gardening tips

No matter how small your outdoor area is, there are plenty of low-cost hacks to help you stamp your green thumb on it

Protect your garden in winter and prepare for spring with these tasks and expert tips.

It's surprisingly easy and a great way to get kids interested in plants.

From the experts at Kings Plant Barn What should I do after my moth orchid has finished flowering? Once the orchid has stopped blooming, trim the flower stem down to a healthy node. Nodes are small bumps along the stem. Look for the node closest to the lowest flower on the stem and make the […]

From the experts at Kings Plant Barn

Turn your kitchen window sill into a mini hydroponic patch Vegetable scrap gardening is a thing. With little effort and a dose of creativity, you can build a window-sill garden using all kinds of vegetable odds and ends that would have otherwise ended up on the compost heap. This fun project is fantastic for getting […]

Get picking on the daily – it’s summer harvest time in the garden January is a traditional time for holidays in Aotearoa. That it coincides with peak harvest can be annoying if you’re planning on heading off for a sunny sojourn at the beach or river. Unless you get someone to come and pick them […]

From the experts at Kings Plant Barn My lemon tree has small white flies on it. What do I do control this pest? At this time of year white fly can be prolific and need regular spraying to keep the infestations under control. As soon as you see signs of white fly, start spraying with […]

Christmas is a time when all the family get together to celebrate the festive season. Here’s what to plant, sow and grow before the masses descend Your checklist for getting the garden in shape for the festive season: Step-up deadheading of flowers. This removal of fading blooms means the energy that the plants would have […]

It’s time to plant some summer-loving crops as the days become warmer and there are more hours to spend in the garden To do November is a busy month in the garden. Spring is in full fury. At no other time of year are the greens so bright and the flowers so fresh. Amongst all […]

Set up a seedling exchange, what to plant this month for a good harvest, shade-loving edibles and cool water tanks Sow and swap October means one thing to New Zealand’s edible gardeners – tomatoes. Their seeds may be sown under cover now. For variety, and to extend production, why not get together with like-minded friends, […]

As the price of getting your five-plus a day sky rockets, it pays to know size isn’t everything when it comes to growing your own incredible edibles On balconies, storeys off the ground, in pocket-sized townhouse courtyards, in narrow strips along suburban drives or slender window ledges, vegetables are being grown. This is a pastime […]

After a hard winter, the season of growth has finally arrived September 1 is the official start of spring, the season of rejuvenation when it feels like nature has given us the go-ahead to get out into the garden, sowing and planting. But patience is prudent in all but the warmest parts of the country. […]

Our homes aren’t the only things that need a spring clean. Spring is a great time to start a vegetable garden, establish new garden beds, plant just about anything, establish a new lawn, spruce up neglected area and give the gardens its once-a-year feed of fertiliser. One of the most rewarding jobs to do right […]

The experts at Kings Plant Barn are here to help I’d like to put a plant in my bathroom. What can tolerate little light and steam? Tropical indoor plants or moisture-loving plants are the best choices for your bathroom. Consider a fern, calathea, monstera, orchid, philodendron or air plants. How do I prevent my pond […]

The experts at Kings Plant Barn are here to help How do I transplant a reasonably mature fruit tree? This depends on how big it is, what type of tree it is, the time of year and where it is going. If it is a large tree, only specific landscapers will be able to help […]

Need help in the garden?  The team at Kings Plant Barn are here to help I want to grow my vegetables from seeds this year. What’s the best way to guarantee success? There is nothing like growing your own fruit and vegetables from seeds, but failure is easy if you don’t follow the simple rules […]

Need help in the garden?  The team at Kings Plant Barn are here to help I want to sow a lawn in a shady spot. Is there any way this can be done? It is not impossible, however you need to choose a shade-tolerant lawn seed. If the area is under a tree, prune away […]

The team at Kings Plant Barn are here to help with your winter gardening tips Any tips for keeping birds fed over winter? Attract birds, both native and introduced, with different feeding stations. Kākā, bellbirds, tūī and silvereyes will feed  from nectar feeder bottles. Attract kererū as well with cut fruit on the fence or […]

The experts from Kings Plant Barn are here to help  Help! My fruit trees didn’t bear much fruit this summer. What can I do for next year? A little care goes a long way. Mulch your planted fruit trees with bark or compost, making sure it isn’t touching the trunk. This will help lock in […]

The experts from Kings Plant Barn are here to help  For those in drought-stricken areas, how can we offset the effects of not being able to soak the entire garden? Make sure you have water tanks installed to the downpipes of your roof (or garage roof) to catch any rainfall and use any extra water […]