Jamie McFadden and his wife Linda Dodds own a plant nursery in Cheviot where they sell plants grown from seeds collected from the North Canterbury area. They also restore streams for farmers who don't have the time to do their own preparation and planting.
Over the years, Jamie has experimented with various planting methods and has come up with what he refers to as his 'low maintenance planting regime'.
“If I am going to be working on a harsh site, where I don't know how much maintenance will be going on, I stick to a few tried and true plants – Carex secta for the stream margin, and up higher toitoi, flaxes and cabbage trees. Ribbonwoods and narrow leaved lacebarks are also quite reliable."
Jamie uses plants grown in planter bag five (PB5) in areas with pest problems. Most of the plants from his nursery are sold in PB2 or larger. His experience is that these plant sizes establish quickly and handle the dry summers.
"In North Canterbury, autumn is ideal for getting plants well established before the following summer." He plants the less frost-hardy species in spring.
"I stick to a few tried and true plants."
Broadleaf in PB5 (planter bag 5).
Jamie plants the soaked plants in the areas he has previously spot sprayed to remove weeds. He makes sure the hole is twice the size of the plant and that the soil is placed firmly down the sides of the plant as well as on the top. In normal or dry areas, or on slopes, he positions the plant deep enough to leave a dish to trap water. Water is bucketed up from the stream to give plants an initial watering and then he sprays an egg repellent on the foliage to deter pests.
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