hole, Tākaka Hill, Abel Tasman National Park

Thu, 12 May 2022 15:31:00 +1200

There's nothing quite like mountain beech / tawairauriki forest in autumn. The mycorrhizal relationship present in these unique forests form some of the most visually stunning fungi.

The humble hessian sack meets mycelium

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:07:00 +1200

Hessian sacks are by far my favourite free resource. I get them by the boot load from a large local coffee importer and roaster, they have become my go to fungi feeding, moisture retaining weed mat.

Spatial distribution of pores helps determine where carbon is stored in the soil

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 18:02:00 +1200

Soils store more carbon than all the vegetation on the Earth's surface. However, there are still many unanswered questions about precisely which processes favour accumulation in the soil. Soil scientists have now developed a new method to show where and under what conditions carbon is stored in the soil. It turns out, it is primarily the network of soil pores that controls the spatial distribution of carbon.

Cont. Science Daily

Isaria sinclairii

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 17:38:00 +1200

Isaria sinclairii is a species of entomopathogenic fungus mostly infecting the underground nymphs of cicadas. It produces myriocin, from which the synthetic drug fingolimod, a treatment for multiple sclerosis, was developed.

Language of fungi derived from their electrical spiking activity

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 07:42:00 +1200

Fungi exhibit oscillations of extracellular electrical potential recorded via differential electrodes inserted into a substrate colonized by mycelium or directly into sporocarps.

Cont. Royal Society Publishing

Raupeka / Earina autumnalis / Easter orchid

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 14:30:00 +1300

An epiphytic orchid with matted roots, broad leaves and strongly scented white flowers in the Autumn. This specimen was found on a fallen tānekaha trunk.

Rō / Orthodera novaezealandiae / New Zealand mantis

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 19:10:00 +1300

This endemic species is easily identifiable by the bright blue dot on the forelimbs and the yellowish hue of the upper forelimbs. Sadly this garden friends numbers are in decline as Miomantis caffra, the introduced South African species becomes more and more entrenched here.

Waiū atua or Waiū o Kahukura / Euphorbia glauca

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:44:00 +1300

I let our endemic Euphorbia fill all the spaces that common milkweed would usually inhabit. It has also been speculated that the milky sap could have positive effects for some skin ailments.

The future is fungi

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 07:30:00 +1300

Fungi are sentient, without thought; sophisticated, without cognition. It’s a fungal world, we’re just living in it.

Cont. Australian Geographic

Mycorrhizal fungi promote greater tree species diversity

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:49:00 +1300

Fungi, specifically those that are "mycorrhizal," are natural allies of the forest because they improve tree nutrient acquisition. But which of the mycorrhizal feeding strategies yields the greatest tree diversity in a forest: strategy A (ectomycorrhiza) or strategy B (arbuscular mycorrhiza)?

Cont. Science Daily

Raupeti or Remuroa / Solanum nodiflorum / Small-flowered nightshade

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 13:09:00 +1300

In my experience a lot of people mistake this little native edible as deadly nightshade (of which we have very little here in NZ) and as such it's often on the receiving end of a heavy dowsing of glyphosate. This is a real shame because not only are the leaves edible but so are the ripe fruit!

Beauveria bassiana meets mūmū chafer

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 12:22:00 +1300

Found on the forest floor in the Kaimai Mamaku.

Root symbiosis is regulated through nutrient status of plants

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 09:08:00 +1300

Phosphorus is one of the most important nutrients for plants. Among other functions, it is needed to create substances for the plant's immune system, for the healthy development of seeds and for root growth. Researchers have now demonstrated how a root symbiosis with fungi is driven at the molecular level by the plant's phosphate status.

Cont. sciencedaily.com

Kareao / Ripogonum scandens / Supplejack, the delicous bush snack

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 20:34:00 +1300

Synonymous with NZ bush, this vine is the gift that keeps on giving (unless you're trying to get through a thick patch of its entanglement). The bright red berries are sure to catch your eyes if they're present in lower canopies and are entirely edible (excluding the hard spotted seed). In the wild the berry contains a large spotted seed and a thin layer of delicious flesh that tastes refreshingly like something between an apple and watermelon.

