Your Garden Coach

17/10/2026

It was such fun chatting with Gemma Sturges, Kitchen Garden Supervisor at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, England.

Gemma has a wonderful job looking after one of England’s magnificent historic kitchen gardens, and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about her work.

If you haven’t caught our conversation yet, it’s available now as a bonus episode of Your Garden Coach NZ.

Find us here and enjoy the chat!

www.yourgardencoach.nz/podcast
Audley End House and Gardens

16/10/2026

SOWING BASIL

I’m sowing basil now, but here in Central Otago we can still get frosts right through until November, so it needs a little help.

I sow mine fairly thickly in a large pot near the kitchen door, where it gets plenty of full sun. Having it close to the kitchen also means I actually remember to pick it!

To give the seeds a bit more warmth, I make a simple chicken-wire dome over the pot and cover it with bubble wrap. It works like a tiny greenhouse, helping to warm the soil and protecting those young seedlings on cold nights.

A few things to remember:

• Basil likes warm soil. Germination is best at around 20–25°C.
• Don’t bury the seed deeply. Sow it on the surface and cover very lightly.
• Keep the potting mix consistently moist, particularly under the bubble wrap where conditions can change quickly.
• On warm sunny days, lift or open the cover for ventilation. It can become surprisingly hot underneath.
• Put the cover back on before temperatures drop in the evening.
• Once the seedlings are growing strongly, pinch out the tips to encourage lovely bushy plants.
Keep harvesting - there are so many ways to enjoy basil - have you tried drying and storing your herbs?

16/10/2026

Our Bonus Podcast Episode is Live - Find us at Your Garden Coach NZ on your favourite podcast platform.

We head to Essex, England, where I'm joined by Gemma Sturges, Kitchen Garden Supervisor at the magnificent Audley End House and Gardens.

Gemma has spent 15 years working in this extraordinary walled kitchen garden, where Victorian gardening traditions are very much alive.

Set within historic brick walls, the garden covers almost three acres and is home to an impressive collection of heritage fruit and vegetables, including more than 120 varieties of apples, 70 varieties of pears, and beautifully trained fruit trees.

We chat about what it takes to maintain a Victorian kitchen garden today, how traditional gardening methods have been adapted to suit modern organic practices, and what we can learn from the gardeners who worked these productive gardens more than a century ago.

From four-year crop rotations and soil management to historic glasshouses, heritage varieties, and the practicalities of growing food on this scale, Gemma shares her experience of caring for a garden that is both a piece of living history and a working kitchen garden.

There are plenty of ideas here for those of us gardening on a much smaller scale, too.

Join us for a fascinating look behind the walls of one of England's remarkable historic kitchen gardens.

15/10/2026

Is your frost cloth ready?

🌱Gardeners Beware! Frost incoming! ❄️

🌞It might be hard to image right now, but this weekend will bring plenty of clear skies and with it, a few frosty mornings.

🌷If you've already popped some summer seedlings in the ground, you might want to go check out your forecast minimum so you can give them a bit of shelter over the coming days if need be.

📸Let us know what you're growing and bonus if you've got any photos of them in your garden!

https://www.metservice.com/

12/10/2026

Mid Spring
Sow Indoors - Beans, Brassicas, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, Leeks, Lettuce, Melon, Peas, Peppers, Pumpkin, Silverbeet, Squash, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Zucchini.

Sow Outdoors - Direct into beds - Beetroot, Carrots, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Turnips.

Transplant Seedlings - Watch for Frosts - Beetroot, Brassicas, Celery, Leeks, Lettuce, Peas, Silverbeet,

After last anticipated frost (Your diary is your guide) - Beans, Cucumber, Eggplant, Melon, Peppers, Pumpkin, Sweetcorn, Squash, Tomatoes, Zucchini.

Lift and Divide - Chives, Sorrel, Lovage, Mint, Lemon balm, Oregano/Marjoram, Thyme, Horseradish, and many other herbs, Skirret, Rhubarb.

Tasks - W**d - W**d - W**d, then when the soil has warmed, apply mulch. Test irrigation. Watch out for frosts. Ensure supports are in place for tomatoes, beans etc

08/10/2026

Definitely a winner! Awards are a bonus💕

Gary is a finalist for Community Service at the Spirit of the Wakatipu Awards!

And Gary being Gary, he was very quick to instruct us to make this post all about everyone and anyone other than him.

So we want to take the opportunity to give a well-deserved shout-out to Gary’s colleague and KiwiHarvest legend Carmel, as well as all our amazing volunteers, who put so much time and care into getting good food to people across our region. There’s a whole crew behind what we do, and we’re hugely grateful for all of them.

Gary is also in very good company, with Central Lakes Family Services and Altrusa International Queenstown named as fellow finalists. We’re lucky to work alongside these wonderful people and have had their support at KiwiHarvest too. It’s so good to see them getting some well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, you lot!

Massive thanks to 45South Community Foundation for celebrating the people doing good around the Whakatipu, and to Queenstown Airport for sponsoring the Community Service Award and being a key supporter of our work.

And to our four local IHG Hotels & Resorts - Holiday Inn Queenstown Frankton Road Voco Queenstown Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park Crowne Plaza Queenstown, Central Lakes Trust and Queenstown Lakes District Council, thank you for continuing to back us and help make it all happen.

But also, well done, Gary. It’s a very well-deserved nod. You’ll just have to let us say it. 😉

06/10/2026

This was fun but the message is serious. Protect yourself from Legionnaires Disease - I’ve experienced it - it’s deadly!

04/10/2026

What a treat it was to chat with Allyson Gofton on the podcast.

Allyson has been part of New Zealand’s food world for many years, and her passion for sharing wholesome, seasonal food is as strong as ever.

Her new book, GIVE, brings together recipes to cook, share, and enjoy - but there’s something very special behind this book too.

Allyson is equally passionate about supporting Breast Cancer Cure Research, and an incredible $30 from every copy of GIVE sold will be donated, helping fund the work towards finding a cure.

Good food, generosity, and a very worthwhile cause.

It was an absolute pleasure to talk with Allyson about the new book, her love of seasonal cooking, and the story behind GIVE.

Can you spot how many yellow side tabs I have already?

Listen to our conversation here www.yourgardencoach.nz/podcast
.gofton