Gardening Articles
Moon Calendar Jan-Feb 2025
This coming January, we have a unique opportunity to experiment, and see the impact a particular aspect of the calendar can have on our environment. With the node coming up at 3pm on Sunday 19 January, we can sow radish seed hourly from 9am to 9pm, to see how the negative influence can arrive, and subside.
Stop, look and listen to the weeds
Organic gardeners and growers can be challenged by weeds. But if we learn to work with them – to observe what weeds grow where, we'll see what they're telling us about the soils.
2025 Calendars for Sale
Our Calendars are back by popular demand. We have the sought after ‘N*de Gardening’ calendar, as well as a requested ‘Beautiful Gardens’ calendar (for those who prefer to hang a calendar that doesn’t get so much attention!). Both calendars include the moon phases.
Moon Calendar Nov-Dec 2024
Timeliness is always key. When we do the job that needs doing as soon as we see it, or have an internal prompt to check in on it, I find it is far more efficient.
Creating on-farm fertility
Chaos Springs at Waihi run regular workshops about soil health, composting, and on-farm fertility. Jenny Lux reports on a recent workshop.
Spring into Kōanga!
Spring into Kōanga is a seasonal celebration on Waiheke Island. It’s one of the Kai for Community projects that focus on reconnecting with true seasonal celebrations and the stories and traditions around growing, harvesting and sharing food in the Waiheke community.
Moon Calendar October 2024
Suggested seasonal tasks based on the cosmos, are a wonderful starting point for investigation, as each farm, property or garden is a unique organism.
What is Syntropic Agroforestry?
Syntropic agroforestry speaks of biomimicry, creating a system that is like a natural forest. Ecological succession is a key pillar. All plant species have their life cycles; each finds its niche within a system and in turn flourishes then dies in its own time. Story and photos by Andy Jeffs.
When Micromanaging is Good
Microbes are a big name in organic agriculture – in fact, they are the reason for everything. I’m not exaggerating here: the first life forms thought to have existed were – you guessed it – of such tiny proportions that you and I would have thought nothing of them. Story and photos by Paige Murray.
Moon Calendar September 2024
Suggested seasonal tasks based on the cosmos, are a wonderful starting point for investigation, as each farm, property or garden is a unique organism.
Shai Magic
Raglan organic grower, compost maker, gardening educator and permaculture landscape designer Shai Brod shares his compost-making and spring gardening tips with Mynda Mansfield.
Sliding into Spring
What does a ‘sliding scale’ price mean? I have been aware of this concept for years and had wanted to implement it in our business for several years as well, but had lacked the tech knowhow to create multiple prices for the same product until this winter. By Setha Davenport.
Midwinter Musings
Christine Dann found the Matariki holiday was a perfect time to take a walk around the garden and think about what worked well in the past year, and what needs to happen in the new year.
The Wild and Wonderful World of Perennial Brassicas
Fancy growing a hardy vegetable that will provide nutritious food for a few years? Several members of the brassica (cabbage) family grow as perennials, not setting seed for years. By Peta Hudson and Philippa Jamieson.
Winter Jobs for Blueberries in the Home Garden
There are many blueberry varieties available to the home gardener. Large and small, sweet and sour and everything else in between. They can be notoriously difficult to grow. So if you have some blueberry plants, here are a few winter jobs to help your plants to thrive. By Andy Jeffs.
Bio-boost Your Compost!
Christine Grieder shares her expert compost recipes and dives into the world of using beneficial microorganisms in compost.
Miner’s Lettuce – Claytonia Perfoliata
It is prolific, grows just about anywhere with minimal care, and self-seeds for the following season. Anna-Marie Barnes describes an easy-care plant that provides fresh greens all winter long.
Life Underground – A Guide To Aotearoa’s Soil Food Web
Without the diverse organisms within our soil there would be no land- dwelling life on Earth. Duncan Smith describes the creatures and critters that underpin our plants, and ultimately, ourselves.
The Significance Of Degrees
The single biggest influence on an organic garden is temperature. As Dr Charles Merfield explains, a comparatively minuscule variation can have dramatic consequences.