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Seeds and Growing Things

This topic covers types of gardens (market, community, school etc.) farming, seasonal planting, composing guides, companion planting, soils, seed types, pests, weeds and fertilisers. Also learn how to make a worm farm and terrarium. SCIS no. 1842351

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Bell's kitchen garden

Bell's kitchen garden

This watercolour shows Thomas Bell in his garden on Raoul Island. The island is part of the Kermadec Islands that New Zealand has responsibility for. The islands lie around 800 - 1000 km northwest ...

The cook and the cabbage

The cook and the cabbage

A cook holding up a giant cabbage at a camp in Wairarapa. Taken circa 1890s.

Seed Catalogues

Seed Catalogues

Such a prosaic topic, such exquisite design work.

How does your garden grow?

How does your garden grow?

Composters who delight in making good compost.

Greenhouses

Capsicum grown in heated glasshouses in New Zealand.

Planting seeds

Students planting seeds in Nelson while instructor looks on.

Companion planting

Companion planting

Plants that grow well together.

Gardens in New Zealand

Gardens in New Zealand

Images of popular gardens in New Zealand.

Rose on trellis and garden pots

Rose on trellis and garden pots

Painting by Frances Mary Hodgkins.

Autumn and winter crops

Autumn and winter crops

Gardeners think about autumn and winter crops.

Market gardeners

Market gardeners

Image of Chinese market gardeners in 1888.

Scarecrow festival

Scarecrow festival

The annual Gladstone Scarecrow Festival began in 1998 when locals came up with the idea to raise funds for the local school. Each November the fields around the settlement are dotted with carefully...

New Zealand's high-quality soil

New Zealand's high-quality soil

Poster from DSIR Soil Bureau highlighting New Zealand’s high-quality soil.

Best soils

Map showing the best soils in New Zealand for crops and gardening.

Kowhai seed

Photograph of kowhai seeds

Breeding blackcurrants

Breeding blackcurrants

Blackcurrant breeding plots at Waipuna farm.

Planting pines

Young radiata pine trees are being planted

School garden

Planting native trees

Planting native trees

Mānuka seed capsules

Mānuka seed capsules

Mānuka is the most widely distributed shrub in New Zealand.

Kūmara

Ngawini Hetaraka and Ngahuia Hetaraka sitting next to a pile of kumara

School children with gardening tools

School children with gardening tools

School children with gardening tools, Mangaroa, Upper Hutt, Wellington.

NZ seeds arrive at 'doomsday' vault

NZ seeds arrive at 'doomsday' vault

Pukekohe market gardens

Pukekohe market gardens

View of Pukekohe market gardens from the air.

Apples

Monsanto Free-Range Corn

Monsanto Free-Range Corn

Cartoon showing genetically modified corn seed.

Native plants

A colourful arrangement of seeds, berries, and leaves of native plants.

Fertilisers give farmers a tool to be able to boost production when they need to.

Growing new plants without seeds

In this activity, students learn how to grow plants from spores, bulbils, rhizomes, stolons, tubers or cuttings.

What is this bug?

Identify bugs and insects in your garden.

How to grow kūmara

Nicola gets expert advice on how to grow the best kūmara.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.

Maths in the garden

Numbers lurking in the garden.

Native seed bank

In the last three years, the seeds of more than 200 native species have been deposited in New Zealand’s native seed bank.

Great plant escape

Join Detective La Plant's adventure through the world of plants.

The art of growing plants without soil.

Birth of farming

The discovery of farming and the birth of civilization.

Indoor herb garden

Things to keep in mind when growing herbs indoors.

Changes in farming practice and the way food reaches your table.

Community garden

Whakatane community garden.

Planting calendar

A guide for when to plant what in Aotearoa New Zealand.

How plants grow

Learn how plants grow with this interactive science activity.

Garden crafts and nature art ideas for kids to enjoy.

Epuni School garden

Epuni school has an amazing garden.

Vegetable garden

Step by step instructions on planting a vegetable garden.

Organic farming

Principles and ideas behind organic farming.

