It’s that time of year where plastic products can be used to
help you prepare your garden for spring. Even if you don’t own a green acre, a
few pot plants and your very own strawberry planter can create a green corner
on your doorstep. Strawberries are easy to grow; one good plant will produce
about a punnet of strawberries each season, and can keep producing for up to five
years.

If you want to set up a garden on a balcony or patio area,
there are a few things to think about. Firstly, for juicy fruit growing follow
the sun and work out the sunniest spot. Strawberry planters are self-draining
so drowning your plants won’t be a problem; however, making sure your hose can
reach the planter will make life easier, or you can buy a light weight plastic
watering can.

To fill your planter select 12 strawberry plants, a sack of
potting mix and a roll of newspaper. Tip the potting mix into the planter and
compact it down until it reaches the bottom planting holes. Roll your first
strawberry plant out of its plastic bag and spread out the root system, and
place one plant in each planting hole. Tip: Healthy plants have a large green crown
and light coloured roots.

Stand the rolled up newspaper in the centre of the planter
(this will act as a water column) and compact more potting mix around the newly
planted strawberries and rolled paper. When you reach the next set of planting
holes, repeat the process until the barrel is full.

When your strawberries turn bright red leave them on the
plant for an extra couple of days and then pick them gently, as they bruise
easily. Tip: It’s best to snap the stem just above the fruit rather than
pulling it off the plant.

Just another way that plastic can make a green difference
even in a concrete jungle!

Where’s the Weather – All About Plastic Weather Vanes

Where’s the Weather – All About Plastic Weather Vanes

An interesting fact about plastic weather vanes is – although they look as if they are forged out of cast iron, they are actually made out of machine grade black plastic. Set on the highest point of a building, where it can be influenced by uninterrupted airflow (wind), a weather vane shows the wind direction and adds an ornamental touch to your roofline.

A rooster is a traditional weather vane motif. As the wind blows, the rooster will pivot in the wind and align with the compass indicator points below its perch. The beak points to where the wind is coming from as the finely balanced tail is blown backwards.

Knowing where the wind is coming from, and taking a look at the cloud cover can give you a reasonable idea of what the weather is going to do next. In Dunedin, a sou-westerly blowing in from Antarctica means wear some warm clothing, and depending on the cloud cover take an umbrella with you when you go out. If a nor-westerly blows in, things are probably going to be fine and relatively stable.

By taking a look every time you go past and paying attention to when the wind changes, it’s surprising how such a simple device can make you so aware of your environment. Who wants to wait till the six o’clock news to know what is going to happen in your neighbourhood? To learn more about plastic weather vanes go to www.thefactoryshop.co.nz.