As long as you look after the irrigation aspect, your garden will look after you with beautiful, healthy produce. As they say in the classics…just add water.

Raised garden beds have many winning qualities: 

• They fit neatly into confined spaces
• They look so good that they become features in your garden
• You can control the quality of the soil
• There are less weeds
• They’re not as back-breaking to tend to as in ground gardens. 

For all these good things, raised garden beds can dry out faster than in-ground gardens. One reason is that the air which circulates around the outside of the bed can flow into the small gaps between the timber panels and cause the soil to start drying out. As a result, you need to pay attention to your irrigation regime but the results you’ll get from your raised garden will make it all worth it. 

The first step in any irrigation process is to identify that the soil actually needs watering! You don’t have to be too scientific here. Just poke your finger into the dirt, right down to the root zone, and do it at least once a week. It should feel slightly damp, like a sponge that has been wrung out. If, on the other hand, the top two to three inches are dry and crumbly, you need to water. In summary, the soil might be too dry to provide any nutrition even if it looks to have a sheen of moisture on the surface. It’s deep down where the moisture needs to be, so don’t be shy. Dig deep when judging the water content of the soil.  

How often you water depends on the dryness of the soil, and the factors that cause the dirt to lose moisture. For example, a hot and sunny setting will see soil dry out at a faster rate than a rainy locale. While this looks obvious on paper, many gardeners overlook the unique location of their raised garden beds and adopt a one-size-fits-all irrigation system which is oblivious to climactic conditions, plant size, and root depth. As discussed, stick your finger deep in the soil to know when it needs watering, and understand the different watering requirements of each plant before you sow. As for the best time to water? Early morning or evening, when things are cooler, are ideal times as the evaporation rate will be reduced.  

You have a few options when it comes to watering a raised bed garden. You can do it from above by using a wand, ensuring the water pressure doesn’t damage any leaf material and that enough water gets down onto, and into, the soil. You can use a hose aimed more directly at the soil, or put in a soaker hose, which provides a slow and steady supply of water to the surface. While a soaker hose is a great option, ensure you arrange the sections of hose so they run parallel to each other without touching the stems of the plants. An automated system will give you peace of mind and provide regular watering, but check the settings reflect the irrigation requirements of your garden.  And to prevent soil becoming clogged and muddy through over-watering, place a layer of stones or rocks at the base of the garden bed to improve drainage. 

During warm, dry weather you can reduce the amount of water you need to use by top dressing your garden bed with all sorts of nutritious organic matter. For example, a layer of compost and worm castings covered with light-coloured mulch like yellow straw will do wonders for the whole garden.  

When you look at this article, you really don’t have to do that much to get the most from your raised garden bed. As long as you look after the irrigation aspect, your garden will look after you with beautiful, healthy produce. As they say in the classics…just add water.

Seeds and plants are not the only things you can put in the ground while you’re gardening. Stakes can also be firmly planted in the soil to promote healthy growth and keep things in their place. Get Growing stocks a range of stakes sourced from renewable New Zealand pine plantations: seedling stakes, garden stakes, and even tree stakes. We think they’re upstanding members of our product range, and that’s why we believe you really should…Stake That!

Stakes are thought of primarily as a support for young plants, giving them a “spine” as they gain the strength and balance they need to stand on their own two feet, especially in areas of strong prevailing wind. Plants that look decidedly droopy can also be staked until the next growth spurt kicks in and they can support themselves once more. A young capsicum plant is a classic example. It will eventually develop a stem strong enough to support itself but during its first few fruiting seasons, it can struggle to deal with the added weight of the fruit it is producing. Staking the plant, or any young fruiting plant, will provide much needed support in its early stages.

Tomatoes are a Kiwi favourite when it comes to growing our own produce, and they too benefit from staking. Left alone, they’ll become heavy with fruit and sprawl along the ground, which makes the leaves and fruit susceptible to disease, moisture, mould, rot and pests. Staking your tomatoes and training them in an upwards direction will produce better fruit, but staked plants will require more watering…but not too much, as our guide to growing the perfect tomato will show.

Some plants will grow all over the place, especially vine-based plants like winter squash, beans and peas. They can smother other plants in your garden and deprive them from nutrients or sunshine. By staking these more vigorous plants, you can confine them to a specific space and let neighbouring plants grow in peace.

As we mentioned with tomatoes, pests and diseases can adversely affect fruiting plants that grow along the ground. Cucumbers and zucchinis are two more examples of plants that can be at risk by being left to grow at ground level. Garden stakes will keep plants off the ground, away from pests, disease and nasty things caused by excessive moisture, such as mould.

If you do decide to stake, try and do it at the same time you plant the seedling; staking as an afterthought can damage established roots. If you have to stake after you’ve planted, check out which way the plant is leaning, especially if you’re trying to help the plants stand up against the wind. If a plant is leaning to the left, or the wind is blowing to the left, put the stake on the right side of the plant. Simple! When tying the plant to the stake, try and strike the right balance between tying too tightly and too loosely. Proper stake ties from a garden centre will help you in this respect and greatly minimise the risk of damaging the tender stems of younger plants.

Don’t forget to check out the Get Growing range of stakes here.

1. PLANT WITH BIRDS IN MIND

   

   Native birds love native plants for food, shelter and nesting. For example, tuis enjoy playing in kowhai and flax, and feeding on the nectar these plants produce. Meanwhile, other birds prefer fruit to nectar: korokia and karamu plants, and their berries, will attract kereru and bellbirds.  As most birds eat insects, don’t be too quick to rake up the leaves that fall from these trees. Leaf litter will attract insects which, in turn, will attract native birds.
   
