Gardening Advice
My best tips for making your patch pop!
AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN
Everything I know about planting garlic
When to plant garlic in New Zealand depends on your garden’s climate. Here’s what nearly a decade of growing in the Far North has taught me.
Harvesting the kūmara
After ignoring our māra kūmara for several months, we dug it up!
Smoking paprika
A bumper paprika crop means it’s time to make one of my best decisions so far and smoke it.
Magical mushrooms
Mushrooms are popping up all over our paddock, and we are enjoying the hunt!
Planting comfrey under fruit trees
Organic farmers know comfrey as a ‘dynamic accumulator’ – bringing deeply buried nutrients to the surface to feed my fruit trees.
Make your own pruning sealer
Seal and protect fresh wounds on trees with this no-fuss pruning paste made from common household ingredients.
My first peanut harvest
My first peanut harvest is in!
Vegetables that pay off
All things considered, what vegetables deliver the best returns on investment in the garden?
Harvesting and storing potatoes
We eat a lot of potatoes, so we grow a lot of potatoes. Here’s how we harvest and store them to feed us through winter.
Planting leeks
It’s time to plant leeks! There’s a bit of a trick to harvesting a good leek, so I thought I’d take a moment to show you how.
5 veges you can grow without screwing up
My top-5 most fool-proof vegetables that anyone can grow.
Constant Coriander
If you love coriander, then having constant, fresh leaves in your garden can be a nirvana-state. Find out how to achieve it!
Growing strawberries
Practically everyone loves strawberries! Learn the important things to know when growing your own.
March in the garden
April in the garden
May in the garden
LATEST POSTS
Choosing seed potatoes
Can you grow the potatoes sprouting in the pantry? How we choose our seed potatoes, buy the right amount, and prepare for planting season.
When to plant potatoes: a step-by-step guide
Potato planting begins for most of New Zealand in September. Learn when’s best for your garden, and tips to get the best out of your plants.
Caring for garlic
Avoiding rust, fertilising, mulching, and harvesting scapes. Everything you need to get your garlic through the season, to a good harvest.
Everything I know about planting garlic
When to plant garlic in New Zealand depends on your garden’s climate. Here’s what nearly a decade of growing in the Far North has taught me.
Māra kūmara
This year I’ve re-introduced kūmara into my garden.
Companion planting
Does companion planting actually work? Why don’t the lists agree? The science behind which plants help each other, and which ones don’t.
Summer garden plans
The plans I’ve got for my garden over the summer of 2025-26.
Growing peanuts in New Zealand
What I’ve learned about growing peanuts over the last three seasons.
Upgrading the garden paths
There’s a secret under your feet when you walk through my garden, and it’s quietly improving our soils.
May in the garden
Winter planting begins, and it’s time to start tidying up your patch from the summer months.