Share Your Photos With Us And Win!

It’s great to see what other gardeners are up to. Send us a great photo of your garden and we will post the top photos on this page and our Facebook Page every month. If your photo appears on this page, we will send you a family pass to Butterfly Creek. ...

Butterfly Creek

wetapunga weta   Greenfingers Support Wetapunga Programme At Butterfly Creek Butterfly Creek is home to the only captive-rear-and-release wetapunga programme in the world.  It was opened by the Associate Minister for Conservation, Kate Wilkinson. "The mighty wetapunga – Maori for ‘god of ugly things’– has been a key...

Composting

composting With a little tender loving care, food waste can be recycled into compost[http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/waste/reducing-and-recycling/kitchen-food-waste/composting].  Applied to your garden, it helps capture carbon in the soil, improve soil health of your soil and assist water retention. Build Or Buy Your Bin Choose a practical site with good access for...

Worm Farming

worm farming   They might not be as pretty as kittens but worms could become your favourite pets. Worms work wonders converting kitchen waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer that will feed your plant and soil. They will eat their way through the “waste” and churn out a regular supply of...

Bokashi

bokashi Composting Japan-style –Bokashi – is gathering fans here in New Zealand. Bokashi is an “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” form of composting that works off a closed container (anaerobic) system that is fed with beneficial microorganisms. It’s a traditional method of “fast composting” food waste – typically using a bran-molasses...

Seasonal Tips

Winter

June, July and August This is a great time to plan, to reorganize, to prepare new areas, to take stock, to study and to pause.  Look back at the year and be clear about what went well and what needs to be done differently. More than any other season, it’s a time...

Spring

September, October, and November We start to experience milder temperatures which trigger growth in our gardens and orchards. Gardeners start to see the benefits of the preparations they have made in the winter months and will enjoy a more active phase of gardening. September A big focus on the spring plantings...

Summer

December, January, and February We all look forward to pohutukawa bursting with red blooms and the promise of long, hot days to enjoy our gardens. December Pests and diseases need to be controlled If the weather is dry, keep the hose close at hand January Mulch can...

Autumn

March, April and May Autumn in New Zealand is a bit like a box of chocolates, you’re not quite sure what you’ll get but more often than not the weather is pretty good and much of the country bursts with seasonal colours. Autumn is harvest time, and the opportunity to taste some...