   

2. FEED OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

   

   Sometimes you can give nature a helping hand when it comes to providing a food source for native birds. Nectar is in short supply in winter so you can do your bit by making a sugar-water formula; half a cup of sugar in four cups of water will do the trick. Place it in a shallow dish and watch nectar-loving birds like tui and bellbirds flock to your place. Knowing they have a reliable and safe food source in your garden will keep them coming back.
   
   

3. PROTECT THEM FROM PETS AND PESTS

   

   Any visiting creature runs the risk of encountering other creatures that call your place home, namely cats and rats. Rats reside at virtually every suburban property; they come out at night or hide in thick foliage during the day, ready to attack any nest they come across. A trapping program is called for! Predator Free New Zealand has some excellent advice on their website about trapping rats, possums and stoats. Meanwhile, try and keep your cat inside as much as possible, especially at night, and ensure any feeding station you set up for birds is at a height your moggie can’t reach.
   
   

4. CREATE A SAFE HAVEN FOR LIZARDS AND BEES

   

   Native lizards, such as skinks, can feel right at home in your garden if you create a safe haven for them. This might consist of low-growing and dense plants like coprosmas or muehlenbeckia, as well as rocks, dry stone walls and concrete slabs where lizards can hide from backyard predators like cats, rats and mice.

   New Zealand’s 28 species of native bees could also do with a helping hand as they pollinate our most beloved native plants, including pohutukawa and manuka. Obviously, these plants will bring bees to your garden as they seek reliable food sources. As they’re not great travellers, the bees will stay within close proximity of your place once they know they’re being so well looked after.
   
   

5. TALK TO LOCAL EXPERTS

   

   The best way to attract native wildlife to your garden is to know what sort of wildlife you’re going to attract in the first place! For example, if you live in the wide-open spaces of Canterbury, and you want to plant lots of nectar-rich plants to attract tui, well… you might be disappointed.

   Tui are rare in the Canterbury region, and this is one reason to get in touch with your nearest Department of Conservation or Forest and Bird organisation. They’ll tell you what sort of bird and animal life exists in your region; they’ll also tell you what grows best in your neck of the woods. With information like this, you can work out a strategy to attract native wildlife to your garden and make your backyard a genuine slice of Kiwiana paradise.

A homemade gift is a thoughtful gift. It shows the recipient that you have put some real effort into making it instead of picking up something off the shelf.

Anyone can do that!

But it takes a special person to devote their time to creating a unique gift, so this Christmas be that special person and show how much you care.

Homemade gifts are better for several other reasons. They can be perfect, and different,for the person who has everything. You can be in charge of the quality of the gift rather than giving something that will fall apart as soon as someone utters the words “the warranty expired yesterday”. You can personalise a homemade gift with someone’s name, favourite colour or similar theme. A homemade gift is unique; there’s nothing quite like it anywhere in the world.And, if you want to get all practical, a homemade gift is usually less expensive. Whatever reason you have for presenting a homemade gift, the recipient will love you for it. We’ll love you for it. The world will love you for it.

Ok, enough soppy stuff. Now we have to actually work out what sort of homemade gift you can give.  Look to your strengths. Are you a good cook? Bake their favourite cake, or bottle some of their much-loved preserves.Give them a voucher stating that you’ll cook their dream meal on request. Food is always a winner, so you can’t go wrong with a gourmet gift.

Are you the handy type? Make a personalised photo frame, or ornament, or something that will come in useful around the home. Or, offer to do some work around the house for the lucky recipient. Maybe fix something that has long needed repair. Or paint a flaky, old fence. That sort of gift would be appreciated beyond belief!

Do you sew? Do you knit? Do you write poetry? Do you paint landscapes? Again. It’s all about looking to your strengths and using your own skills in the gift you create. Sharing your talent in the form of a homemade present will have enduring sentimental value.

While we’re talking about homemade things, Get Growing sells a cool range of Kids Kitset projects which will introduce your children to the idea of making something special by hand. Be it a birdhouse, a toolbox, a planter box or a treasure chest, your children will discover that putting something together by hand can be incredibly rewarding, even more so when they present it to someone suitably deserving. They’re never too young to learn about the joy that homemade or handmade things can bring to giver and recipient.

There is every reason to make it a very happy and homemade Christmas! Practical reasons to sentimental reasons, a gift you’ve made yourself will always be better than something you’ve bought with little thought or effort. So, do some DIY gift giving and we’ll all love you for it!

If you’re stuck for gift ideas, this little tongue twister might help: “Garden lovers love gorgeous garden gifts.”  In other words, give a gorgeous garden gift to a garden lover and they’ll love it greatly. Problem solved!

Buying for the garden lover is pretty easy work actually, as there are so many gift ideas out there. For example, you can keep it simple with a lovely pot. The great thing about this gift is it will definitely be put to good use. As any avid gardener will tell you, you can never have too many pots. Other simple gift ideas that will come in very handy include planter boxes, garden signs, a gather basket or a good pair of garden gloves. Don’t be tempted to buy the cheapest gloves you can find. Look for a blend of quality and value, as garden gloves are vital in protecting against the venomous bites of feral rose thorns. Those things can take an arm off!

Every green thumb loves receiving advice from other people with thumbs of a similar colour, so you can’t go wrong with a gardening book as a Christmas gift. Like cook books, there are hundreds of gardening books on the market so you’re sure to find something for an experienced gardener who has a specialised interest, or for the newbie who wants a good general knowledge of what to plant, where to plant it, and when to plant it.

For something a little different, how about a birdhouse? Many gardeners love the thought of their patch becoming a haven for their feathered friends, so this thoughtful gift would be greatly appreciated. Get Growing sells kitset birdhouses which can be put together quicker than you can say “Chirp”. 