Flower pot farmer

Advantages of flower pot farming.

The Koanga Institute

The Koanga Institute preserves New Zealand's heritage seeds.

Explore the many ways seeds disperse.

Most beautiful gardens

Meet some of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

Native plant restoration

Advice on collecting and growing New Zealand native plant seeds.

Green Revolution

The need for the Green Revolution.

Classification of seeds.

Johnny Appleseed

Story and video link to the story of Johnny Appleseed.

Sustainable gardens

Easily sustainable garden practices.

Companion planting

Lesson plan and experiment to test companion planting.

Lesson plan on how to make a terrarium.

Biology of plants

A simple introduction to the basics of plant biology.

Tulips, Wellington Botanic Garden

Tulips, Wellington Botanic Garden

A group of visitors admires a bed of tulips in the Wellington Botanic Gardens. This garden was established to grow and study exotic plants and for public recreational use and leisure.

Gardening for Bob a Job Week

Gardening for Bob a Job Week

Lord Robert Baden-Powell founded The Girl Guides in 1910 in the UK. In New Zealand, the Girl Guides Association began in 1923.

Yates 1932 garden annual

Yates 1932 garden annual

Arthur Yates founded the Auckland seed company, Yates in 1883. The company's aim was to provide the best quality fruit and vegetable seeds for home gardeners.

Eltham school garden

Eltham school garden

Boys work in the Eltham school garden, Taranaki.

Black Pearls

Breeding new blackcurrant varieties in NZ.

Snow as a fertiliser

Snow as a fertiliser

Some agriculturists in 1909 believed that snow was a direct fertiliser. It was even called 'Poor man’s fertiliser'.

Māori gardens

The Ōtuataua stonefields historic reserve, near Auckland, includes Māori gardens (the grassy areas) on fertile volcanic soils. The stone wall was built later by European farmers.

Pollination (lower primary) – unit plan

This unit is designed to introduce students to some of the science ideas and concepts relating to pollination. It is suitable for students working at NZC levels 1 and 2.

Student-led investigations about seeds

Students choose a question they have concerning seeds and design an investigation to help them answer their question.

Colin Walker has advice on DIY veggie garden, buying seeds, potato planting and other useful gardening tips.

Got seeds? Now add bleach, acid and sandpaper

Mary Koga offers some tips to spur your sprouts (and don't forget the bleach!).

Time lapse of germination of a seed

Watch a seed germinate and grow into a plant.

Growing corn. Junior Journal: No. 31 Year 3: 2004

A poem about the growth of a crop of corn.

Step by step instructions on how to make your own composting bin, bokashi, and worm farm.

Find more information on this topic on EPIC. Recommended databases: Britannica School and Kids InfoBits. School login maybe required.

Myths and legends about plants

Legends about flowers from different cultures.

Gardening in the Living Room. Connected Curriculum level: 2; November 2017

Students from Balaclava school learn how to grow plants in the living room during cold Dunedin winters.

Read about farming, gardening, types of plants and other plant related topics on Kids InfoBits. This database is available through EPIC. School login maybe required.

Jack and the beanstalk

A famous fairy tale about Jack the village boy who swaps his cow for magic beans.

Burning the forest

View (or print) the curiosity card about burning New Zealand forests. Use the card’s fertile questions to inspire inquiry. Follow the link for more resources to help with teaching and learning.

Bean Time-Lapse - 25

A kidney bean time lapse with soil cross section. Shows how roots and the upper part of plant grows

Orchard waste feeds composting worms

Farm and orchard waste from around Central Otago feeds millions of composting worms at Robbie Dick’s worm farm in Cromwell.

Maggie’s Garden Show

Hosted by Maggie Barry, the popular TV One gardening series Maggie’s Garden Show features The Ellerslie Flower Show.

Native plants (New Zealand)

This page from Many Answers will guide you to reviewed websites and databases on native plants in New Zealand.

Plant brought back to life

The oldest plant ever to be regenerated has been grown from 32,000-year-old seeds.

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