 ApplesApples are easy to grow and you do not need a lot of room for an apple tree or two. They come in avariety of shapes, forms, heights and sizes. As well as a wide range of varieties. Up to the 1970's most New Zealand backyards had at least one apple... + Full article |  ApricotsApricots
The flavour of fresh, tree ripened Apricots is unbeatable. A wide range of varieties are available. New dwarf hybrids have been developed for the smaller garden.
Winter is the perfect time to plant and prune your trees.... + Full article |
 Artichokes – Globe
Globe artichokes (Cynara scolymus) Fresh, fabulous and fleshy, the taste of home grown Globe Artichokes is hard to beat.
These plants are not only grown for there edible flower buds but also for these magnificent plant form. The striking... + Full article |  Asparagus - Grow Your Own
Asparagus always signals that spring is here. The juicy sweet spears are bliss covered with butter or a light white wine sauce. If you are going to grow your own Aparagus you need to know it’s a long term crop. The first 2 years...
+ Full article |
 BasilThe flavour of fresh Basil is hard to match. It is quick and easy to grow, so easy in fact; you do not even need a garden as it grows happily in a pot or container. However, what it does need is plenty of heat. Basil will not grow in cold... + Full article |  Beans
Beans are quick and easy to grow. They come in a wide range of varieties. If you do not have, a lot of room try planting the climbing beans. If you want to grow some in a pot, French and butter beans are the best... + Full article |
 Beetroot
Beetroot is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. It's versatile, quick and has a range of uses in the kitchen.
+ Full article |  Bok Choy
Bok Choy and Pak Choy are members of the Asian green family. These quick growing vegetables can be grown all year round in gardens throughout the country. In very cold areas avoid planting in mid winter.
Bok Choy is a quick and easy to...
+ Full article |
 Boysenberries
Varieties:
A few varieties are widely available throughout the country, garden centres normally have good stocks available from mid to late winter.
Mapua – a large berry with little or no spines with an outstanding... + Full article |  Broad BeansBroad Beans:
Love or hate them, Broad beans are a favorite with many. They are quick and easy to grow and seem to thrive in most fertile soils around the country.
Varieties:
Dwarf early Green – on grow to 50cm... + Full article |
 Broccoli
Once known as New Zealand’s favorite vegetable this popular green is easy to grow and if well looked after will provide you with produce for up to 5 months.
Varieties:
Generally, you will find the sprouting and head forming... + Full article |  Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts look like little baby cabbages. Brussels sprouts are named after the city of Brussels in Belgium from where they are thought to originate.
Varieties:
Brussels sprouts are among the same family that... + Full article |
 Cabbage
Cabbages come in a range of shapes, sizes, colours and have a range of uses in the kitchen. For a long time the cabbage took a back seat to other Brassicas like Broccoli and cauliflower but now, it is making resurgence with vegetable gardeners old... + Full article |  Carrots
Carrots are one of the oldest recorded vegetables and once ready will hold in the ground for months until harvested.
Varieties and types:
Long tapering – Scarlet Nantes, Topweight, Touchon
Small round –...
+ Full article |
 Cauliflower
The flavour of a crisp white cauliflower is hard to match.
Varieties and types:
Large Head types – these are the most common garden varieties. Look
for Cauliflower ‘All Year’ hybrid – it’s...
+ Full article |  Cavolo Nero - Cabbage
This old world variety of cabbage is now all the rage with cooks and chefs round the country. It is widely available in seeds www.kingseeds.co.nz or as plants in some garden centres. Looking like a cross between Cabbage and Kale,...
+ Full article |
 Celeriac - Grow Your Own
Celeriac is related to the more common celery. The flesh has a texture similar to that of potatoes with a definite taste of celery. It's an easy to grow vegetable with a long cropping time. The bulb is generally the part that is eaten but the... + Full article |  CeleryCelery: Celery is one of those vegetables that never seems to go out of fashion. Maybe it because of its versatility and its ability to be used in a wide range of dishes. + Full article |
 Cherries
Cherries
: Prefers well drained soil, rich in potash and lime.
