Darlington Community Garden (DCG)

Cheers wonderful Community Garden friends

It’s Hills Wintertime; chilly winds, rainy days, creeks filling up sometimes rushing and rumbling along, other times playfully babbling and gurgling, puddles and wellies, and kids and muddy-glorious-mud.

There’s new life sprouting into carpets of weeds which sometimes seem like ‘jungles’, veggie and flower seedlings being planted and self-sown ones popping up here and there forecasting abundant food and flowers in the seasons ahead and not forgetting favourites for many; our heavily laden citrus trees and crackling warming fires.

And in pops our lovely Sue and asks – “Have you heard of smulching?” Affectionately known by many as Sue Sue or her new name of MAD Sue (MAD meaning Making A Difference), she’s such a wonderful asset to DCG and our Darlington village. No I haven’t heard of smulching. Please Sue, do tell.

So says Sue, it’s a combination of SMOTHERING and MULCHING using free, local AND readily available resources. It’s about SMULCHING vs MULCHING

Those annual winter weeds, as verdant as they are, are the bane of many people’s lives. Perhaps you’ve spent hours spreading a truckload of mulch over your weed crop – only to find a week later you’re back where you started with weeds happily popping up through the wood chips ... ”what to do, oh what to do”.

And many used black plastic sheeting or “weed mat” products underneath the mulch – yet neither of these methods worked very well AND they cost money!

The most economic and effective way to control your weeds is by SMULCHING them.

Calendar

Our 3rd Popular Kid’s Nature Play Day

A parent supervised event for children 2-12 years.

WHEN: School Holidays - Wed 5th July 10am-12pm

WHERE: In the Garden (weather permitting) and Pavilion undercover area

COST: $10 per family OR Psst again - annual membership fee of $20 gives access to all kid’s events for free so a great reason to join DCG.

Limited spaces may be available on the day for cash. Heaps of stuff happening including a range of nature based crafts and activities like mud play, nature art and a planting activity and lots of FuN FuN FuN. And fingers crossed building a campfire to make tasty treats (rain gods permitting).

Kate Herren 0452 644 248

Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/darlingtoncommunity-garden-kids-club-july-nature-play-day

• To cover large areas with few existing plants use old, hessian backed carpet pieces preferably wool or wool blends

• To deal with smaller or more densely planted areas use thick wads of newspaper or cardboard and tuck them around your plants

• For best results use this technique in late Winter/very early Spring when the ground you are covering is at its wettest

• If you have already mulched and are looking at a lovely crop of weeds; don’t despair as you can “retro” smulch

Not convinced? Check out the areas in the village where Sue has or is using this technique:

• St Cuthberts Anglican Church verge area – triangle cnr Hillsden and Darlington Road was smulched using wads of newspaper; verge area along Darlington Road is a work in progress using old carpet.

• Darlington Liquor and Gourmet – garden area from the store towards the Old Bakery. Smulched in early Spring 2022 using wads of newspapers. Plantings there were watered TWICE only during Summer using “soakwell” technique.

• Verge area near the Wellness Centre (next to Post Office); footpath side was smulched; roadside = no treatment.

Sue is always happy to respond to questions - lennardsue@ gmail.com. She also offers home visits at your place (unlimited). Members of DCG no charge; non-members $20. Psst annual membership fee is $20 so a great reason to join.

In the DCGarden there’s been a big emphasis on companion planting this Autumn using methods taught by Christel and Charles from Wild Gaia Plants.

A no dig permaculture approach was used prior to topping with compost, cutting existing plants at their base, not disturbing the soil. The goal is for the soil to hold the water better next summer and be less hydrophobic. And yay planting is finally complete.

And the circle of life goes on in the garden in other ways with young John and Kady Yaxley welcoming beautiful first baby Arthur as well as recently mourning one of our village Elders and Sally Herzfeld’s husband, Tom. Love and blessings to both families.

Plant and Produce Swap and Yarning around the Fire – Sunday 2 JULY 3pm BRING produce, seeds, cuttings, plants, herbs, jams, chutney etc and a drink and plate to share.