Gardening Information
Websites
There is a wealth of information about gardening on the internet. This page includes some recommended websites. (If you would like to make a suggestion for a website that you have found helpful, please email using the Contact form.) The website of the Soil and Health Association and Organic NZ magazine, this site has a […]
Gardening in Containers
Many food plants will grow happily in containers. Container gardening has the advantage of making your garden relatively portable (provided the containers are not so large as to be too heavy to lift). Container gardening is therefore useful for people renting on a short term basis. Gardening in containers is also a way to make […]
Water Use, Storage and Conservation
Growing vegetables (and fruit trees) need water. A lot of the time this is supplied by the rain, but at times in many parts of New Zealand rainfall is in short supply. The purpose of this page is to give you some tips on how to grow food successfully while still conserving water. 1) Water […]
Organic Gardening Supplies
The purpose of this page is to list products that can be used in organic gardening to help beginner gardeners to get started. This page is a work in progress: if you have suggestions for good products that should be included on this page, please email through the Contact form. A comprehensive list of products […]
Gardening Basics
The Community Food Network advocates organic gardening for the following reasons: * Organic food contains higher levels of trace minerals and other micronutrients * Growing food organically is safe for children and pets, as it does not involve the use of toxic pesticides which can cause health problems – and also harm wildlife and the […]
Health and Safety
Health and Safety In general, gardening is an activity that is very positive in terms of health and well being. People who take up gardening can expect to gain strength, flexibility and a higher level of general fitness. Most people find gardening relaxing and enjoy a sense of achievement as their efforts bear fruit. Then […]
Compost
Composting involves turning unwanted waste such as food scraps, lawn clippings, hedge trimming etc into valuable plant food. There are three main types of composting systems: * traditional composting piles or heaps that rely on heat to break down plant matter; * vermiculture systems such as domestic or commercial worm farms where worms do all […]
Organic Certification
in NZ, there are no legal restrictions on the use of the word “organic”; therefore anyone can claim that any product is organic. Many products that are claimed to be organic, but are uncertified, are good products; however some are not. (Worldwide there are a lot of bad products marketed as “organic” or “environmentally friendly” […]
Education and Training
Free and/or Low Cost Opportunities to Learn Organic Gardening Adult Education Programmes A lot of high schools and some community centres offer adult education programmes. Classes and workshops are run by tutors who have expertise in certain areas. Many adult education programmes offer classes in organic growing, garden design or similar topics. They […]
Seed Saving
Worldwide over the past century there has been an enormous loss of genetic material as old varieties of seed have been abandoned by larger farmers in favour of the modern hybrids promoted by large agrochemical companies. More recently, with the advent of genetic engineering, crops have been developed to have “terminator” genes – that is, […]