FEBRUARY'S WEATHER
February in Kāpiti, along with the rest of western central New Zealand, saw a return to the cool, cloudy and windy conditions of December, more like what we might expect in autumn. Except for January it wasn’t the greatest summer, but it was dry.
Our daily average maximum temperature of 22.6C was almost a degree cooler than average, and a degree cooler than February 2023. But for much of the month it was actually the coolest February recorded in over a decade. Despite lower temperatures we still reached 20C every day; the warmest being Wednesday 22 with 27.7C.
As usual for time of year, and especially this El Nino summer, east coast Blenheim and Masterton had the highest average maximums in central New Zealand, however, Kāpiti’s overall mean temperature of 18.4C was the highest in central New Zealand,
February had the equivalent of 17 sunny days, two fewer than average, with the longest spell of sunshine occurring in the third week, despite rain being forecast.
Total rainfall of 33mm recorded at the airport was half the longtime average, again reflecting the low precipitation of recent months. Yesterday’s rain (March 4) amounting to just under 30mm will go some way in relieving recent months’ deficits.
Calling All Puzzle Masters! Can You Solve This?
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height.
Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was.
If the tree grew by five centimetres each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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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.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️