Love it when I make this sort of discovery during stints of "extreme weeding" at Struan Farm. As previously reported, I am working my way around the gardens in a progressive clean up campaign, some of which is seasonal.
At the moment I'm working in the back, where hostas and ferns grow in a wooded area beneath camellias, rhodos and a large kowhai tree. And what do I find in the undergrowth?
Beautiful little kowhai seedlings! These are native trees with yellow flowers, much loved by the tuis.
Unbeknowst to us, we have our own tree nursery happening beneath the mother kowhai, with about 13 young trees in various stages. I've potted up three to see what happens, but we will transplant the others around the property over winter.
Won't the tuis be happy?!
Nice post, I was wondering what ever happened to the thirteen young trees? Particularly the ones that were potted?
Hope they are still going strong.
Posted by: Alan | 09/13/2016 at 10:10 PM
Hi Alan,
We planted them out near our second tawa grove. Rabbits have nibbled some of them, but they're growing away. I've also since learned how to work with the kowhai seeds. There are two theories: one is to soak the seeds for 10 days to soften the hard yellow shells, the other is to abrade them somewhat on sandpaper, concrete (or even chew them). I managed to get two seeds to germinate this winter in the glasshouse without knowing this, but next year I'll go gangbusters.
Posted by: Karen | 09/14/2016 at 07:06 AM