PLANTING SITE: Warm, sunny, dry and sheltered site is best, protected from Spring frosts.
Plant 4-5m apart from other large trees.
WATERING: Water well...
+ Full article |  ChilliChilli
Chillies are part of the capsicum family and are eaten in almost every culture and, with their gloriously colored fruit, also make fantastic ornamental plants. The heat in chilli’s comes from a compound called capsaicin.... + Full article |
 Chives
Chives are a popular herb which adds a
fresh onion and garlic flavor to salads, sandwiches and cooking.
Varieties:
2 main varieties are available.... + Full article |  CorianderOne of the world's most popular herbs is actually very easy to grow at home in the garden. So easy you don’t even need a garden as it will happily grow in a pot. + Full article |
 Corn Harvest - Pick of the crop Corn Harvest - Pick of the crop
The trick when growing your own corn is knowing when and how to harvest it. Mother Nature is a clever lady and often gives us hints and tips on how to know when crops are ready.
You can tell...
+ Full article |  CucumberQuick and easy vegetables to grow, cucumbers will reward you with long juicy produce for months on end.
+ Full article |
 Feijoa
The aroma and flavour of fresh Feijoas is unbeatable. These fruits are easy to grow and will provide you with oodles of fruit late autumn.
+ Full article |  Flatto Peach
The first flat peach in New Zealand! Sweet Cap is a white fleshed variety with excellent flavour - delicious when eaten crunchy, equally tasty when left to soften slightly. The fruit has a very small stone, which is very easy to eat round. Fruit... + Full article |
 From Brussels with love
I just love Brussel Sprouts, each year I wait with anticipation for them to arrive in the shops and ripen in the garden. If you haven’t planted your sprouts yet you need to get a move on. Generally we encourage you to plant in...
+ Full article |  Garlic - How to grow
One of the world's most popular flavors is easy to grow and full of nutrients that help keep you healthy.
When, where and how to plant:
Garlic is Many say plant your garlic cloves on the shortest day of the year. Which is fine,... + Full article |
 Grapes
How rewarding is it to be able to pick your own grapes and enjoy them handful at a time in mid summer. Grape vines can live for hundreds of years so think carefully about where you plant a vine or two.
+ Full article |  Growing Great Garlic
Plant each garlic clove at least twice as deep as the length of the clove, planting it any shallower can cause the clove to pop up out of the soil in the cool weather.
Garlic is available in garden centres now. Be aware that the garlic you... + Full article |
 Guava - Red Cherry
How rewarding is it to be able to pick and grow your own Guaveas. Enjoy them handful at a time through winter and autumn.
When, where and how to plant:
Guavas are hardy trees which will tolerate a wide range of... + Full article |  Harvesting Pumpkins
Tips for success.
Harvest pumpkins after the first frost
If you live in a mile climate you may pick once the pumpkins have coloured up and sound hollow when you knock the shell with your... + Full article |
 Herb Power.... Herb it up.
Herbs have long been used to add flavour and taste to our food. Growing your own fresh herbs is easy, inexpensive and very satisfying. What’s just as satisfying is that once you start growing your own herbs you will never have to ...
+ Full article |  Italian Parsley
Italian Parsley or flat leaf parsley as its sometime known is a bright green herb that is hardy and easy to grow all year round. During the winter months you will find it best to buy plants as apposed to seed as the cool temperatures slow down... + Full article |
 Kale - Natures super food
In just one cup of raw Kale you can consume nearly 90% of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin C. That same cup of Kale also delivers 10% of your RDA of calcium
When, where and how to plant:
Soil needs to be well dug over... + Full article |  Kiwifruit
These furry fruits are an icon of New Zealand. The clean, green or yellow flesh is sweet and packed full of vitamins and minerals that it nutritious and good for you.
