Grow Your Own Northland

Grow Your Own Northland Confident constructors of sustainable, locally-made products, from raised planters to chicken coops, shade houses, to animal dwellings and sheds.
(1)

Every piece is customizable, scaffolding a natural design, ready to support your self-sufficent journey 💚

Most of our sections are still covered in lawn that needs mowing, watering, and gives nothing back.Even a small corner c...
12/02/2026

Most of our sections are still covered in lawn that needs mowing, watering, and gives nothing back.

Even a small corner can grow kai, herbs, or rongoā when it’s set up properly. When space is defined, intention follows, and food actually gets grown.

You don’t need more land.
You just need to use what you already have.

Gone are the days of prepping and saving spices in jars on the shelf. This time of year, just before Christmas, you walk...
10/02/2026

Gone are the days of prepping and saving spices in jars on the shelf. This time of year, just before Christmas, you walk into the supermarket thinking you’ll quickly grab a little packet of mixed herbs, and somehow it turns into a mission. Shelves half empty, staff restocking in a rush, trolleys lined up, and that one thing you actually came in for feels like it’s playing hide and seek. And when you finally find it, it’s another little extra on the receipt that makes you pause and think, how did something so small become another expense?

Do you know how easy it actually is though?

It starts long before the rush. In the warmer months, plant a few basics in a corner of the garden or in pots, rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, basil. Let them grow, trim them as you cook, and when they’re thriving, cut a handful, tie them with string, and hang them somewhere dry. Once they’re crisp, crumble them into a jar, label it, and that’s your mixed herbs ready for the year. No queues, no last minute panic, no extra cost, just something you prepared with your own hands, sitting there waiting when Christmas rolls around.

Sometimes the simplest things bring back a bit of calm in the middle of all the rush.

We say we’ll start a garden when we have more time, more money, more space, more knowledge.But most gardens don’t begin ...
09/02/2026

We say we’ll start a garden when we have more time, more money, more space, more knowledge.

But most gardens don’t begin with perfect conditions, they begin with a moment of “I’ll just try.”

One pot on the porch. Or even a pack of paper cups. One seed in a recycled container. One cutting from a friend. One patch of soil turned over with bare hands.

The biggest barrier isn’t the weather, the season, or the cost, it’s the story we tell ourselves about not being ready yet.

You don’t need a full plan to grow something. You just need a place to begin.

What’s one small step you could take this week.

Starting a garden doesn’t begin with a shovel, it starts with a thought.Design it on paper first. Even if it’s rough, ev...
07/02/2026

Starting a garden doesn’t begin with a shovel, it starts with a thought.

Design it on paper first. Even if it’s rough, even if you have to draw it. Sketch out what you already have and notice how much unused space sits there quietly, spare lawn doing nothing when it could be feeding your whānau.

Prepare the space with intention. Watch the sun, notice the shade, feel where the wind comes through. Some areas are perfect for leafy greens, others need shelter, others love full light. Let the land tell you what will thrive where.

Then plant it. Not everything at once, not in a rush. Look at the season you’re growing in, what actually grows well in your rohe, and most importantly what your whānau will eat. There’s no point growing food that never makes it to the plate.

Gardening doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. It just has to start. One bed, one plan, one season at a time.

07/02/2026

Getting ready to sow your kākano in Te Tai Tokerau feels different. The days are still warm, the soil is holding heat, and you can feel the shift coming if you slow down long enough to notice it.

This is the time we start checking the ground, turning compost, saving seed, and thinking ahead. Not rushing, just preparing. Seed trays washed, soil mixed, space cleared. Small steps that make a big difference later.

In Northland right now many of us are planting silverbeet, spinach, lettuce, spring onions, carrots, beetroot, radish, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, and herbs like coriander and parsley. In warmer pockets, early kƫmara slips are being watched closely, not planted yet, just nurtured. Garlic prep is happening, onions are being planned, and cover crops are being considered to rest the soil.

Every seed is a promise. A reminder that food doesn’t start in a shop, it starts with intention, timing, and care. Whether it’s saved seed, gifted seed, or something you picked up locally, sowing kākano is an act of hope.

What are you planting in your māra this season here in Northland?

Its a steal...I wouldn’t call it being a cheapskate, I call it being strategic. In this economy, I don’t even know how p...
03/02/2026

Its a steal...

I wouldn’t call it being a cheapskate, I call it being strategic. In this economy, I don’t even know how people can afford to pay full price with the cost of living.

So here’s a top tip for the yellow ticket hunters, wait for the sales, save your buying for public holidays, and keep an eye out for those end of season deals.

We’ve got around 65 different fruit trees now, and I’ll let you in on a little secret, often on Trade Me you’ll find local nurseries selling last year’s stock for half the price. You’ll see combos like five trees for around $109, and they’ll even ship them for about $25 to $30.

That’s a win in my books. And you know what, I’m not even shy about it, one day these trees will feed our whānau, and I’ll still have money in my pocket for the next round of planting.

