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Free Articles

Loving soil, but also learning soil

19 Dec 25
Jenny Lux, market gardener and former Soil & Health chair, tells her story of growing vegetables and continuing a path of lifelong learning.
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Peace lilies

18 Dec 25
The peace lily is a favourite among indoor plant enthusiasts. In this excerpt from The Plant Book, author Tammy Huynh offers tips for care of your peace lilies: watering, light, fertilising, dividing them and more.
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Small, sweet, and mighty 

18 Dec 25
Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp enthuses about the nutrition and flavour of the humble potato when in its seasonal ‘new’ incarnation, and shares a delicious potato salad recipe.
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Sopa de Tortilla – Tortilla Soup

28 Nov 25
This tortilla soup is from the book Provecho: Real Mexican Food and Home. The recipe is simple but delicious, combining the different textures of crispy tortilla strips, soft avocado, chewy cheese and a dollop of cream, with a rich and flavourful tomato base.
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Members-only Articles

Seed saving with Monique

Moon Calendar January-February 2026

17 Dec 25
Seed saving is one of the most beautiful acts of resilience and nourishment we can do for ourselves, our communities, our future, and the ecosystems we find ourselves in.
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https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/seed-saving-monique-header.jpg 843 1500 Claire Flynn https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.png Claire Flynn2025-12-17 23:27:022025-12-17 23:27:04Moon Calendar January-February 2026

Homegrown Fruit: Pests and disease-reducing strategies

28 Nov 25
Here are some organic strategies to reduce pests and disease in the home orchard, from the book "Homegrown Fruit: A practical guide", by Kath Irvine and Jason Ross.
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Basket of cherries

Cherries on top

28 Nov 25
Cherries – a small but mighty gift from the orchard, and one of the most nutrient-dense fruits of the season! Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp shares her nutritional knowledge and two delicious recipes: fresh cherry, rocket and almond salad; and warm spiced cherry compote.
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2026 Calendars For Sale!

31 Oct 25
Our Calendars are back by popular demand. We have the sought-after ‘N*de Gardening’ calendar, and the ‘Beautiful Gardens’ calendar (for those who prefer to hang a calendar that doesn’t get so much attention!). Both calendars include the moon phases.
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Strawberries: Sweet, sustainable, and full of summer joy

30 Oct 25
Few fruits capture the feeling of summer like strawberries. Their vibrant red colour, delicate fragrance, and juicy sweetness make them one of our favourite seasonal fruits. Beyond their taste and beauty, strawberries have a rich history, impressive nutrition profile, and are easy to grow, as nutritional therapist Paula Sharp writes.
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https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/oliver-hale-strawberries-unsplash-1.jpg 1280 1920 membership https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.png membership2025-10-30 10:03:422025-11-24 16:56:37Strawberries: Sweet, sustainable, and full of summer joy
Strawberries - planting by the moon in NZ.

Moon Calendar November-December 2025

29 Oct 25
Records are one of the most fundamental parts of being in active conversation with the land. I encourage you to take photographs on the summer solstice, autumn equinox, winter solstice, and the spring equinox. These are beautiful reminders of the ebb and flow of nature, and of the nature of us.
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https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/strawberries-header.jpg 843 1500 Claire Flynn https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.png Claire Flynn2025-10-29 22:45:452025-10-29 22:48:47Moon Calendar November-December 2025

The Floral Dream

29 Oct 25
Want to grow cut flowers? This extract from "The Floral Dream" by Olivia McCord looks at how to source plants - from seed, seedlings, cuttings, bulbs and more.
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Asparagus in season: From garden to table

24 Sep 25
Few vegetables announce spring quite like asparagus. With its tender green spears and delicate flavour, asparagus is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated seasonal treasures. Paula Sharp introduces this spring star, including gardening tips, recipes and nutritional benefits.
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Organic Gardening Guide by Organic NZ

