July's Weather: Semi-Drought Ends
July in Kāpiti was a little cooler and cloudier than average, and the prolonged dry spell of the last six months continued right up to the end of the month when we had around 40mm of rain. The first signs of spring were evident in many gardens, as is usual by the end of July.
Our daily average maximum temperature was 13.6C, compared with the longtime average of 13.8 and last July’s 14.1. The overall mean temperature was 10.2C (10.3C last year). Kāpiti’s coldest day of the year to date, with a maximum of only 11.1C, occurred on the last day of the month, but the several light frosts were all recorded early in the month.
The equivalent of 13.5 sunny days was two fewer than average. For most of July it seemed we would again experience below average rainfall, but steady rain on Tuesday 30 delivered around 40mm, the heaviest episode of the year, pushing the total for the month to around 90mm, slightly above the longtime average.
August should see a slight rise in both temperatures and sunshine, with spring’s presence becoming even more evident in our gardens and countryside.
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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83.3% Yes
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14.3% No
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2.4% Other - I'll share below
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're 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 ⬇️
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
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