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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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Greenhouses

Capsicum grown in heated glasshouses in New Zealand.

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.

The electric garden

Using the Electric Garden kit, children install the wireless sensors in their school garden and gather and monitor readings through a secure class online portal. No coding experience required!

Planting seeds

Students planting seeds in Nelson while instructor looks on.

Floating orchard

Floating orchard

Floating orchard aims to create a unique public space for herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Bumble bees in orchards

Bumble bees in orchards

Bumblebee colonies in orchards as crop pollinators.

Otago roof gardens

Otago roof gardens

Sustainable roof garden at the University of Otago.

Cactus house

Cactus House at Christchurch Botanical Gardens.

Reframing the great outdoors

Reframing the great outdoors

Architects and designers look for ways to incorporate 'green thinking' into offices.

Organic farming in the Cook Islands

Organic farming in the Cook Islands

Cook islands say growing organic produce is the way of the future.

Companion planting

Companion planting

Plants that grow well together.

Summer gardening: what you need to know

Summer gardening: what you need to know

Landscape designer and gardener Xanthe White talks with Kathryn Ryan about summer gardening: what to plant, when to plant and watering through the summer.

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.

Gardens in New Zealand

Gardens in New Zealand

Images of popular gardens in New Zealand.

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...

Garden to table

Garden to table

Garden to table programme at East Tamaki Garden Primary school.

Māori gardening

Māori gardening

Māori gardens, plants and methods of growing things.

Best soils

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

New Zealand's high-quality soil

New Zealand's high-quality soil

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

Breeding blackcurrants

Breeding blackcurrants

Blackcurrant breeding plots at Waipuna farm.

Planting pines

Young radiata pine trees are being planted

Kowhai seed

Photograph of kowhai seeds

Planting native trees

Planting native trees

Mānuka seed capsules

Mānuka seed capsules

Mānuka is the most widely distributed shrub in New Zealand.

School garden

School children with gardening tools

School children with gardening tools

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

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.

Kūmara

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

NZ seeds arrive at 'doomsday' vault

NZ seeds arrive at 'doomsday' vault

Apples

Daffodil lawn

Daffodil lawn, Hagley Park.

Pukekohe market gardens

Pukekohe market gardens

View of Pukekohe market gardens from the air.

Gathering potatoes

Gathering potatoes

Māoriwomen gathering potatoes.

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.

Monsanto Free-Range Corn

Monsanto Free-Range Corn

Cartoon showing genetically modified corn seed.

Te Waha O Rerekohu, pohutukawa tree at Te Araroa

Te Waha O Rerekohu, pohutukawa tree at Te Araroa

Te Waha O Rerekohu is reputed to be the largest Pohutukawa tree in the world.

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.

Gardening basics, activities, lesson plans etc. for children.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.

Maths in the garden

Numbers lurking in the garden.

How to grow kūmara

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

Great plant escape

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

The art of growing plants without soil.

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.

Indoor herb garden

Things to keep in mind when growing herbs indoors.

Grains and seeds

Edible and useful grains and seeds.

Birth of farming

The discovery of farming and the birth of civilization.

Planting calendar

Details on when to plant vegetables in New Zealand.

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

Community garden

Whakatane community garden.

Epuni School garden

Epuni school has an amazing garden.

How plants grow

Learn how plants grow with this interactive science activity.

Garden crafts and nature art ideas for kids to enjoy.

Flower pot farmer

Advantages of flower pot farming.

Vegetable garden

Step by step instructions on planting a vegetable garden.

Organic farming

Principles and ideas behind organic farming.

Most beautiful gardens

Meet some of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

The Koanga Institute

The Koanga Institute preserves New Zealand's heritage seeds.

Explore the many ways seeds disperse.

Green Revolution

The need for the Green Revolution.

One Million Trees partnership

One Million Trees partnership to plant 70,000 native trees with Conservation Volunteers

Native plant restoration

Advice on collecting and growing New Zealand native plant seeds.

Sustainable gardens

Easily sustainable garden practices.

Classification of seeds.

Johnny Appleseed

Story and video link to the story of Johnny Appleseed.

Biology of plants

A simple introduction to the basics of plant biology.

Companion planting

Lesson plan and experiment to test companion planting.

Lesson plan on how to make a terrarium.

Seeds feed the world.

Orchard waste feeds composting worms.

Women planting a garden

Women planting a garden

This group of women armed with rakes, forks, etc. are busy planting a garden in Wellington during World War II. The women were probably part of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary. They were involved...

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.

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 ...

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.

Ellerslie flower show

Ellerslie flower show

The Ellerslie Flower Show is held in Christchurch between the 10th and 14th of March each year.

Cultivation of gardens

Cultivation of gardens

Mr G M Thomson had a busy day at flower shows! At one show, he spoke encouragingly of the benefits of flower shows and cultivating gardens.

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'.

Community garden

Community garden

New Brighton Community Gardens.

Black Pearls

Breeding new blackcurrant varieties in NZ.

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.

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.

Got seeds? Now add bleach, acid and sandpaper

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

Weeds and biosecurity threats

Weedbuster tips to protect New Zealand’s environment.

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

The puriri tree

Hemi plants a seed that becomes a tree, at the same time that he grows into an adult.

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

A poem about the growth of a crop of corn.

Time lapse of germination of a seed

Watch a seed germinate and grow into a plant.

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.

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

Wise up on worms

Reuse your food scraps and create great natural compost.

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.

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.

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.

Pumice lands to fertile pasture

This historical film from 1954 shows how the Central Plateau of the North Island was transformed into fertile pasture land.

Jack and the beanstalk

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

STEM Gardening ideas

A gallery of ideas integrating science, technology, engineering and maths with gardening.

Maggie’s Garden Show

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

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.

Native plants (New Zealand)

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

A selection of photographs featuring amazing seeds.

Spring

September officially marks the beginning of spring in New Zealand. This topic covers the reason for spring, spring animals like lambs, spring flowers, white baiting, festivals and myths including p...

New Zealand Flora and Fauna

New Zealand Flora and Fauna

Many plants and animals are unique to New Zealand. This topic covers a range of resources on various habitats, conservation issues, endangered species, rongoā (medicinal use) and agencies like DOC ...

Upper North Island kauri seed collection

In 2019, one of the biggest kauri seed collections in decades occurred across the upper North Island.

Kerikeri pear tree is 200 years old

New Zealand's oldest exotic tree – a Williams good Christian pear tree near Kerikeri – entered its third century in 2019.

Sowing seeds of hope: Kay Baxter and the Koanga Institute

Over the past 30 years the Koanga Institute has collected and saved over 700 heritage vegetable seed lines and over 300 northern heritage fruit tree lines.

Plant brought back to life

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

Written in stone - the first Māori gardens

The Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve, in South Auckland, is home to New Zealand's earliest gardens and is a significant archaeological site.

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