Our Land

Shannon Wright shares her secrets to creating fertile soil filled with biological life, and how to create a nutrient-dense salad.

The pear season is over and there are always lessons to come out of it.

When planting a crop that’s ready to harvest in 30 years, it’s smart to look at long term trends.

Ben Elms is an expert compost-maker. But his latest way to create better soil is by adding biochar, made in his new bespoke kiln.

Late winter and early spring are difficult times for vegetable growing, but these two nutrient-filled greens love it.

The earlier you plant strawberries, the more fruit you’ll get.

Kristina finds her garden has the cure for what ails her.

Specialty timber trees or natives can be a profitable option if you're planning to plant out more than a hectare.

An old cemetery — the final resting place of many notable Taranakians — is fully appreciated by the still (thankfully) alive and kicking due to the efforts of a bunch of hardworking volunteer gardeners.

It's officially time to start prepping for spring.

A financier leaves a 25-year city career to pursue an ancient rural trade.

Trees add immense value to a block of land, but they don’t have to cost a fortune.

You may recognize this cute-as-a-button fungi from the NZ$50 bill.

Keep worms happy year-round with this easy-to-build underground worm farm.

North Otago locals transform a polluted river island into a community paradise.

Chrysanthemums are a florist favourite, but one type makes a great dish too.

Kurow lavender farm’s sweet smell of success

A picture-perfect lavender farm, is just one of a bunch of businesses nourished by a Kurow dairy farm.

Planning and prepping for spring is well underway.

Your fruit trees will thank you (with fruit, of course).

Master the art of grafting for unlimited new fruit trees.

It’s always exciting to find a new herb, even if it’s one that has been around for thousands of years.

If you have a wet or swampy area, fence it off, plant something that thrives on wet soils, and turn it into a thing of beauty.

Will and Ems Murray are the fifth generation of the family to farm Glenmore, a high-country station bordering Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. They aim to not be the last.

Making movies in London one minute; growing grapes and welcoming guests to a rural garden the next. Life is full of surprises.

Give fruit trees a friend for better pollination, beneficial insects, and more surface minerals.

When you fix the conditions that cause phosphorus loss, you get some tasty benefits.

A community that not only grows its food — but also shares it around — is incredibly powerful, says this Wellington altruist.

We can put on a jacket or a sunhat, turn on the air-con or add another log on the fire. But all your stock can do is move in or out of shelter.

Renowned gardener Gordon Collier is red/green colour blind — but it isn’t the reason he refuses to plant by painted numbers in his small suburban garden; he prefers to mix it up a little.

Soil needs an open structure. Pugging destroys it.

The garden will be quieter but there’s still plenty to do.

A soil scientist is maximizing her growing capacity by planting well above ground without soil.

These native plants will reward you with health-giving properties (if you know where to look for them).

Even the smallest urban backyard can make room for the humble citrus tree.