Speaking of kitsets, Get Growing has something perfect for the serious gardener. A kitset workbench! Some truly devoted gardeners prefer to do it all when it comes to enhancing the functionality and beauty of their patch. For example, they like to make their own raised garden beds, or garden furniture, or garden features. A decent workbench will make their job that much easier, so if you know a gardener with DIY sensibilities, we recommend you give this idea some thought.

This is a blog post about staking trees…or not staking trees. It might seem that all young trees need extra support but in fact, most trees don’t need to be staked. Staking trees that don’t need it can cause the tree to grow fewer roots and develop a weak tree base. They must learn to stand, or grow, on their own two feet.

However, there are times when you should stake trees, including:

• Bare-root trees or trees with a small root ball.
• Trees planted in areas with lots of foot traffic, like a sidewalk or street.
• New trees that can’t stand on their own or those that begin to lean.
• Eucalyptus trees, mesquite hybrid trees, oleander trees and acacia trees.
• Tall, top-heavy trees with no lower branches.
• Young trees if you live in a very windy area or if the soil is too wet or loose.

For the trees that do need to be staked, there a few simple rules to follow. You need the right materials for a start. MLC Group manufactures tree stakes in varying lengths. They’re pre-pointed, making it easier to hammer them into the ground,and they’re strong and durable with it. You’ll also need a sledgehammer to hammer the stakes – two stakes per tree – into the ground. Rubber ties or straps are essential too. These attach the stakes to the tree and you want good quality ones as they’ll be gentler on the fragile bark and tissue. NEVER use wire!

Now you have your stakes and ties, you need to pick the right spot. Place each stake on opposite sides of the tree, about 40 cm from the trunk. Also, ensure the stakes are facing the prevailing wind. When you’re sure the stakes will clear the rootball, drive each one about 50 cm into the ground.

Generally speaking, when staking trees in windy or sloping areas, ties or straps should be placed about 45 cm above the ground. If the tree has a fragile trunk and can’t support itself, place the straps or ties about 15 cm above the spot where the tree still stands upright before bending.

Tie the tree to each stake so that ties or straps are taut but not too taut –the tree should be able sway a little in the wind to encourage goodroot development.

The tree should only be staked for one growing season, until the root system has had a chance to properly set in. After removing the straps, it’s ok to leave the stakes in the ground to protect against foot traffic or powered equipment such as mowers or weed eaters. If you do remove the stakes, be gentle! Carefully dig around the base of each stake to loosen it and be sure you don’t disturb the roots.

Remember, not every tree needs staking. If you think otherwise, you’re barking up the wrong tree. But when staking is required, do it in a thoughtful and methodical way. Choose the right stakes, and good straps and ties. Correct positioning of the stakes, and careful removal when it’s time to take them out, will see that young tree grow up big and strong.  

Cucumbers really ARE cool. They’re the subtle and refreshing taste of summer that we all love, either in a salad, on a sandwich, or even in a gin and tonic. (Just a slice in your G&T mind you. A whole cucumber in your glass might look a little odd.) With all this cucumber love going on, you’re probably inspired to grow some. There’s no time like the present!

November is a great month for sowing cucumbers. At this time of year when the sun comes out and the days are longer, the soil becomes warm enough for the seeds to germinate with no trouble. Once they germinate, the growing begins, and cucumber plants really thrive during the hot months of December, January and February. They like it fairly dry, with low humidity and good airflow around the plants. Too much moisture on the leaves is not a good thing, so be careful where you aim when you’re watering them. Infrequent and deep watering is best,and as sprinklers can spray water everywhere, including the leaves, you’re probably better off doing some targeted hosing when it comes to irrigation.  An application of mulch around the base of each plant is a good idea as well.

Keen on doing some companion planting? Cucumbers grow best besides beans, celery, lettuce, sweetcorn, cabbages, sunflowers, dill, fennel, coriander, and sunflowers. However,as many experienced gardeners will tell you, cucumbers are not too happy when they’re growing in the vicinity of potatoes or tomatoes. 

Something else to take into consideration when growing cucumbers is whether you should stake them, or grow them on a trellis. Both growing methods have their advantages, and whatever you decide on, the team at Get Growing can help. We can provide you with garden stakes, made from pine sourced from renewable New Zealand plantations, or trellis panels.  

Staked cucumbers are easier to harvest, and many gardeners use our garden stakes for this reason. As the natural tendency of cucumber vines is to climb, placing a stake near each plant as it begins to grow will allow the vines to wrap around the stake and snake up it.

Because cucumbers require quite a bit of room to grow, and if space is limited in your garden, then you might want to use trellis instead of stakes. As cucumbers are climbers,this sort of growing arrangement suits them down to the ground, so to speak.With cucumber vines growing vertically up the trellis, more air can circulate around the plant thereby deterring powdery mildew.

Follow all these steps, and you’ll be harvesting in as little as eight weeks. Cucumbers are prolific growers and each plant can produce anywhere between 10-15 plants. Cucumbers taste best before they get too big, so avoid the temptation to grow giants just to impress your neighbours. 

Remember, Get Growing can help you grow healthy and delicious cucumbers with our garden stakes as well as our trellis products. When it comes to quality and durability, they’re pretty cool…nearly as cool as your average cucumber.