+ Full article |
 Kumara: Sweet PotatoesKumara: Sweet Potatoes - Ipomoea batatas
In most countries they are called sweet potatoes, but in New Zealand they are known by their Maori name kumara. Kumara are one of the most popular vegetables in New Zealand... + Full article |  Lemons
Lemons are the most common of all the Citrus for the home garden. Lemons have both fragrant foliage and flowers, hence they add a lot more to the garden that just fruit.
Varieties:
A huge variety of Lemons are... + Full article |
 Lettuce
Lettuces have been round for centuries and are so easy to grow you don't even need a garden as they will happily grow in pots and containers.
+ Full article |  Lettuce be friends!
Lettuce Lettuce and more lettuce, I simply adore Lettuces and have 9 different varieties planted in my garden this spring. I grow them all year round and enjoy giving any excess ones to friends and family. At the moment there is are not...
+ Full article |
Mesculun Salad Greens
When, where and how to plant:
Its most economical to buy seed packets of Mesculun mixes. For under $5 you can purchse 1 seed packet which will produce enough salad greens for a family of 4 for 6 months.
Mesulun mixes will... + Full article |  Mint: Grow your own
Mint is a hardy reliable herb that will grow in all parts of the country.
How to Grow:
Mint will easily grow from a cutting or snippet taken from a healthy plant. Alternatively you will find mint for sale in garden centres....
+ Full article |
 Mizuna - Grow Your Own
Mizuna is a wonderful salad green – it is also known as Japanese Greens.
The fine leaves are a decorative, light green, with deeply jagged leaves.
Mizuna has a mild mustard flavour. Ideal for salad...
+ Full article | Nectarines – Harvest Tips
What I struggle with is getting to the fruit before the birds do and I am sure the neighbours wonder who I am cursing when I am out in the orchard sometimes.
Tips for success;
Let fruit ripen on the trees wherever possible
If... + Full article |
 Olives
Olives add plenty to the garden and landscape with their soft gray-green foliage, tall elegant habit and abundance of fruit in autumn. Olives originate from the hot arid parts of the world where deeply worked soils and plenty of rainfall are... + Full article | |
 Parsnip
A firm favorite with many, this sweet root crop is making a come back and crop numbers are increasing all over the country.
+ Full article |  Parsnips - Yummo ScrummoParsnips - Yummo Scrummo
Parsnips are a personal favorite of mine, which I just adore roasted with Lamb. I have obviously got a few issues I need to deal with as far as my passion for parsnips go. Recently whilst cooking a roast for... + Full article |
 Peaches: Grow your own
The flavor of fresh, tree ripened peaches is unbeatable. A wide range of varieties are available. New dwarf hybrids have been developed for the smaller garden.
Varieties:
April White - white fleshed large peach. Heavy...
+ Full article |  Peanuts: Grow your own
Growing your own Peanuts is easy according to people who grow them. The peanut is a perennial plant belonging to the pea family. Peanuts are similar to dwarf beans to grow but with a quirky twist. What’s unusual is that after flowering,... + Full article |
 Peas
Pea seeds can be sown from
March to June and will flower during winter and spring. Another crop can be
sown between November and January for flowering in Autumn.
Yum yum, fresh peas! Or even better peas and rich roast meat gravy.
+ Full article |  Potatoes
Spring is the time to get your seed potatoes. By purchasing them now you should have fresh spuds for Christmas Day.
Potatoes are one of the easiest and rewarding crops to grow and with so many varieties available for gardeners everyone can... + Full article |
 PumpkinsPumpkins
The flavour and satisfaction of growing your own pumpkins is immense. They are an easy to grow vegetable that even the most novice of gardeners will have success with.
V arieties:
Common eating... + Full article |  Radish
One of the quickest growing vegetables around, the radish has been a constant favourite amongst vegetable growers. The radish is an edible root vegetable which is grown & consumed nearly everywhere in the world.
