Gardening Guides
Be a gardening legend with step-by-step instructions on how to grow a wide range of plants, what to plant when, how to combat pests and diseases, plus extra tips and tricks to get your garden flourishing.
Be a gardening legend with step-by-step instructions on how to grow a wide range of plants, what to plant when, how to combat pests and diseases, plus extra tips and tricks to get your garden flourishing.
About the tree:
Care Instructions:
1. Plant your tree in the bucket provided. Remove the plastic bag from the plant's roots.
2. Put enough potting mix in the bucket so as to position the plant where the bottom of the tree stem will be covered by 1cm of potting mix.
3. No fertiliser is required when you initially plant the tree. There is a slow-release fertiliser in the potting mix.
4. Water your tree any time the potting mix feels less than moist
5. Apply 1/2 tsp of fertiliser in two months after planting, then bimonthly onwards.
6. You can prune your tree whenever you think it needs to be kept in shape, we recommend only taking a small amount off the sides to maintain the conical shape. The more you prune it the denser your tree will become
7. Never cut the top of the tree unless you are happy with its height.
8. If you plan to bring your tree indoors, make sure to not keep it inside for more than 10 days unless it's by the window and has access to sun.
Read full articleWhat are the things to consider when planting Mānuka trees? Is Mānuka easy to grow? How long will it take for a Mānuka tree to grow from seed? We hope to answer your questions on growing Mānuka trees in this article.
The Mānuka, also known as kahikātoa (Leptospermum scoparium) is a special perennial and resilient plant. Sometimes, it is referred to as "tea-tree”, a name given to it by Captain Cook as they used the Mānuka leaves to make tea. Interestingly, they also brewed twigs from the Mānuka plant with rimu to make beer.
Mānuka/kahikātoa flowers have a very sweet smell. Their flowers are an important source of pollen and nectar for native bees, flies, moths and other insects. Mānuka flowers bloom in warmer seasons like summer and spring.
Early settlers in New Zealand used to struggle to clear their land of Mānuka trees as they were treated as invasive shrubs. Later on, however, significant research has been conducted about the Mānuka properties and benefits. Today, the Mānuka plant is considered a vital tool for rejuvenating New Zealand forests.
Where does it grow?
Mānuka/kahikātoa is common throughout New Zealand in lowland to low alpine areas up to 1800 m above sea level. It can be found in wetlands, river gravels and dry hillsides. It can even be found around active geothermal areas. The mature Mānuka tree is very tolerant of drought, strong winds and frost and it can grow at less fertile, colder, wetter and more acidic sites than the kānuka variety.
How to Grow Mānuka trees
Whilst the Mānuka is a hardy native plant, its seedlings are quite vulnerable to external factors like drought, weeds and animals.
| Stage | Growth Period | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Seed germination | 10 days to germinate from seed | Seeds are quite sensitive and an incorrect amount of fertiliser risks burning them. It is best to allow the seed to germinate in controlled conditions without fertiliser. |
| Germination to seedling | 3 months - From a baby to about 5 to 6 inches tall | Once the seedling is about 50mm tall, it’s safer to transfer the seedling to a PB2 bag and add slow-release fertilisers. It’s important to use high-quality potting mix. |
| Seedling to 2 ft plant | 6 to 8 months | Keep the plant well-watered. They love the sun. |
| Plant to tree | Mānuka trees can live up to 60 years. Typically, it grows from 2-5 meters but it can grow up to 15 meters in certain conditions. | Very hardy. Can tolerate harsh winds, drought. |
Extra care notes:
1. Some people plant the seedlings directly into the ground. However, the seedlings are susceptible to damage or competition for survival, especially against weeds.
2. Rabbits and deer sometimes eat the seedlings.
3. If you plant the seedlings directly to the ground, consider the location. They need to be well-watered, especially in the early stages (up to about 2 months or so).
4. In some cases, some plants develop black soot and die. The black soot is a fungus living on the excretion of a scale insect. It is these insects that suck the life out of the plant over a period of time. Spraying the plants with an insecticide would fix the problem. Even something like neem oil would help.
Mānuka’s benefits to the environment:
1. Their roots help prevent soil erosion.
2. Perfect nurse crops. Nurse crops foster the development of other plant species by creating shade and shelter from the harsh winds.
Mānuka benefits to the wider economy:
1. Mānuka honey is a well-known industry. The honey produced from the Mānuka plant is also claimed to have many useful properties.
2. In recent years, New Zealand annually exports a staggering amount of Mānuka-based products (in the hundreds of millions).
3. Planting and maintaining native plants or bushes such as the Mānuka on farmland improves land value. There are also innovative initiatives that promote leasing Mānuka farmlands for beekeeping.
4. In some cases, some plants develop black soot and die. The black soot is a fungus living on the excretion of a scale insect. It is these insects that suck the life out of the plant over a period of time. Spraying the plants with an insecticide would fix the problem. Even something like neem oil would help.