At Get Growing, we call a spade a spade, a shovel a shovel, and a tomato a fruit. Technically speaking, a tomato really is a fruit and furthermore, it’s the world’s most popular fruit. More tomatoes are produced worldwide than bananas, apples and oranges. That’s no surprise when you see how many things you can do with a tomato…they are one versatile vegetable…oops, sorry. One versatile fruit! Now you know all that fascinating stuff, you should also know how to grow the perfect tomato. Read on…

Choosing the best type to meet your requirements is the very first step on your journey to growing the perfect tomato. With countless varieties to choose from on, be a little selective and pick plants or seeds based on your preferred taste, shape, size and ripening time.  Growing conditions at your place will also be a major factor, so get some expert advice at a reputable garden centre instead of simply buying off the shelf.

Real estate agents would grow very good tomatoes because they understand the importance of location, location, location. Tomatoes need to be planted in a spot sheltered from the wind, and where they’ll receive at least eight hours of sun every day. Add compost and well-rotted manure to free-draining soil before you plant and don’t just plant tomatoes…do some companion planting and let different flowers, herbs and vegetables team up to help your tomatoes reach a state of mouth-watering perfection. For example, marigolds deter aphids while basil can repel flying insects and boost growth and flavour in your tomatoes.

Once your tomatoes are planted in nutrient-rich soil, they should be supported so vines and fruit are kept off the ground. Use seedling stakes from Get Growing, and the result will be larger, cleaner tomatoes that are less likely to go rotten. Sink a pipe into the ground while you’re staking. Tomatoes have a set of roots at the surface that take in feed and lower roots that take in water. The pipe will get the water down to where its most needed. Once flowering commences, a weekly feed of potassium-based tomato food will also do wonders.

Irrigation is key. Too much, too little, or too badly directed can result in a tomato that’s far from perfect. Tomatoes don’t need marathon watering sessions as that simply dilutes the inside of the fruit. A little watering more often is the way to go, and will result in a more intense and concentrated flavour. While you’re watering, aim at the soil and not the leaves and stems…tomato plants hate getting wet, and this dislike for water can be reflected in the quality of the fruit and the flavour.

At the point when your tomatoes reach full size but are still green, remove any leaves from around the fruit to increase sun exposure and air flow; this will speed up ripening and reduce the risk of disease, which is still present even at this late stage.

Do these things and the result should be the perfect tomato. Pick it off the vine with pride and slice it up for your sandwich, toss it through your salad, or grill it on your barbie. Whatever you do with it, don’t call it a vegetable!

Gardening seems to ramp up in October and becomes a real priority for many of us. Spring is well underway, and that desire to plant things by Labour Weekend (particularly potatoes and tomatoes) acts as a great motivator. If October is a busy gardening month for you, here’s a bit of a to-do list to ensure you do the things you really need to do.

Spoil your spring blooms: Nothing says “Spring is here!!” like daffodils. Daffodils and other spring bulbs add much needed colour to the garden after a bleak winter, but they need some attention. If they’re in leaf, bud or flower, treat them to standard bulb fertiliser so they’ll keep on producing those beautiful blooms. Potted bulbs should receive frequent watering, especially those from temperate region: daffodils, narcissus, hyacinth and tulips. Let foliage die down naturally so bulbs can build up food for next season’s flowers.

Deal to weeds: Weeds will grow anywhere…you know that! They’ll grow extra vigorously in warm and wet weather so this spring, cover up bare and exposed soil with weed mats, or use a good quality mulch. Make the mulch layers about 6cm deep….and do it soon. Weeds won’t wait!

A feed of fertiliser: It’s a good time to apply fertiliser so everything thrives through the warm summer months. Choose fertilizers for fruit, vegetables or shrubs, or feed a general fertiliser around the root zone of all plants. Once you’ve done that, water it in so the roots can absorb that nutritious goodness ore quickly.

Re-pot and refresh: October is the perfect month to check out any container plants you might have. They might need to be re-potted to give their roots the extra space they need to feed the growing plant above them. Even if they don’t need re-potting, they almost certainly need replenishing with fresh potting mix, as well as more watering during the warmer weather.

Love your lawn: Your lawn is a hugely important part of your garden, and it needs some springtime TLC. A good application of lawn fertiliser will set it up for summer, as well weed killer specially formulated to get rid of the prickly things we tend to find – and stand on – every single summer. A little aeration will loosen up compacted soil and promote grass growth, while frequent watering will also help.

What to plant: The prep is the important bit…the planting is the fun bit! There are so many things to plant now and enjoy later, including potatoes, tomatoes, peas, beans, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and beetroot. Don’t forget salad greens including lettuce rocket, and spinach. Wait for warmer weather towards the end of October to plant things like cucumbers, chillies and capsicums. Herbs such as basil, dill and coriander can be planted when the threat of frost has passed, while hardy plants like sage, thyme and mint can be cut back to promote new growth for summer. As for fruit, it’s time to get berries in, as well as citrus.

Wakey, wakey. Your winter hibernation is over and it’s time to feel the sun on your sensibly sun screened back. But before you get too comfortable, you have a job to do – the traditional spring clean. Spring cleaning should be an indoors/outdoors job which means the exterior of the house should receive as much attention as the interior. After all, you’ll soon be spending a lot more time outdoors, so postpone the dusting of the venetian blinds and concentrate on the back yard instead.

Your winter garden is a good place to start. Overgrown and neglected over the colder months, it needs a good tidy up. Pruning and weeding are the most obvious chores but it’s also a smart idea to treat your garden for insects and other pests that traditionally appear when your plants start to bud or flower.

Apply a layer of mulch and organic garden feed to the soil to promote spring growth. While you’re dealing with things at ground level, invest in weed mats. Weeds thrive in spring time, and pulling them out just cuts into your leisure time, so mats are a good buy. A good layer of top mulch will also help in the fight against weeds.

