🌱 What is nitrogen actually and when we know what it is why does it matter?

In this solo episode of White Strawberries, I ditch the edits (full disclosure I took the "um's" out) and go full conversation mode to unpack something that is made overly complicated sometimes: nitrogen.

🧪 We explore:
• What nitrogen really is
• How to tell if a plant is nitrogen-rich—or ready to mulch
• Composting ratios made simple
• "Humanure"
• Why fresh arborist mulch is awesome for paths and terrible for your garden bed
• Why I'm growing a wisteria tree in the middle of my central garden bed

🌸 Whether you're into hot composting, lazy mulching, or dreaming up a nitrogen-fixing forest floor—this one’s a musing that won’t get too sciency. Just soil-loving honesty from one curious gardener to another.

📸 See the wisteria-in-the-garden @whitestrawberriespodcast on Instagram and Facebook

💧 🌦️ If you’ve ever looked at a garden hose like it was made of gold—this one’s for you.

In this episode of White Strawberries, I have a conversation with Sophie, a Zero Waste Educator, about the messy magic of water in the garden. From buckets of bathwater to rainwater you wish you could store, we share what it’s really like managing water—whether you live in a tiny house on a large amount of land, or a suburban backyard, this ones for you.

🚿 We explore:
• Why water is your biggest limiting factor—and how to work with it
• What happens when you skip the septic and start bucketing bathwater
• Real-life greywater setups (that actually work for food forests!)
• Why winter rain can be too much—and how to trap moisture for summer
• The water–BRIX–soil connection: better watering, better nutrients
• Small-scale systems that suit urban and rural gardeners alike

🏡 Tiny homes, suburban gardens, and big garden dreams all welcome in this splashy, honest water chat.

📸 See how we do it @whitestrawberriespodcast

In this Spark Joy episode, we dive into the wonderful world of hydrangeas — one of New Zealand’s most beloved perennial shrubs, known for their stunning blooms and versatility.

As I recorded this in the height of summer, hydrangeas were truly sparking joy in my garden. Now, as winter sets in, it’s the perfect time to prune your hydrangeas, take cuttings to propagate, plant new hydrangeas, and feed your existing plants. Plus, if you’re looking to adjust your soil’s pH for the best color and health, now’s the moment to get to work!

Hydrangeas also have a special place in permaculture gardens, helping create microclimates and supporting beneficial insects.

Let’s celebrate this beautiful shrub and share tips to keep your hydrangeas thriving year-round.

🌿 Connect and find images of my hydrangeas 📷
Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast
Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast

May your garden be abundant, your strawberries white, and your curiosity never-ending!

In today’s Q&A-style episode, I chat with Becks, who’s growing food on a small urban section packed with subtropical and Mediterranean microclimates. We talk through her real-life garden dilemmas—from a wayward apple tree branch and overachieving feijoas, to pruning grapevines and getting citrus trees back on track.

We cover:
🍏 How to prune an espaliered apple tree
🍇 When and how to cut back grapevines
🌱 How to take a cutting and get it growing
🍋 What to do when your lemon tree looks sad and wobbly
🪴 Why feijoas fruit like mad—and how to prune them to suit your space

If you’ve ever wondered how to shape your trees, take a cutting, or diagnose citrus struggles, this one’s for you.

✨ Bonus: I've shared a visual demo of nodes, cuttings, and branches over on socials.
📸 Follow @whitestrawberriespodcast on Instagram and Facebook to see more!

Until next time—may your strawberries be white and your worms happy.

♻️ Ever wondered if your compost pile is killing weed seeds—or just giving them a warm nap?

In this episode of White Strawberries, I dive into my very first proper hot composting adventure. Spoiler: it involves bamboo stakes, cow poo tea, temperature obsessions, and a whole lot of bindweed I didn’t trust in a cold pile.

🌱 We’ll explore:
• Why not all weed seeds die in regular compost
• How to build a hot compost heap step by step—no fancy bins required
• What materials (and simple amendments) boost your compost and your veggies
• The connection between compost, BRIX testing, and truly nutrient-dense food

Plus: tips I wish I’d known at the start—like why summer might be the worst time to start, and how to check if your compost really did the job.

📸 Check out images of the heap on Instagram or Facebook: @whitestrawberriespodcast

🧪 Want better veggies and fewer weeds? Hot composting might be your next garden glow-up.

Check out where else to find me here: https://linktr.ee/whitestrawberries

Elderberry: Grow it because it’s delicious, beautiful — and scientifically proven to shorten the duration of the flu.

This episode dives into the magic, science, and mischief of elderberries — a plant that blurs the line between medicine and myth.

Learn why it’s a favourite of permaculturists, herbalists, and birds alike — and why it might just belong in your garden too.

We explore:
– How and why to grow elderberry (even if it's a bit "weedy")
– What science says about its immune-supporting compounds
– Its rich folklore, from Irish legend to village healer
– How to safely harvest and prepare it
– Syrups, teas, wines, and wild foraging tips

Whether you're planting your first bush or rediscovering an old favourite, this episode invites you to explore both the light and dark sides of a plant full of magic — and medicine.

🖤 May your elderberries be dark and your curiosity never-ending.

Follow us:
https://www.instagram.com/whitestrawberriespodcast/

We’re talking pigs—those chubby, soil-turning wonders that can transform your paddock and garden into a thriving ecosystem.

🐖 Whether you're dreaming of adding pigs to your permaculture setup or wondering if they're right for your orchard, this episode is packed with practical, real-world insight. I'm joined by Sez the Vet, an experienced life-style vet and educator, who breaks down the real benefits of pigs—from tilling the soil and fertilizing as they go, to controlling pests like guava moth by eating fallen fruit.

We also dive into the important stuff:

• How to rotate pigs to protect parts of your paddock
• Setting up a “pig tractor” system
• What zoonotic diseases you should be aware of (without freaking out)
• The simple hygiene steps that keep your family safe
• Deworming schedules and resistance awareness
• And yes, a hilariously gross story about a baby and a piglet's poo 🍽️😳

By the end, you’ll know whether pigs are right for your land—and your lifestyle.

🎧 Tune in to learn how pigs can become not just garden helpers, but cherished companions (just don’t let them get away with any nonsense!).

Links & Resources:

• 🎓 Find Sez's animal care courses at: lifestyleblock.co.nz
• 📺 Watch her YouTube channel: SeztheVet
• 🐷 Connect with Sez on Facebook and instagram SeztheVet

🌱 White Strawberries is where we try and get Little Fat Rounds to do our work ;)

What do olives, grapes, figs, and lavender all have in common? They're part of the sun-loving, drought-tolerant crew that thrive in Mediterranean climates—and today we’re designing a whole guild around them.

In this episode, I explore what it means to plant perennials where they want to grow and why matching plants to their ancestral homes creates a thriving, low-input ecosystem. From nitrogen-fixers like tagasaste and Spanish broom to groundcovers like clover and nasturtium, we’ll break down each guild member's role and how they support each other.

You'll also hear how I mapped my own land, identified the only full-sun spot, and turned it into a haven for these heat-loving plants. Whether you’re growing on rocky slopes or urban backyards, this episode will help you make the most of what you’ve got—by working with nature, not against it.

🌿 Highlights:

• The anatomy of a Mediterranean plant guild
• Why guild design means less work, better fruit, and healthier plants
• How to map your own land to figure out where these plants want to live
• A geeky side note on soil pH, drainage checks, and frost-mapping
• Let's include; nitrogen fixes, ground covers, pest repellents, fruits, vines, leaves you want to eat, herbs and soil enhancers.

📸 Let’s connect: @whitestrawberriespodcast
📘 Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast