The Garden Factory

Spring has arrived in our garden, and our fruit trees are blossoming. Although we have a few bees, I wish we had more, so I'll be taking on the role of plum pollination lady today.

The whole family had a wonderful time at the Titahi Bay Horticultural Society Spring Flower Show this weekend down at Pataka.

The boys did really well in all the categories they entered, taking First and Second place for Junior Daffodils, First place for Novice Camelias, First for Carrots and Third for Brocolli, and evolved into beneficial insects at the fashion parade where they both won some great new books, seeds, and of course - lots of lollies.

Looking forward to heading back there next year!

Our 7 year old Felix had a brilliant idea at the end of the last Summer to collect all of the best Sunflowers that we've grown, and package and sell the seeds for the next season.

He's been busy hand counting all of the seeds, packaging them up, and putting on his salesman smile to our friends and family - he's saving for a TV for his games room that he's building in the loft, and a new Chess Board.

If you'd like to support our young entrepreneur in his venture - send us a DM and we can sort you out with some giant sunflower seeds. We've tested the strike rate, and they are coming in at above 80%.

50 handcounted seeds per packet, $4 a packet (or koha) and $3 for Nationwide delivery.

🌻

Wasabi Harvest time.. Lots of Wasabi babies this year!

Final tomato harvest of the season - time to make some green tomato chutney!

A PSA for all of the Tawa/Linden locals...

Don't forget to pop into the Linden Community Centre on Saturday morning for the monthly Crop Swap event.

Given that the apple season is in full swing, and we've got loads to share, we will be running a how-to session on making your own Apple cider vinegar.

See you there!

We put our young factory workers to good use this afternoon out at Bill and Jane's hazelnut orchard in Ohau.

All it took was Daddy telling them that they are collecting ingredients for homemade Nutella.

Lots of tasty hazelnuts to dry and process into new recipes in the coming weeks!

Today's harvest - We are inundated from our heads, to-ma-toes.

This afternoon, we hosted a wonderful group of keen gardeners from the Churton Park Horticultural Society.

The Wellington weather played its part, and a lot of gardening tips were shared amongst the group.

While the garden looks like it's nearing the end of Summer, it gave us the motivation we needed to clear the place up, get rid of some weeds and take away a big trailer load of green waste

A huge thanks to all our lovely group of visitors - we were too busy to take any photos - but loved having you along to see what can be done with a suburban section on a small budget.

Fun-gi-times!

This morning, we took the family for a tour of as they opened their doors for the public as part of the open day initiative.

What an amazing set up they have!

Thanks so much to Rochelle and Russell for sharing your wealth of knowledge, and letting us taste the delicious oyster mushrooms they've been producing in Plimmerton.

Check out their products here: https://www.mushroomhouse.co.nz - we highly recommend their delicious Crispy Coated Oyster Mushroom Chips - might need to head back and grab some more next week!

-guys

Salsa season has officially begun.

This weekend, we've picked our first big harvest of tomatoes and tomatillos, made a start on saving seeds for next year, chopped, boiled and devoured copious of delicious varieties to be eaten this week as sauce, salsa and soup.

We say this every year, but you really can't beat the taste of a homegrown tomato.

Harvest time!

Pink and Green Szechuan Peppercorns, some mandatory tomatoes and Felix's haul of giant sunflower seeds (a great way to keep him entertained for 30mins).

School lunches all sorted!

Give someone a fish, they eat for a day.

Teach them to garden - and the whole neighbourhood gets TOMATOES.

Our Orangeberry babies 👶

We've still got no idea how to get them to fruit, but they are an amazing groundcover and look great in the winter.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

If life has taught us just one thing- it would to be never say no to a party invite from a chef!

11/10. Extra points for the array of tomatoes 🍅

Happy birthday

The best part of gardening is definitely reaping what we've sown.

We've grown a squillion of these delicious beans, and the best part is that they were planted 3 years ago, and keep coming back bigger and better every year.

Stay tuned for copious amounts of tomato photos!

Our first tomato of the season, and we've basically grown an edible version of the logo.

Based on the sunshine this week, it appears that the tomato tsunami has begun.

How's everyone else's garden going?

The Strawberry Stinger - Our first hot sauce batch of the season.

This year, we held back on growing so many chillies, as we have a freezer full of them from last season.

This batch is probably the hottest we've made so far - Kaffir Lime and Strawberry featuring Chocolate Umorok, Trinidad Scorpion, Orange Manazano, Yellow Manzano, Red Manzano, Birds eye, Thai Dragon, Cayenne and Sugar Rush Peach chillies.

In Grandads words - It's very, very f hot.

The taste of summer... 🍓

Have a very Berry Christmas everyone!

Thanks to all of our wonderful customers for stopping by over the last couple of months!

Despite the fact Wellington has had 4 seasons in one week, we are Berry pleased about the Currant state of the garden.

FREE PLANTS

Adopt a tomato plant (or a family of them)..

We are getting close to the end of the season and have lots of plants that are in need of a home bigger than their existing pot.

If you are after more tomato plants for yourself, a friend, or a community garden/kindy/school - come by and see us today before 5pm.

We've got hundreds of them to give away!

"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life.” —Cora Lea Bell

The sun is shining, the wind is still here - and we are open until 5pm today.

Plenty of Tomatoes, Pumpkins, Wasabi, Zuchinni, Chillies, Capsicum and Celery ready to be planted.

www.gardenfactory.co.nz

The couldn't be more right with today's forecast...

We are open until 5pm today - come and grab some healthy veges for when the sun shines again!

www.gardenfactory.co.nz

Introducing the magnificent Tomatillo Grand Verde!

🌱🍅 With its vibrant green hue and abundant growth, this plant is a true showstopper in any garden. 🌿✨

Its sprawling branches bear numerous lantern-shaped fruits, encased in a delicate husk that protects their tangy, citrusy flavor. 🍋🌶️

The Tomatillo Grand Verde is not just a feast for the eyes, but also a culinary delight. 🍽️👨‍🍳

These versatile fruits are perfect for salsas, sauces, and even pickling! 🌮🥗🌯

Harvest them when they turn a beautiful chartreuse color, signaling their readiness to be transformed into mouthwatering dishes. 😋🍽️

Growing this plant is an absolute breeze! It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and with a little care, it rewards you with a bountiful harvest. 🌞🌱

Whether you're an experienced gardener or a green thumb enthusiast, the Tomatillo Grand Verde is a must-have addition to your garden. 🌿✨

Share your love for homegrown flavors and vibrant green beauty by planting the Tomatillo Grand Verde today.

Available now - order today for pickup this weekend!

https://www.gardenfactory.co.nz/product/tomatillo

We are open all afternoon - come for a visit and get stocked up on plants for the summer!

5 Lincoln Ave, Tawa

www.gardenfactory.co.nz

Tomato of the day...

Roma

Popular Italian heirloom bush tomato. Great tasting elongated variety with low acid, bright red, meaty fruit.

Excellent for sauce or salsa. Equally good in salads or dried. A strong plant that displays vigorous growth. Fruit to 50gms. Determinate.

Maturity 70 days from transplant.

https://www.gardenfactory.co.nz/product/roma