Your deck or patio are party hotspots over summer, so make sure they’re clean, presentable AND safe. Friends and family will gather on your wooden deck so it’s a good time to check that winter rain hasn’t affected the decking timber. Rotting, spongey boards can present a real hazard, as can nails which might have popped up through wet timber over winter. In a fight between decking nails and jandals, the nails usually win, so these safety issues, as well as cleaning matters, should be dealt with. 

Give your outdoor furniture a good clean, as well as the exterior walls of your home. Pressure clean footpaths and paved areas – you’ll be amazed how much muck and grime can accumulate on concrete over the wetter months, and how slippery and ugly they become as a result. Apply oil or stain to timber structures like the back fence, or deck. Give your front fence a good wash, or repaint it if you feel so inclined. Your fence IS your first impression, so it might even be time to replace it altogether? Pre-primed Motueka Pickets from Get Growing only require a good quality acrylic top coat, making fence replacement easier than you think.

Even if you’ve done all these things, your outdoor area still won’t look its best if you don’t do something about the lawn. Rake up leaves and twigs that have fallen on the lawn over winter – these can go into your compost pile. (Spring is the best time to start composting – check out more in our Composting in September  blog) If the lawn still looks a little ragged, give it a “weed&feed” style treatment or even some aeration, as the wet soil might have compacted over winter, with limited grass growth as a result.

Once you’ve done all that, you can relax – until you get the call to come inside and dust the venetians, like you promised. Once the blinds are done, you have a long, hot summer to look forward to. Enjoy every minute – you deserve it!

They say spring is the season of love. Too right! At Get Growing, we love composting, and spring is the best time to start doing it. We’re all geared up for composting season with our kitset compost bin, which we also love. They’re made from sustainable timber, and the open design promotes aeration, which in turn, speeds up decomposition of your compost heap. So, browse the Get Growing website, say gidday to your fellow compost lovers, and check out our bins. In the meantime, here are some tips to ensure your composting efforts are successful.

Putting the best stuff into your compost bin will ensure you’re on the right track from Day One. A mixture of carbon and nitrogen is the perfect blend to aim for, so collect everything from vegetable and fruit peels, coffee grounds, shredded paper towels and eggshells. Don’t add meats or fatty foods, animal droppings, seeds or diseased plants as they can attract pests and spread disease through your compost and, eventually, your garden.

Layering is another top tip. For every layer of kitchen waste, add a layer of garden or backyard waste, such as sticks or twigs. Break them down into fragments about the size of your little finger so they decompose more quickly.

The ideal compost pile is a damp one. Moisture helps break down the contents of your bin, so if your pile is covered, or if you’re going through a bit of a dry spell, add water. Not too much though! Just enough so the pile feels moist, like a damp sponge, instead of dripping wet. If things do get too wet, add some more paper content to soak up the excess water.

Adding some water can help your composting, and so can worms. Vermicomposting is the process where worms turn your organic waste e.g. kitchen scraps into a rich and nutrient-packed compost. Put some wriggly critters in your bin and you’ll be amazed at what a little worm poo can do!

As the song goes, you can’t hurry love…even in spring, when your heart is racing at the prospect of creating the world’s most beautiful compost. What’s needed is patience, not passion. It’ll take six months to a year for your compost to be ready to use. Applying it too early will rob your garden plants of nitrogen. To get an idea of its readiness, your compost should look like a rich, dark soil, and should smell (pleasantly!) earthy. If you still see bits of rotting matter, such as vegetable scraps, wait a while longer.

Your patience will be well rewarded. Your compost will make a wonderful fertilizer for your crops, and act as a chemical-free pesticide in your garden. Dig the compost into the soil; planting directly into compost can burn the roots of the plant.

These things will help you get maximum results from your composting. The time to get started is now, because spring is the season of love AND composting. So, come on in you old romantic, check out the kitset compost bins on Get Growing, and do all the composting your heart desires.

CREATE A FOCAL POINT

A great way to transform the look of your garden is to have a central feature that will take the eye away from the less perfect parts of your garden. It could be a tree or a large shrub, a water feature, or a grouping of exotic or colourful plants in containers or planted together. Whatever it is, that focal point should provide enough drama to make a stunning first impression, and give your garden enough ‘wow’ factor to help you forgive its less desirable qualities!

LOVE YOUR LAWN

When your lawn looks better, your whole garden looks better. Think of the lawn as a carpet. Tatty carpet in your lounge would bring the whole room down, and a neglected lawn does the same to your garden. Give your lawn some much-needed attention – replant the grass if you have to – and that could be all you need to transform your entire garden.

FIX THE FENCE

This is along the same lines as our lawn tip. So, once you’ve fixed the lawns, fix the fence! Paint it, fix it, rebuild it… whatever you have to do to make the fence look better; do it. It could make the garden look better too. While you’re at it, paint up that boring old garden shed, screen the compost and wheelie bins, water-blast the paths and paving… all these auxiliary fix-it jobs will enhance their surroundings, particularly the garden.

GO WILD WITH COLOUR

Colour is very transformative in every respect. Paint the house and it looks like you have a whole new house. Similarly, adding lots more colour to your garden can really lift it to new levels. Flowers for all seasons, and colourfully leafed trees and shrubs are a very bright idea.

BREAK IT UP

Instead of one large uninspiring space, break up your garden into several points of interest. Use fence panels, hedging, trellis, raised garden beds, garden edging, or any other form of border, to section off parts of the garden into a separate flower garden, vegetable garden, and entertainment area.