How can you help?
1. As much as possible, refrain from using Mānuka as firewood.
2. Spread awareness about the benefits of Mānuka.
3. Educate more people about how they can grow Mānuka trees on their land.
4. Let's plant more natives!
Mānuka seedlings are available at Awapuni nurseries in 2 great value options: Mānuka 25 Seedling Combo $30 - 25 Mānuka seedlings - 25 Slow-release fertiliser tablets - 25 PB2 Bags Mānuka 100 Seedling Combo $90 - 100 Mānuka seedlings - 100 Slow-release fertiliser tablets - 100 PB2 Bags
Stop! Before you drain away recent rain from your wet, boggy garden, consider using it to your advantage. Winter is the perfect time to create a stunning native wetland and attract native and introduced birds back to your garden.
No matter the size of your garden, says our garden expert, any garden can be made appealing to wildlife.
"The brilliant thing about planting natives is their ability to thrive in areas of high rainfall and their hardy tolerance to a variety of conditions," says Henri Ham of Awapuni Nurseries.
"They will flourish and prosper with little to no extra care if planted in the right location."
Henri suggests anyone keen to get ideas for new native plantings should try a bush walk for inspiration.
However, for those who are new to gardening, he advises planting cordyline (a type of cabbage tree), phormium (flax), carex, libertia, kowhai, karaka, chinachloa (toi toi) or Astellia.
"The flaxes, kowhai, karakas and cabbage trees are great at attracting birds keen to sample nectar, berries and flowers. The other plants provide terrific ground cover.
"By planting the natives in 'drifts', which are groups of uneven numbers of plants, you can create a random and natural looking native garden.
Henri recommends planting all the natives at least one metre apart as cabbage trees and karakas can grow between two and four metres high.
Natives enjoy a rich soil, so cover the area with mulch and a variety of large stones to retain moisture during dry spells and prevent weeds growing.
Fertilising with Nitrophoska Blue will also help to provide the soil with balanced nutrients.
The trees will take two to three years to reach maturity so to provide colour, warmth and additional food for wildlife while your garden is maturing and during the winter, Henri also recommends planting annuals and perennials.
Awapuni's seedling and established plant range have several varieties that are perfect for planting in moist areas. These include polemonium, monarda, wallflower, english daisy (rominette), nemiesia, lobelia, cineraria, aquilega, polyanthus and primula.
"Some birds will only visit seasonally and others may stay as permanent residents. It all depends on creating a year round food source and making sure the area is free of predators such as rats and cats.
"If you want to attract birds to your garden while your plants are still developing, we recommend providing them with some additional food.
"Make a hook out of a wire coat hanger, stab on to it an apple or ball of honey and bird seed, and hang in a tree.
"This should attract a variety of wildlife including bell birds, fantails, black birds, tuis and other common garden birds - especially during this cold weather when there are limited food sources available."
For most of the 60 plus years we’ve been growing plants at Awapuni Nurseries, we’ve been growing herbs, vegetables and flowers. But a few years ago we started growing native New Zealand plants.
We partnered up with Groundtruth to develop a growing and planting system that would make regeneration of native forests easier and much more economical. And recently we’ve been getting native plant orders from regional councils wanting to convert their waste land back to forest.
Some of our native plants on those blocks of land are already above head height. It’s pretty exciting and great seeing the birds and bees come back to the area.
Many people think natives can only be grown when you have lots of space. But there are lots of low growing native plants that look lovely in a smaller garden – like pūrei (carex), hibiscus and hebe. Other native plants like kōhūhū (pittosporum tenuifoliam) and akeake can make lovely shelter belts or hedges.
And I’ve even planted a couple of tī kouka (cabbage tree) and kānuka plants into pots and placed them at the entrance of my house. The pots have restricted the roots of the trees and in a way created a ‘bonsai’ effect so they don’t grow very tall. They’re about 1.8m tall at the moment. The bees love the kānuka, which is great for pollinating my nearby vegetable garden!
If you’re thinking about planting natives, or adding to your existing native garden, I suggest getting on to it now. We’re officially into autumn and the weather has cooled off but isn’t too wet, which makes it the perfect time to plant trees and shrubs. And while most of the natives we sell at Awapuni are very hardy, it’s good to get them in the ground and established before the frosts kick in.
You can order a variety of natives from here. If you order nine, we’ll even deliver for FREE to a non-rural address or for just $4 to a rural address.
Once you’ve got your plants, dig a hole and bury each plant to the top of its root ball. Then water in gently. If you don’t get any rain after planting, I suggest watering every two or three days.
It’s also a good idea to keep the immediate area surrounding the plants weed free for a while as the plants won’t be able to outgrow any weeds at this early stage of their life.