Rakiura National Park

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 13:17:00 +1300

It probably shouldn’t surprise me that the anchor island of our nation has solidified so many of the ephemeral thoughts and feelings I’ve been having recently.

The Hitchhiker’s guide to the soil

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 09:14:00 +1300

The interaction of fungi and bacteria in the transport of viruses in the soil ecosystem has been examined by a UFZ research team in a study recently published in the journal of the International Society for Microbial Ecology. The scientists showed a novel mechanism of viral transport by bacterial shuttles traveling along fungal hyphae. Bacteria thereby benefit from taking along viruses on the conquest of new habitats.

Cont. sciencedaily.com

Grifola colensoi

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:01:00 +1300

Grifola is a genus of fungi in the family Meripilaceae, which includes some edible fungi such as Grifola frondosa, commonly known as hen-of-the-woods (or Maitake in Japan); not to be confused with Laetiporus sulphureus, known among English speakers as chicken of the woods. The genus was circumscribed by Samuel Frederick Gray in 1821.

Unknown species

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 14:26:00 +1300

Not 100% on this identification. This specimen was found on rotting log in the Mount Aspiring National Park.

Calyptella totara

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 07:04:00 +1300

These fungi grow on bark of trees or on the stems of herbaceous plants (generally when they are already dead). The fruiting bodies are shaped like bells which hang down from a point of attachment, sometimes with short stems. The smooth fertile surface is on the interior of the bell shape.

Bugs are evolving to eat plastic

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 06:47:00 +1300

Canada's National Observer: Bugs are evolving to eat plastic

Cruentomycena viscidocruenta (Ruby Bonnet)

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 11:09:00 +1300

Cruentomycena viscidocruenta, commonly known as the ruby bonnet, is a species of agaric fungus in the family Mycenaceae. It is found in moist forested areas of Australia and New Zealand, often in small groups on rotting wood.

Rossbeevera pachydermis (Potato fungus)

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +1300

Chamonixia pachydermis, is a species of fungus in the family Boletaceae, found in New Zealand. Chamonixia pachydermis is common in areas of New Zealand beech forest and is often partially buried on the ground. It has a blue discoloration and is often found in Autumn.

Stewart Island tokoeka / Southern brown kiwi

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 09:49:00 +1300

Stewart Island tokoeka A. a. lawryi / Southern brown kiwi. Found close to mid day on Ulva Island, a short ferry ride from Golden Bay, Stewart Island.

Dendrobium cunninghamii (Winika)

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 06:13:00 +1300

Dendrobium cunninghamii, commonly known as winika, pekapeka, Christmas orchid, bamboo orchid or ladies slipper orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchids that is endemic to New Zealand. It is commonly found growing in rainforest in the North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands and normally flowers in summer and early autumn.

Cyttaria gunnii (Beech orange)

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 14:48:00 +1300

Cyttaria gunnii, commonly known as the myrtle orange or beech orange, is an orange-white coloured and edible ascomycete fungus native to Australia and New Zealand. It is a specific parasite of silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii) trees here in New Zealand.

Lycoperdon perlatum (Common puffball)

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 12:05:00 +1300

Lycoperdon perlatum, popularly known as the common puffball, warted puffball, gem-studded puffball, wolf farts or the devil's snuff-box, is a species of puffball fungus in the family Agaricaceae.

Coprinopsis lagopus (Hare's Foot Inkcap)

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:12:00 +1300

Coprinopsis lagopus is a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. It is a delicate and short-lived fungus, the fruit bodies lasting only a few hours before dissolving into a black ink – a process called deliquescence or auto digestion.

Guyton's garden, Riverton

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:46:00 +1300

Today was one of those special days when you get to meet your heroes.

Robert and Robyn Guyton have been tending to this piece of land for almost 30 years in Riverton. It is brimming with all kinds of life and wonderful stories of how that life came to be.

