Grow Your Own Northland

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Grow Your Own Northland Confident constructors of sustainable, locally-made products, from raised planters to chicken coops, shade houses, to animal dwellings and sheds.
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Every piece is customizable, scaffolding a natural design, ready to support your self-sufficent journey 💚

29/09/2026

This is my mess 😂 and quite frankly, we are sick of mowing this side of our whare, sooooo… it is officially becoming dedicated garden spot number 4!

Like I’ve said before, we absolutely LOVE filling our plates right to the rim with mahi to do. Apparently we look at spare time and think, “Yeah nah, we don’t need any of that.” 😅🤣

This whole thing actually started because we pulled down the back fence to extend our new orchard.

I had big ole dreams of planting trees as far as the eye could see, but we were quickly running out of space. So my husband and father in law pulled the fence down.

WOOHOOO for me! 😂 I am one lucky gal.

Now you can have a little sneak peek at my utter mess because trust me, I can already see the potential. It might look rough right now, but give us some time and a bit of hard mahi and this little patch is going to look like a million bucks and hopefully be hosting hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of veggies to share out to our whānau and friends by summer.

And the best part?

Those old fence palings aren’t going anywhere.

The planters are being made using the timber from the fence we pulled down. There was absolutely no way I was throwing perfectly good timber away.

In my mind, waste not, want not. To my poor husbands dismay. He wanted new new new, and me I need it done done done before my seedlings are ready for the māra.

So for now, yes, it’s a mess. There’s timber everywhere, dirt to move, beds to build and plenty of mahi ahead of us.

But watch this space 👀

Garden number 4 is coming, and I reckon she’s going to be a beauty.

Sometimes the only thing standing between the mess you have and the vision you can see is being willing to put in the mahi.

No excuses around here. If we want it, we’re prepared to work for it. 💪🏿

So the warning is out again that El Niño is supposed to be worse this year. 🤔 How are we going to maintain our gardens a...
29/09/2026

So the warning is out again that El Niño is supposed to be worse this year. 🤔 How are we going to maintain our gardens and hold onto precious moisture when the heat kicks in?

For our new beds, we’ll be making use of what we already have around us. Sticks, twigs, fallen branches, leaves and other brown materials will form the bottom layers of our māra, with compost and soil layered over the top.

The woody material acts a bit like a sponge as it slowly breaks down, helping hold moisture within the bed. It also creates air spaces, adds carbon and gradually contributes organic matter back into the soil. Leaves and other brown materials help protect against moisture loss while slowly decomposing and feeding the soil life beneath our plants.

We’ll also be using leaves, sticks and other organic material around the top of our beds as mulch. Keeping the whenua covered helps shade the soil, reduce evaporation and protect it from drying out under the hot summer sun.

Bare soil gets HOT. Covered soil has a fighting chance.

It’s laborious mahi collecting, carrying, layering and filling these beds, but it will be worth it. All it takes is a little elbow grease and making use of resources that would otherwise be considered waste.

Prepare now, conserve the wai later. 💧🌿

Who else is getting their māra ready for summer?

Spring is here and the māra is calling!There’s something exciting about this time of year. Longer days, warmer soil and ...
27/09/2026

Spring is here and the māra is calling!

There’s something exciting about this time of year. Longer days, warmer soil and the promise of another season of homegrown kai.

So, what are you planting in your garden this spring?

Kūmara? Rīwai? Tomatoes? Pumpkins? Kūmimi? Corn? Beans? Capsicum? Watermelon? Herbs? Or are you trying something completely new this year?

Drop your spring planting list below 👇🏽 We might just get a few ideas from each other!

27/09/2026

Spring is here and man, I’m telling you… we barely have time for social media at the moment! 😂

Between the māra, the mahi, the whānau and everything that comes with these longer days, life is FULL. But life is good.

Busy hands, full hearts and plenty growing around us. This is our kind of season. 💚💛💚

Ain’t nobody keener than a gardener who remembers at 8:55pm that there’s a frost coming🥶Out there in the dark, pyjamas o...
24/09/2026

Ain’t nobody keener than a gardener who remembers at 8:55pm that there’s a frost coming🥶

Out there in the dark, pyjamas on, phone torch going, throwing shade cloth, sheets, towels, buckets and whatever else I can find over our precious trees in the māra like my life depends on it

Because I DID NOT put in all the effort just for Jack Frost to come through overnight and take the lot 😭😂

If you know, you know… gardeners will do anything to protect their babies. Already lost 3 paw paw and 2 avocado trees because I missed the last one.

Who else was outside tonight doing the emergency frost cover mission just incase? Surely I wasnt the only one .👀

21/09/2026

“Rich is having the will to plant, the space to grow. Love our little lives, love that shes still interested in our gardening endeavors. Nothing like some new flowers to brighten up our whenua this spring 💚💛💚

This was worth the share. This has to be one of our favourite seasons, and for the first time ever we tried Ugli fruit!W...
20/09/2026

This was worth the share. This has to be one of our favourite seasons, and for the first time ever we tried Ugli fruit!

We spotted bags sitting at a roadside stall for only $8 in Waipapakauri and of course we had to stop. The locals will know exactly who were talking about!

Ugli fruit is a citrus fruit that originated in Jamaica and is generally considered a natural hybrid involving mandarin or tangerine and grapefruit ancestry. Its thick, rough, wrinkly skin is exactly where the name comes from. It might not look like the prettiest fruit on the outside, but peel it open and you’re rewarded with juicy, sweet citrus with a little tang.

And wow, these were delicious! Like a giant easy peel mandarin.

There’s something special about buying kai straight from the people growing it. No fancy packaging or supermarket shelves, just a bag of beautiful seasonal fruit from a roadside stall.

A big mihi to the gentleman on the side of the road keeping our whānau stocked. The locals know him, and now we know why people stop!

Sometimes the ugliest fruit really does taste the best. Please tag him if you know his name. We would love to purchase more.

06/08/2026

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Nothing like a gentle reminder 😅We have a few of these little stashes strategically placed around the house, all in prep...
05/08/2026

Nothing like a gentle reminder 😅

We have a few of these little stashes strategically placed around the house, all in preparation for planting.

Don’t get me wrong, you win some and you lose some when it comes to gardening. Some sprout beautifully, others don’t quite make it. But that’s all part of the journey.

These little potato shoots are a reminder that with a bit of patience, care, and the right timing, new life is always ready to begin. 🥔

For us this is the “behind the scenes” of growing kai. 💚💛💚


There's something incredibly satisfying about walking outside and seeing your lemon tree loaded with fruit. This season ...
04/08/2026

There's something incredibly satisfying about walking outside and seeing your lemon tree loaded with fruit. This season has been one of pure abundance, and our tree is definitely showing off.

FYI one healthy lemon tree can produce far more than a family can use, which is why they're one of the best investments for any home garden. Fresh lemons for baking, preserving, drinks, cleaning, or sharing with whānau and neighbours.

If you've been thinking about growing your own food, start with the trees that keep on giving. A lemon tree doesn't just produce fruit, it brings a little bit of abundance to your backyard year after year.

What do you make with your homegrown lemons?

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279 Ramsey Road
Taheke
0473

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