Gardening Articles

Summer gardening: maximising space, plant protection, and more
Most māra around the country are now in full swing, and keen gardeners are keeping up with succession sowings and plantings. While that’s wise, it also behoves us, as sustainable growers, to look for new ways to make the most from every plant we already have in the māra. Through meticulous maintenance and careful coaxing, we can all hope to increase production from our allotted growing space, while at the same time, reducing waste.

Meet the locals: Vagabond Vege
Vagabond Vege is a market garden in Te Hūpēnui/Greytown, started by four friends, Lise, Elle, Sheldon, and Saskia.

Untame your herb garden
Enough with the spick and span, says Sara Mertens. Instead, go a little bit wild and take advantage of the smorgasbord of nutrition our gardens have to offer, especially from those plants with reputations for being weeds.

Spring gardening: kai waste, seedlings, and other tips
Nothing announces the start of spring more than the bright yellow blossom of te kōwhai! Kōwhai blooms also signal the beginning of some seriously hard mahi in the māra as we strive to give our seeds and seedlings the best, and earliest possible, start in life.

Kids’ activities for Matariki
Get the kids outside and into the garden with these fun activities.

Winter gardening: fruit trees, new beds, and other tips
Your winter māra may be resting, but that doesn’t mean you can do the same! July and August are preparation months, and the mahi you put in now is essential if you are to reap rewards down the track. Act without delay because spring is just around the corner.

Talking food and wahine with Sophie Merkens
What do you do when your passions are photography, food and the environment? If you’re Sophie Merkens you quit your job, buy a van and set off on a road trip around Aotearoa to interview and photograph 35 inspiring wāhine growers and gatherers. Then you turn it into a beautiful book.

Autumn gardening
As autumn rolls on into winter, it’s so easy rest on our laurels and leave the edible beds and orchard to their own devices. But I find that activity now, brings the reward of fresh produce right through the coldest months, and healthy food-bearing trees in spring.

Keep your garden growing
In the cooler months it’s tempting to wind down the edible beds, but try sowing and growing all over again for months of bountiful harvest at a time when store-bought veges command a premium price.

Sanctity of the soil with Maanu Paul
Maanu Paul feels two responsibilities keenly and they are intertwined: to provide food for his whānau, and to do it with the utmost respect for Papatūānuku, Mother Earth.

A potted garden of Asian veges
Nathan Shiu has created an oasis of plenty in his steeply sloping garden on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, including many Asian vegetables not seen in most back yards. This grandad has hit upon a great model to make gardening easier for older people while also supporting the health of the younger generation. Dee Pignéguy pays a visit to find out more.

Bounty and busyness in the summer garden
Summer gardening tips and tasks, by Diana Noonan
The…

Organic weed solutions
There is an unfortunate trend online of people recommending…

Nurture, blossom and grow!
Tips and tasks for the November-Decembermāra, by Diana Noonan
The…

Worms at your service
Anyone can be a farmer! Worm farming is a great way process…

Captivated by quinoa
As Diana Noonan has discovered, quinoa is…

Spring into the garden
Tips and tasks for the September–October māra, by Diana Noonan
The…

Empowering beginner gardeners
For many years Lily White and Ami Kennedy of…

A taniwha in the garden
Living willow sculptures can add fun, exploration and even…