Earthlore, insect conservation

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 08:35:00 +1300

On a typically moist December day in the Catlins (Owaka to be precise) I stopped by Earthlore, a wonderful little retreat dedicated to insect conservation with a well established permaculture based garden.

Kokihi, native spinach pea straw mulch

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 07:36:00 +1300

Kokihi / NZ spinach is an incredibly versatile plant and one that I use almost everywhere.

Lichen

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 08:06:00 +1300

A lichen is made up of at least two living things – a fungus (which cannot make its own food) and an organism that photosynthesises (makes food using sunlight), such as an alga or a cyanobacterium. Together, they form the lichen’s body.

Walking Trees, Parasitic Flowers, and Other Remarkable Plants

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 07:08:00 +1200

MIT: thereader.mitpress.mit.edu

Matilda

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 09:47:00 +1200

Two days into our latest lockdown I lost Matilda, my last and loveliest chicken. Thank you for your eggs, thank you for your fertilisation.

Cordycipitaceae (family)

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:51:00 +1200

More commonly known as the zombie fungus, Cordyceps infects insects, taking control of motor functions through a process that is still a mystery to science. The fungi then effectively drive the insect to an elevated location where the fruiting bodies of the fungus proceed to explode through the body of the insect, spreading millions of spores into the atmosphere.

The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 08:06:00 +1200

Psyche: The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence

Garden survey, Maungawhau/Mt Eden

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 09:58:00 +1200

It seems appropriate to adorn this post with the mighty Puriri that serves as the matriarch over a huge swathe of the land where I live. I'm no expert at estimating the age of trees but this magnificent specimen has to be at least 300+ years old!

Fantastic ferns

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 12:36:00 +1200

Fernery and Display Houses, Pukekura Park, Taranaki.

Blushing plants reveal when fungi are growing in their roots

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 16:54:00 +1200

Science Daily: Blushing plants reveal when fungi are growing in their roots

Kahikatea Farm

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 19:38:00 +1200

Sunrise over Kahikatea Farm.

Suillus luteus (Slippery Jack)

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 12:11:00 +1200

Suillus luteus, found around coniferous plantations. Collected, peeled and fried for a delicious meal.

Awakino Gorge

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 12:18:00 +1300

Ponga and tree fern in the Awakino mist.

Hara, Hura, Cormocephalus rubriceps

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 12:32:00 +1300

Hara / hura in Māori, cormocephalus rubriceps, NZ giant centipede. This specimen was found in Glendowie, Auckland.

Fish and manure soup

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 12:29:00 +1300

Fish frame and horse manure soup brewing for soil amendment/micro biological density explosion!

Tecomanthe speciosa

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:41:00 +1300

Native to Aotearoa and one of the rarest plants in the world, the last remaining species was found on the Three Kings Islands in 1945.

Pohutukawa

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 12:55:00 +1300

Pohutukawa in full Christmas bloom.

Puriri leaf tea

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 13:28:00 +1300

Early every summer the mighty Puriri tree that covers half of my property sheds old leaves. A perfect primary ingredient for a soil amending soup.

Cladonia (Pixie Cup Lichens)

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 21:37:00 +1200

Compounds are extracted from some species to create antibiotic cream.

A New Look at John Cage and His Mushroom Obsession

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 16:52:00 +1200

A Mycological Foray: A New Look at John Cage and His Mushroom Obsession

Physalacria stilboidea

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 13:36:00 +1200

Found on a decaying Kapuka/Grisellinia leaf.

Tōtara

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 13:26:00 +1200

Podocarpus tōtara.

Huia House

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 12:39:00 +1200

Destined for Extinction: Elam's Huia House

Moss

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 20:27:00 +1200

In all its glory, Waitakare ranges.

Parataniwha (Elatostema rugosum)

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 21:45:00 +1300

Parataniwha, roughly translates to "home of the taniwha" and suggests the presence of a taniwha.