MAKE YOUR GARDEN AN OUTDOOR ROOM

Don’t just transform the garden. Transform the way you use it! Replace the old garden furniture and while you’re at it, make your garden more of a living space. Buy the best outdoor dining and lounge setting you can afford. A new barbecue too, if you can. Screen the area with trellis, or put down pavers. Lighting for entertaining on summer evenings will also change the look, and feel, of your garden.

TRY A CHANGE OF PLANT SCENERY

Our final tip, and one of the more obvious. Be different and bold when planting. Say goodbye to the things you ALWAYS plant and try something new. If you have always preferred pastel or neutral colours in your garden, go for something more vivid. Say farewell to the English garden look and opt for natives. Don’t plant everything into the ground like you’ve always done. Put it in pots instead. Go against your instinct and transform your garden by trying something different.

Of course, you could make the transformation a mammoth one if you want to!

You can dig up the whole garden up and give a landscape designer a blank canvas to work with. For many of us, that’s a nice idea but an impractical and unaffordable one.

So, for the sake of simplicity, give these tips a try. You’ll be surprised how much of a change they could make.

DOWN TO EARTH SOIL

Good gardening always starts with the soil. Organic gardening is no exception, but it does require a slightly different approach. You want to pack that soil with nutrients, but many synthetic fertilizers and soil enhancers are over-concentrated with nutrients, which do more harm than good if they’re over-applied. On the other hand, organic fertilizers and enhancers contain plant nutrients in lower concentrations, which are a safer way to nourish the soil.

One way to get the right nutrients into your organic garden, particularly at the early stages, is with compost. We’ve written about the benefits of compost before, and we’ll happily sing its praises again.  A mix of nitrogen and carbon such as grass cuttings, kitchen scraps, dead leaves and flowers will do wonders for your soil and get your organic garden off to winning start.

THE WONDERS OF WORMS

Earthworms, like compost, can work miracles in an organic garden. Earthworms burrow through your garden, which aerates the soil. And, as you’d well know, worm castings make for superb fertilizer, jampacked with macro- and micronutrients. Plenty of places sell earthworms, so make a wriggly investment you won’t regret.

COMPANION PLANTING

This is one of the biggest components of organic gardening because it works as a natural form of pest control, and also delivers a host of other benefits. Common examples of companion planting include:

Marigolds next to vegetables: Many leafy vegetables traditionally attract aphids or greenfly e.g. cabbage or lettuce. But when you plant marigolds next to them, those marigolds will emit a scent that repels aphids. And when they’re blooming, they look great in the garden, too!

Basil next to tomatoes and capsicums: Want more flavoursome tomatoes and capsicums? Simply plant basil next to them, as this herb is reputedly a major flavour enhancer.

Nasturtiums next to lettuces, cabbage and beans: A great way to stop invading hordes of caterpillars, whitefly and aphids is to plant nasturtiums next to your veggies. They often act as decoy plants and will attract pests away from your food plants.

Leeks and carrots: These two plants have a scent that deters the other’s favourite pests!

ECO-FRIENDLY PEST CONTROL

In a thriving organic garden, healthy plants can develop resistance to pests, and the need for pest control may be minimal, or not even required at all. But, until then, some form of control might be needed.

In true organic style, you can deal with pests in a way that is kinder to the rest of Mother Nature. For example, a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a few drops of mild detergent mixed with one litre of water can be sprayed onto plants. This oily formula coats the bodies of insects like aphids and mites and suffocates them.

If you’re not a fan of concocting your own natural pesticide, many retailers now stock natural pest control products due to the growing popularity of organic gardening. But as the oil and detergent mixture shows, it really is very easy to DIY.

CROP ROTATION

Like companion planting, crop rotation plays a huge role in organic gardening. Different plants take different nutrients from the soil, so by planting the same thing in the same spot every year, the soil will end up not containing the nutrients that a particular plant requires. Not only will your harvest suffer as a result, but the plant won’t be healthy enough to develop the resistance it requires against pests. By planting in different places each year, your soil will stay healthy, and your plants will be better able to fend off the threats of pests and disease.

Organic gardening is based on common sense and doesn’t rely on new age mumbo jumbo, or dancing around naked in the moonlight. This will be a relief to your neighbours.

Organic gardening is about going back to basics, including composting, companion planting and crop rotation. These things have always worked, so for a healthy and bountiful garden, we urge you to go beyond Organic Gardening 101 and learn as much as you can about the topic.

Introducing our monthly gardening calendars  

What to plant?

When to plant it?

Where to plant?

Garden buddies

WINTER VEGETABLES TO PLANT

PROTECT YOUR GARDEN FROM FROSTS 

• Use protective covering. This can be bed sheets, drop cloths, blankets and plastic sheets. You can use stakes to keep material from touching foliage.
• Water plants before a frost is expected. Light watering in evening hours, before the temperature drops will help keep warmth in the soil, raise humidity levels and reduce frost damage.
• Mulching plants. Using mulch in your garden helps lock in moisture during winter and hold in heat in the soil.
• Use a raised garden bed. This will help guard your plants against frost during colder temperatures.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR SPRING

CLEAN UP YOUR GARDEN 

ALL ABOUT THE SOIL

PURCHASE YOUR SEEDS AHEAD OF TIME TO PLANT

THE ART OF MULCHING

Do you have spare time on your hands with your kids? Looking for an activity to keep them busy? What about gardening?

Gardening may provide your children with skills to help their development. This allows young children to practice locomotive skills and object control skills while they move from one place to another carrying tools, soil and water. Working together on your garden is togetherness time. You build bonds with children and create memories from your experiences in the garden.

We also have a kids collection on our website.

