How to restore a wetland - with Dean Baigent-Mercer

Our wetlands are disappearing - but if you own a bit of land, you can restore any wet boggy bits by planting harakeke (flax). Right now is the PERFECT time to collect harakere seed from dry seed pods, and start growing seedlings for your own wetland.
In this cool video, our Northland conservation advocate Dean Baigent-Mercer shows you how he transformed a muddy patch at his place, into an oasis for native birds and fish. Get inspired, and start collecting seed!
10 step guide to restoring a wetland:
1) Find a wetland with harakeke near to where you want to replant.
2) Collect the black seeds from the dry pods in February or early March or you will miss out! Make sure you get seeds from lots of different plants so there's genetic diversity.
3) You can store dry seed in a jar to plant later or scatter them fresh on top of potting mix and give them a good watering.
4) Keep the potting mix moist and in a sunny spot. Over a few months they will germinate to look like grass (make sure slugs and snails don't get to eat them though!)
5) When the seedlings are 3 or 4 cms high gently tug them out (using a fork can sometimes help) and put into bigger pots.
6) When the harakeke are 30 cm tall or larger they can be planted. But the bigger they are, the less weeding they will need.
7) For planting preparation spray or clear the ground for each plant in advance and space each harakeke roughly three metres apart (they get big!)
8) Harakeke appreciate a handful of compost or manure when you plant. It helps a lot if mulch around the plant with carboard boxes or newspaper too.
9) You can stomp around weeds or spray from time to time over the next few years while they take off.
10) Harakeke grown from seed start flowering around four years old. Enjoy!