Organic Gardening

29 Aug 25
Organic Gardening is a guide published by the Soil & Health…
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Worm Farming Tips

27 Aug 25
Home gardener Michelle Coenradi has four worm farms on the go. Here she outlines the benefits, and offers some tips from her experience.
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Broccoli: A Winter Hero

27 Aug 25
Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp introduces broccoli, a winter hero, including gardening tips, recipes and nutritional benefits.
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When Green Cleaning Turns Toxic

27 Aug 25
‘Chemical poisoning’ is how a long-time cleaner describes her severe reactions to using workplace cleaning products she thought would be safe. J Simons talks with Emma (name changed for privacy) to find out more.
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Monique Macfarlane with tomato seedlings - planting by the moon in NZ.

Moon Calendar September-October 2025

20 Aug 25
All the prep work in the garden now really pays off for feasting on and preserving the abundance in the coming months. It can feel overwhelming with everything there is to get done, so I pick particular things to focus on, and let the rest fall behind in the flow.
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https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/monique_topper-2025Sep.jpg 843 1500 Claire Flynn https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.png Claire Flynn2025-08-20 22:21:592025-08-20 22:22:02Moon Calendar September-October 2025

Love leeks!

29 Jul 25
Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp loves leeks. Here she introduces this often unsung hero, including gardening tips, recipes and nutritional benefits.
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The Gut Microbiome

10 Jul 25
One of the most complex systems supporting your health isn’t your brain, heart, or even your immune system – it’s your gut microbiome. Paula Sharp, nutritional therapist, finds out why this internal ecosystem is hailed by scientists as key to health research.
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Moon Calendar July-August 2025

18 Jun 25
July and August is a great time in the garden, as we have just passed the new year, the shortest day, and the preparation and groundwork for the summer abundance is underway. Now is the perfect time to change arrangements, be it infrastructure such as trellising, pathways, irrigation, or even move around existing garden beds and create new ones.
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https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/Monique-Macfarlane-Mar25-header.jpg 818 1500 Claire Flynn https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.png Claire Flynn2025-06-18 14:02:122025-08-29 12:52:08Moon Calendar July-August 2025

Strawberries – a self-sufficient crop

26 May 25
Planting strawberries in winter might sound ridiculous, but it's a great activity while the garden is dormant. Gillian Swinton offers tips for multiplying strawberries from runners, feeding the soil, and protecting your plants as they fruit.
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Get-well-soon soup

19 May 25
This super flavourful and nourishing soup is the hearty winter pick-me-up of choice for Philippa Jamieson.
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Moon Calendar May-June 2025

16 Apr 25
It brings me great joy that Matariki is being celebrated in whole new ways in New Zealand – our natural new year in the southern hemisphere. In the Gregorian calendar, the ‘new year’ ticks over on an arbitrary day between ‘December’ and ‘January’.
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https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Monique_topper2.jpg 843 1500 Claire Flynn https://organicnz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/OrganicNZ-2024-Masthead.png Claire Flynn2025-04-16 17:04:262025-05-27 00:24:24Moon Calendar May-June 2025

Join the No-Mow movement!

16 Apr 25
Dr John Flux’s neighbour once called to see if he had died – because the grass had grown so long! The Lower Hutt ecologist is an advocate of the no-mow movement because of its many environmental benefits, and describes here how he has implemented it for the past four years in his garden and on the footpath verge.
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Latest Articles

  • Loving soil, but also learning soil
  • Peace lilies
  • Small, sweet, and mighty 
  • Seed saving with Monique
    Moon Calendar January-February 2026
  • Sopa de Tortilla – Tortilla Soup
  • Homegrown Fruit: Pests and disease-reducing strategies
  • Basket of cherries
    Cherries on top
  • 2026 Calendars For Sale!
  • Strawberries: Sweet, sustainable, and full of summer joy
  • Strawberries - planting by the moon in NZ.
    Moon Calendar November-December 2025
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