Learn more: https://getgrowing.nz/collections/kids

GET INTO GEAR

You don’t need every gadget and gizmo when buying gardening tools. To start off with, make sure you have a spade and shovel for digging, hand trowel and hand fork for delicate work in between plants, a decent non-kink hose and fittings for irrigation, pruning shears, a rake, and some stakes for climbing plants like tomatoes. Gloves are important, as you shouldn’t handle potting mix or compost with bare hands, and they’ll protect you against vicious rose thorns. Buy the best pair you can afford. A compost bin will prove to be a superb investment, while a few bags of potting mix, mulch, soil, manure and compost (if you don’t make your own) will help you get off to a flying start.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SOIL

Many experienced gardeners say that gardening begins AND ends with the soil, so make sure you sow your plants in a nutrient-rich medium. Organic matter like compost should be added to the soil; we highly recommend you learn about composting as an early lesson in gardening.

TIME TO PLANT

When the soil is rich with goodness, dig a hole about twice the size of the plant’s container. Be careful when handling the plant as you don’t want to damage the root system before you even plant it. Planting too close together is never a good idea. Look for resilient and easy-growing varieties, as watching plants wilt and die is very discouraging for new gardeners.

Flax, herbs, onions, main-crop potatoes, aragula, and red cabbage are just a few plants that need minimal attention. Ask gardening experts for what thrives best in local soils.

A WISE WORD ON WATERING

Watering is best done in the morning so the water can soak into the soil and towards the roots. If you water during the day when temperatures are at their highest, a lot of that water will evaporate before it has a chance to feed your plants. We suggest you water deeply and less often, instead of frequently and lightly, but there’s always an exception! In sandy soil, it’s best to apply less water but to do it more often.

STAY ON TOP OF WEEDS

Weeding is one of the less desirable aspects of this gardening caper but you’ve got to do it. Do it often before weeds overgrow everything – left too long they WILL overgrow everything! Make sure you pull them out roots and all, not just the tops.

THE MAGIC OF MULCHING

Mulching, like composting, is another early gardening lesson you should learn. For a really good book on the subject, we recommend William Shakespeare’s “Mulch Ado About Nothing”. But really, mulch is magic. A layer of compost, straw, or even leaves, helps feed soil and retain moisture, and keeps weeds under control. A substantial layer of 25 centimetres is ideal for shrubs and trees, and about half that depth for vegetables and flowers.

WHAT TO GROW

What grows best in one place might not grow nearly as well at another thanks to differences in soil, sunshine hours, and rainfall levels. Knowing what to grow comes down to understanding conditions in your part of the world, so consult an expert at a local garden centre or, even better, an experienced green thumb in your street.

If a neighbour has a great garden, don’t be shy in asking for their advice. They’ll be flattered. Pick their brains about what grows best in your part of the world – or street – as the case may be.

With their advice, you’ll go from green to green thumb in no time.

The peg might seem like a small and humble piece of timber but as every big job starts with one, its importance can never be overstated. The peg can be a strong support when you’re concreting, or a trueguide when you’re setting out a construction project or a fenceline, so there’s nothing humble about the role it plays in conjunction with other pegs. Experienced tradies know it, good DIYers know it, and the team at Get Growing knows it too. 

Get Growing makes and supplies pointed pegs for boxing, profiles, garden paths and general construction projects, and we make them in a wide range of sizes; from smaller pegs which are ideal for paths and driveways, up to larger bracing pegs for form work. No matter the size, Get Growing reveres every peg we make. In fact, we treat each one as a VIP… a Very Important Peg. Here’s why!

A builder’s pegis crucial when it comes to concrete framing/boxing. Boxing is the outer framework that is pegged to the ground and holds concrete in place once it has been poured. The trick when using pegs for boxing is to use enough of them. Don’t be stingy! You need to ensure you have the right number of pegs to support the boxing when the concrete is loaded up against it. If you don’t use enough pegs, and many people don’t, then the weight of the concrete could see the boxing ‘blow out’. It’s easier to buy enough pegs than it is to clean up after a boxing blow out!

Pegs are also essential in setting-out a building at the start of a construction project. They help establish the building line i.e. the profile and perimeter of the building,and ensure that everything is square and level. Pegs can also be used when stringing out a fence line, such as a classic picket fence. For these reasons,every big job needs to start with a builder’s peg! 

The pegs we make at the Get Growing are not just very important… they’re also very environmentally friendly. Our pegs are manufactured from timber sourced from renewable New Zealand Radiata Pine plantations. Our treated pegs are made for durability, and our untreated pegs are designed to save you money – you choose which is more important to you. And because they’re pre-pointed, they’re easy to hammer into the ground for boxing, profiles, garden paths and general construction projects.

No matter the project, Get Growing has the pegs for it so give us a yell about these not so humble pieces of timber. They’re Very Important Pegs and they’re very important for a reason. Don’t start any project without them.  

We think a timber pergola or a gazebo would look a million dollars at your place. They are beautiful structures, whether you go for an ornate gazebo or a simply stylish pergola, and this eye-catching appeal can enhance value and prestige. The good news is, even though they might look a million dollars, they won’t cost you anywhere near that amount. Gazebos and pergolas are affordable ways to make a dramatic visual splash.

While they add real class to an outdoor area, such as a back yard or a deck, pergolas and gazebos bring plenty of other things as well. Important things like privacy, shade from the summer sun, protection from the elements and the feeling that you’ve added another room to your home. Well, another entertainment area anyway. They’re the sort of places where family and friends will gravitate to while you’re hosting them. Question is…should you build a pergola or a gazebo? And what is the difference between them?