Mandarin trees are one of those taonga in the māra that give back year after year, fragrant blossoms in spring, glossy g...
27/01/2026

Mandarin trees are one of those taonga in the māra that give back year after year, fragrant blossoms in spring, glossy green leaves through summer, and sweet citrus for the whānau when the cooler months arrive.

They thrive best in a sunny, sheltered spot where they can soak up warmth and stay protected from strong winds.

Free draining soil is key, mandarins don’t like wet feet, so adding compost and planting on a slight mound can help keep roots healthy. Water deeply during dry periods, especially when flowering and fruiting, and feed with a citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer to support strong growth and juicy fruit.

A light prune after harvesting helps keep the tree open for airflow and sunlight, shaping it for the next season ahead.

đ—šđ—żđ—źđ—łđ˜đ—¶đ—»đ—Ž:: A beautiful way to carry forward a favourite tree, preserving the sweetness, size, and strength of a proven mandarin. Start by choosing a healthy rootstock, often a hardy citrus seedling, and a scion, a cutting from a productive, disease free mandarin tree. Make a clean cut on both, matching the green cambium layers, and bind them together tightly with grafting tape. Keep the grafted plant warm, sheltered, and lightly watered while it heals. Over time, new growth will emerge, a living reminder that knowledge, care, and patience can shape what we pass on to the next generation, not just in our gardens, but in our whānau too.

What’s growing in your māra this season?

Free kai, new beginnings, and the joy of watching something small become a nourishing snack for your whānau. Today we ar...
26/01/2026

Free kai, new beginnings, and the joy of watching something small become a nourishing snack for your whānau.

Today we are sharing some tips about strawberry runners and showing you an example of what they can look like.

A reminder that growth is something we can pass on, hand to hand, garden to garden, community to community. Nows the perfect time to check your plants.

● To replant, gently separate the runner from the mother plant once it has its own roots

● Place it into loose, well draining soil, and press the earth softly around the base.

● Keep the crown of the plant just above the soil line so it can breathe and grow strong.

● Water well after planting and for the first few days, then keep the soil lightly moist, not flooded.

Care is simple and rewarding :)

● Give them a sunny spot.
● Mulch around the base to keep the roots cool and the moisture in.
● Remove old leaves to help new growth thrive.

In time, these little gifts will return their own runners, and the cycle of free kai continues!

Teaching our tamariki and whānau that abundance grows when we share and care for the whenua together. 💛💚💛

We were packed and ready to head off to the beach before the weather warning rolled in, so what better time to wander th...
03/01/2026

We were packed and ready to head off to the beach before the weather warning rolled in, so what better time to wander the whenua and collect some fresh mint!

Mint is one of those simple taonga growing right under our noses, it supports digestion, helps freshen breath, soothes the puku, and can even give you a gentle boost of energy. A tiny plant with big benefits for our tinana and hauora.

Sometimes it’s the small changes that make the biggest difference. Swapping sugary drinks for mint water with a squeeze of lime is refreshing, hydrating, and so easy to do. Little by little, we move toward healthier habits, for ourselves, our tamariki, and our future. 💚💛💚

What herbs are you adding to your drinks this season?

We can’t deny how great this rain has been this summer. Our orchards are soaking it up, our māra is bursting with new gr...
02/01/2026

We can’t deny how great this rain has been this summer. Our orchards are soaking it up, our māra is bursting with new growth, and the paddocks are greener than we’ve seen in a long time. The farmers will surely be breathing a little easier.

This kind of rain reminds us how connected everything is, the tanks fill, the creeks keep flowing, the soil softens, and the whenua sighs with relief. With each drop comes a quiet blessing for our kai, our animals, and our whānau.

Sometimes the weather tests us. But when we step back, we see that nature is still providing, still restoring, still teaching us patience and gratitude. Even in seasons that feel uncertain, there is beauty, growth, and promise all around us.

We just have to slow down long enough to see the good in everything. đŸŒ§ïžđŸ’šđŸ’›đŸ’š

Whoever said builders don’t mahi on their own whare, they definitely lied. 😅We can’t waste the holiday being idle when w...
01/01/2026

Whoever said builders don’t mahi on their own whare, they definitely lied. 😅

We can’t waste the holiday being idle when we have our own set of tasks to complete, today’s project was swapping out the exterior door for one with a window, replacing some tired cladding, and getting new jib up. Bit by bit, our whare is transforming, and it feels good having the time to complete the mahi ourselves.

Holiday vibes were strong, mostly because Leorah insisted on being in the photos, with her kitten Elo of course who is super cool because he has heterochromia, and yes, before anyone asks, that is a Christmas cracker crown. Because the festive spirit is compulsory around here, and still strong in our whare.

Here’s to homes that are lived in, worked on, and loved 💚💛💚

Address

279 Ramsey Road
Taheke
0473

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Grow Your Own Northland posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Grow Your Own Northland:

Shortcuts

Share

Category