Is this a weed?
We are often asked "is this a weed?", so we are planning a weed identification guide for our website. What plant in your garden is giving you trouble? Are you wondering if it is a weed? We would love to see photos of your problem plants.
The best definition of a weed is that it is a plant in the wrong place. Any plant may be desired and manageable in one situation, (perhaps on the other side of the world:) and a problem in another situation.
Nevertheless, it is sometimes useful to know that a plant is known to be a problem elsewhere. If it is giving you unwanted work, you may not be the only one reconsidering its place in your garden.
In addition to the better-known weeds such as wild ginger, Tradescantia, pink jasmine, Japanese honeysuckle, privets and many others, recently in our clients' gardens we have learned of a few more plant species causing significant loss of space and damage to wanted plants in some local gardens.
One was Tecomaria capensis/Tecoma (aka Cape Honeysuckle, a common hedge plant with hidden runners, which if uncontrolled spreads new plants and also grows as a vine).
Another was Thunbergia vine. One of many different plant species around the world known as Black-eyed Susan, this one is a rampaging vine.
Below: Photos of a Tecomaria hedge on a street berm, where it is controlled by pruning. Any new plants shooting up in the grass would be mown down.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.3% Yes
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15% No
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2.7% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Builder: Small to Medium Jobs
The below phots - start to finish 7 working days. widened the cupboards, rebuilt insitue, new tops, paint and splash back.
During this past month I have performed many repairs, small building and upgrading jobs in several homes on the North Shore, my area work base. I’m a Sole Charge operation, all discussion and quoting, project management and product purchase, then doing the work myself.
I have a fellow builder mate to help on some of my jobs, between us we have at least 90 years experience, not bad for 2 guys. I’ve been swinging a hammer for over 5o years and Mike 40 years.
I specialise in small jobs, all those little things that should be adjusted, repaired or replaced and you keep putting off, simply because you don’t know how or where to get your maintenance brought up to scratch.
Please realise it’s way more cost effective to keep up to date with your maintenance than leave it and find that the original problem has now helped wear out something else. Now you have more than one piece to be fixed and subsequently, you guessed it, the job will cost more.
I don’t charge for my first visit, yes, Free. We can discuss your maintenance job be it big or small.
Feel free to contact me.
bruceurlich1@gmail.com text or call Bruce 0212121480
Thanks to Google my website is broken.