+ Full article |
 Raspberries
Varieties:
Numerous varieties are available now throughout the country, garden centres normally have good stocks available from late winter.
Waiau – produces fruit in the summer and autumn
Heritage – Autumn fruiting... + Full article |  Red Sorrel – Harvest TipsRed Sorrel - Rumex Sanguineus
Red Sorrel is a wonderful salad green and vegetable. The bright green leaves with contrasting dark maroon stems and veins add color and taste to salad mix or micro mix blends. Same sharp, tangy flavor as regular... + Full article |
 Rhubarb - Grow Your Own
Rhubarb is a firm favorite of mine and will be for a long to come. It conjures up many wonderful memories for me. Most of which are around recipes of how I like to eat it, as you have guessed I am fond of what’s on my plate and Rhubarb... + Full article |  Rocket - Sweet Rocket
Rocket is a wonderful salad green. The deliciously mustard – peppery taste adds flavour and depth to salads dishes, in sandwiches or even as a pizza topping to give an interesting combination of flavour.. Used either on its...
+ Full article |
 Spinach
Spinach is relatively easy to grow in cool climates and it is packed with nutrients such as iron, protein, vitamin A and chlorophyll.
+ Full article |  Spud bags pass the test! - Potatoes
Last spring I decided to trial the new potato planter bags and planted up 3 bags with Jersey Bennie potatoes with the hope being that they would be ready for Xmas. Being from a long line of spud eaters it was important to me that I succeed...
+ Full article |
 Spud it! Grow your own Potatoes
Many a kiwi back yard has a spud patch that is tended too religiously each season. If you don’t have one simply choose a spot in your garden that gets all day sun and has free draining soil. Next simply dig over or cultivate the area well,... + Full article |  Strawberries - Grow Your Own
It’s impossible to match the taste of home-grown strawberries versus supermarket bought ones. The flavour and sweetness just doesn’t compare. Strawberries do not require a lot of space to thrive and are the quickest and...
+ Full article |
 Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is a favorite with many for its sweet juicy taste. It is one of the world's oldest food crops being traced back to roman times.
+ Full article |  Sweet Corn: Grow your own
Sweet corn is a firm favorite with many for its sweet juicy taste; it seems to be one vegetable children don’t throw too many tantrums about eating. Personally, it’s one of my favorites as I get to smoother the cobs with real...
+ Full article |
 TamarillosTamarillos
Tamarillos ( Cyphomandra betacea) are generally fairly easy to grow. However, they can be very susceptible to frosts, and also cold winds. They are a self fertile fruit that will reward you with mountains of fruit if... + Full article |  ThymeThyme
Thyme comes in a range of different shapes, sizes and colours. The flavour and uses vary too. It is a hardy perennial that will withstand the driest and coldest of conditions. It is a must for all edible gardens.... + Full article |
 Tomatoes
Fresh home grown Tomatoes can't be beaten for flavour and taste. Nothing you find at the super market will ever match your home grown crops. Mid to late spring is the perfect time to plant out tomatoes. These versatile fruits are easy... + Full article |  Top Tomatoes
Labour weekend is traditionally Tomato planting time and with it being just around the corner its time to be getting ready to get your crop planted. The flavour and rewards of producing your own tomatoes is hard to match. If you only grow...
+ Full article |
 Walnuts TreesWalnuts
Years ago it was not unusual to find a walnut tree in most back yards. Walnut trees are easy to grow but need plenty of room to grow. The most common walnut trees are the English or Persian varieties. The Black Walnut is grown... + Full article |  Yams - Grow your own
Yams are a root crop that many people love. Technically they are not a true yam as they belong to the Oxalis family but in New Zealand we call them yams. The true yam is a potato-like tuber.
The sweet tubers are quite small, often...
+ Full article |
Grow your Own 
