974 days ago

Time to act before the Spring rush

Jenny from

Just a reminder that Spring is underway as far as the plants are concerned, and weed vines and shrubs are putting out new shoots, sneaking around garden shrubs, drinking up the lovely water and increasing sun, and finding new ground to conquer.

Big weed invasions yield the most material for paths, mulch and compost, and the first big weeding produces a massive amount of plant material to be either sent to landfill or used to benefit the soil and plants by decomposition onsite.

Once the ground dries, sun comes out, and rain is infrequent, decomposition by rotting slows down or stops altogether.

We don't encourage storing big piles of dry woody or papery material during the fire season, so if you have a lot of woody weeds to be dealt to....that is, vines, shrubs or trees...work needs to start very soon if you want the plant material composted onsite and returned to your soil to help the remaining plants grow well and remain weed free.

After we have done weed control and mulched where needed, the Spring rush of weeds doesn't occur for most species, and not at all if we have had time to eradicate the weed before the warm weather.

Instead, the wanted plants grow luxuriously in the moisture and sunlight of Spring, filling the space and reducing weed reinvasion.

Since we only started our business last Christmas, we don't yet have photos of our clients' gardens in Spring after our weed control.

Below is a photo of an area of public Reserve in January this year, hand weeded of major environmental weeds, then gradually of benign leafy weeds. This area is part of a forest margin, in which dense vegetation is key to keeping the area weed-free, so native regeneration has been allowed to fill the space entirely.

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More messages from your neighbours
21 hours ago

Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? ๐Ÿ•ฐ๏ธ

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.

While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.

And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?

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Should we ditch daylight saving? ๐Ÿ•ฐ๏ธ
  • 39.3% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
    39.3% Complete
  • 58.7% No, I enjoy it
    58.7% Complete
  • 2% Other - I'll share below
    2% Complete
816 votes
7 days ago

Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? โ˜•

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Auckland has a thriving cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. Weโ€™ve seen the headlines about recent closures across the country, and itโ€™s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.

We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets โš–๏ธ

We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?

Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.

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Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? โ˜•
  • 42.9% I avoid spending money on coffee
    42.9% Complete
  • 40.9% I still indulge at my local cafe
    40.9% Complete
  • 16.2% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
    16.2% Complete
364 votes
1 hour ago

ENGLISH CONVERSATION GROUP ๐Ÿ˜ Mairangi Bay Presbyterian Church, 8-10 Penzance Road, Mairangi Bay

Helen from Totara Vale

Need help learning English ? ๐Ÿ˜„ Join us at our friendly church for the English Conversation Group on Wednesday 1st April 1pm - 230pm. There is also an advanced English class in Meeting Room 1. Same day. Same time if your English is a higher level. Easy parking by the door. Everybody welcome to both groups. Laughter & fun guaranteed! See you there.๐Ÿ˜„ Cheers Helen

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