Gazebos are usually octagonal or round, while pergolas are square or rectangular. Gazebos have a roof, whereas pergolas have cross beams across the section; a half roof if you like. Pergolas have an open feel while gazebos can be more closed in through the use of railings around the structure; something to consider if you want to create something with a more private “room-like” feel. Finally, gazebos stand separate from any other structure, and while pergolas can also stand alone, they commonly link two structures together, such as a house and a deck.

So now you know the differences between gazebos and pergolas, which one should you go for? If you have a deck or patio that could do with a bit more “wow” factor, then a pergola is probably your best bet as it won’t overshadow the other features within that setting. If you want a structure in your back yard, maybe as part of the garden and landscaping, then a gazebo should be your preference. But it’s your back yard…do it your way!

Get Growing produce louvres, balustrades and trellis panels which could be incorporated into the design and construction of your timber gazebo or pergola. Discuss your requirements with and expert and they’ll reiterate the big benefits you’ll soon enjoy. Like an extra defined and functional space. A private area, especially when you use our framed trellis panels, our louvres. Year-round protection from the elements so you can enjoy your outdoor space whenever you like. And, of course, the sheer beauty of it all. In other words, an outdoor feature that looks like a million bucks without all those zeros on the price tag!

Your back yard becomes the great outdoors if it lures the kids into the fresh air and away from their electronic gadgets. That WOULD be great! But once you get them out there, you need to ensure they’re safe and happy in a kids-friendly back yard.

One way to get them outside, and keep them amused while they’re out there, is to encourage them to participate in some gardening with you. It’s fun for them at the time, and a great life lesson for the future. Check out the Get Growing range, which includes kitset gardens, garden edging, and garden stakes.

https://getgrowing.nz/ 

No matter what you do to entertain the kids while they’re outside, safety is your prime consideration. Getting hurt isn’t a child’s idea of fun so look out for these potential dangers:

Update that gate - it's good sense to fence

Gates and fences need to be secure and make it impossible for children to wander away from the safety of your back yard. How do your current fences and gates rate in the child safety stakes? Take a look at the range of trellis from Get Growing and see how you can combine safety with style.  https://getgrowing.nz/collections/trellis

Gates don't need to be hard to set up. We make it easy with our premade pine gates. We manage to combine strong with lightweight and durable with functional. 

Water, water everywhere 

Kids are fascinated by water – with possible exception of bath time! But in an outdoor situation, water features like ponds, or paddling pools, are irresistible. Ensure there’s a barrier between your kids and water, be it netting over a pond, or a fence around the pool.

You only have two eyes

Keeping an eye on more than one child isn’t the easiest thing to do. When they’re darting here, there and everywhere, your attempts at supervising them can make you resemble a spectator at Wimbledon watching a match being played at ten times the normal speed, and on a dozen different courts. For easier supervision, set up a play zone in one spot, instead of having one child here, one child there and another child goodness knows where.

Be a cool family

Even if it’s not the sunniest of days, it’s important your kids stays in the shade as much as possible. Cloudy skies can be deceptive, and young skin burns easily. Provide shaded areas for outdoor fun, particularly if the kids are out there for hours on end.

Take time to wander around the yard before you let the kids loose, and check everything else is safe. Are garden tools and poisons locked up in the shed? Are there prickly weeds in the lawn? Are the flowers in the garden poisonous, as well as pretty? There’s a lot to think about when creating a child-friendly back yard, but when you see them enjoying fresh air instead of being glued to a mind-numbing device, you’ll realise it’s all worth it.

• Sectioning
• Borders
• Privacy
• Decoration

Fence panels combine style and simplicity. The picket fence panels we manufacture through Motueka Pickets are a prime example. Pickets are joined to a length of upper and lower rail to form a panel. All that is required is for each panel to be placed in between evenly spaced posts. In other words, a fence can be built panel by panel, rather than picket by picket by picket by picket by picket by picket, and so on, and so on, and so on. 

This sort of simplicity makes our fence panels very popular. We sell lots of them to people wanting to create a classy front fence, and why not? We all want our home to make a stunning first impression. But we also encourage you to look at using fence panels in other ways, and in other places. By using fence panels as part of your fence-line and then throughout your garden, you can create a visually pleasing mirror effect, which will reflect very nicely on you. Pun intended.   

For example, picket fence panels make beautiful garden borders. They give a garden definition and shape, especially if you want to create a formal garden, and in the case of our Motueka Pickets fence panels, they can be painted to suit the colour pallet of your garden. How about a border alongside a driveway or pathway? Yet another way you can use fence panels in this regard. In conjunction with a picket fence at the front of a home, the overall effect can be stunning.

 Fence panels can also be used to section off parts of your property. This might be done to create a garden sanctuary, an outdoor dining space, a pet containment area, a protective zone for your prize winning Venus flytraps, or even to pretty up that corner of the yard where the good old Kiwi garden shed is located. If you’ve got young kids, fence panels can be used to make a magical and safe play area where they can’t wander away in the split second that you avert your gaze. Whatever your intention, fence panels make it easy to create a section within a section. 

While we’ve spoken a lot about fence panels consisting of pickets – and so we should as they are perfectly picturesque pickets – fence panels can be made of many different materials and offer many different looks and uses. Check out our pine louvre panels, which might not be your traditional fence panels but certainly provide the same sort of wow factor at your home. They can be a spectacular addition to any outdoor entertainment area, while providing great shade at the same time, and also act as a privacy screen when you want to keep your external activities to yourself.

The point is, don’t look at fence panels as just an easy way to whack up a fence. Look at all the other ways you can use them, such as a way to add crisp, clean lines in your garden, or to section off part of your property. For privacy, or decoration, or down to earth practical purposes, fence panels are the quick and easy solution to what you want to achieve at your place.