Natives are a long-term investment in your garden and depending on the variety you grow could take between months and years to become fully grown. But they’re well worth the wait.
Read full articleIf you want to add bold and attractive plants to your garden that are resilient and will last for years with little love, then look no further than native plants.
Right now - in autumn - it’s the perfect time to plant natives in your garden. While most natives that we grow at Awapuni Nurseries are actually quite hardy plants, planting your natives now lets them really get established before the cooler and wetter months arrive.
The great thing about natives is their ability to cope in areas of high rainfall, and their resilience to growing in a range of landscapes. Once planted, natives can easily flourish for years with very little extra care, making a very low maintenance, but striking kiwi garden feel. And, as an added bonus, natives are fantastic for attracting birds to your garden, as they love the flowers, nectar and berries.
At Awapuni, we’ve been growing NZ Natives for around a decade. Our native grasses, flaxes, hedging and trees come in 2L bags, and are between 9-18 months old. You can order online from our Awapuni shop and have them delivered direct to your door.
Worried natives are only for people with loads of space? Low-growing flaxes take up relatively little room, and can provide years of enjoyment. Cookianum mountain flax is a dwarf variety, with lush spiky green foliage. And Banks Peninsula blue (Festuca actae) is an ornamental perennial grass, which is grown for its subtle, soft blue foliage.
Many native trees and hedging plants are diverse in their use. They can be shaped into smaller shrubs or aligned into hedges. Trees such as Pittosporum (tenuifolium) look great as an individual planted tree, but when planted around 1m apart form a fast-growing hedge that can be moulded to your liking. Another example is Akeake (green or purple) - usually considered a fast-growing shrub, but if left alone will become a tree reaching 3-4m.
Kakabeak is a favourite of mine – a lovely shrub with attractive spring / summer flowers that resemble the beak of the Kaka parrot. They can reach 2 -3m high, and last 15-20 years - making for a pretty garden, with a relaxed upkeep. Once planted, you can easily plant annuals around these natives, and vary these yearly to change the garden feel.
Once you’ve got your natives, select their new home in the garden. Natives can be planted in boggy areas too, so it could be a chance to revitalise a wet or less-attractive part of your garden.
I often encourage gardeners to grow ‘drifts’ of natives plants; which means planting an uneven number of plants, or unbalanced groupings, to create a casual and natural looking native garden - similar to the flowers in a cottage garden.
To plant, dig a hole for each plant and bury to the top of its root ball. They will need an initial watering every few days to ensure their best possible start. Natives enjoy rich soil, so mulch with a rich compost, and top this up six-monthly.
You can layer shells, pebbles and different sized rocks around your plants for a contemporary feel, and this will additionally help keep the weeds away. Natives can also be planted in larger pots, and can thrive for a few years with minimum work. Smaller flaxes naturally lend themselves here, but native shrubs can look really pretty too. The pots will restrict their roots and create a ‘bonsai’ effect, keeping them naturally smaller.
Read full articleWe are committed to providing great quality native plants, trees, grasses, hedging and seedlings.
Native Trees New Zealand
Native trees play a vital part in our ecosystem.
✔️ Enable honey production (mānuka trees), feed the bees
✔️ Provide natural habitats to our unique fauna
✔️ Positively contributes to the water quality of our streams
Click here to see our native varieties.
We can deliver larger volumes of seedlings and established plants to landscapers, councils, lifestyle block owners, farmers, home gardeners all over New Zealand.
Wholesale Pricing
Mānuka Seedlings Combos - Bulk seedlings + Fertilisers + PB2 bags
Mānuka 25 Seedling Combo $30 here
25 Manuka Seedlings
25 Slow-release fertiliser tablets
25 PB2 Bags
Mānuka 100 Seedling Combo $90 here
100 Manuka Seedlings
100 Slow-release fertiliser tablets
100 PB2 Bags
Please contact us at sales @ awapuni.co.nz for wholesale mānuka seedlings.
Learn more about Mānuka here. This article talks about the growth stages of the Manuka tree from seed to adult.
Awapuni Nurseries is located along Pioneer Highway, Longburn, Palmerston North. You are welcome to visit our nurseries (10 am-2 pm, Tues-Sun) if you'd like to see the native seedlings and established
plants.
How to Plant Trees
1. Ensure the tree is planted at the right depth to give it warmth and let it breathe. Estimate the size of the root ball when digging the hole. The top of the root ball should be at or just below ground level - the width of the hole has to be 20-25% wider than the root ball.
2. You may use temporary support stakes (at the lower half of the tree, but not normally needed).
3. Remove PB bag.
4. Put some water into the hole before planting the tree and gently refill the hole with soil. Make sure water doesn't pond around the trunk.
5. If the weather is very dry add a 5 cm layer of mulch, but do not place the mulch too near the trunk (about 8-10 cm away) to avoid rotting.