Gardening for Wellness & Joy: White Strawberries

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Sam missed an episode! Why? Taking time to pause, reflect, and reset is just as important in life as it is in the garden 🌱 In this personal episode of White Strawberries , I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the podcast after nearly a year of consistent episodes. From humble beginnings (yes… five downloads and my mum falling asleep 😅) to growing a global aud...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment 🌱 Before you plant another single tree, there’s one step that can save you years of frustration: observation. In this Mastering the Garden episode of White Strawberries , I walk you through how to understand your land before you grow — from mapping shade and wind to testing soil, water movement, and frost patterns. Using real examples (including why my mum’s feij...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Should we be using pesticides on our fruit trees? And if not… what do we do instead? In this episode of White Strawberries , I’m joined by Matthew Priestley , whose work and thinking around ecological systems challenges and encourages us to rethink how we respond to pests in our orchards🌿 We explore what’s really going on when pests and disease show up, and why r...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Discover how to design a garden that produces fruit all year long using the power of guilds. In this episode of White Strawberries, I dive into the concept of plant guilds—groups of plants, animals, and insects that support one another—and how they can transform your orchard or food forest into a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem. Learn why harvest gaps happen,...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment I'm uploading this episode for a second time because it is mushroomy gold!! In this earthy and enthusiastic episode, I chat with Sarah Williams—permaculture gardener, mushroom grower, and the green-fingered soul behind Sarah’s Green Acres—about growing wine cap mushrooms , also known as burgundy mushrooms or garden giants. We explore: How to grow them in a fo...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Autumn is a busy, beautiful season in the garden, and what you plant now will feed you all winter. In this episode of White Strawberries, I share practical tips for creating a winter garden that thrives in a temperate climate.  🥕🌸 Whether you’re gardening for wellness, flavor, or sustainability, this episode gives you actionable ideas to set your winter garden u...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment In this episode Maria- kitchen gardening pro- and Sam explore the magic of fermentation and how it can transform your kitchen and your health. From homemade apple cider vinegar to quick kefir ferments, Maria shares her practical tips for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike. We dive into the science behind fermentation, how to safely use homegrown or supermarket...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Sprouting and soaking might be some of the simplest — and most forgotten — kitchen skills we have 🌱 In this conversation, I sit down with my dear friend Maria to chew the fat ( and the nut! ) on soaking grains, sprouting seeds, activating nuts, and why our ancestors prepared food this way for thousands of years. We explore antinutrients, phytic acid, lectins, and...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment 🌱 In this episode we explore how the diet and wellness practices of Brian Johnson — who aims to optimise health and longevity — intersect with what we can grow in our own gardens.  From legumes to berries, brassicas to nuts, Sam breaks down practical tips for growing for longevity.  Discover what’s feasible in your garden, when to plant, and how to save seeds, al...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment 💚 The waitlist is open: Find Information on the Grounded Course here A friend once asked me how I could justify spending 10 hours a week in the garden. That question stuck with me. In this episode of White Strawberries, I explore the research behind the Blue Zones — the regions identified by Dan Buettner where people live the longest, healthiest lives — and filte...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Looking to make the most of your garden or property without selling your harvest?  In this episode of White Strawberries , I share five creative side hustles you can start right at home. From hosting garden tours and beehives to earning carbon credits, leasing land, or renting out a minor dwelling, these ideas can help offset costs, invest in your property, and ev...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment This summer has been brutal for gardeners — relentless rain, flooding, fallen trees, fungal disease, and damaging winds arriving right in the middle of the growing season. I want to share with you five practical techniques that genuinely saved my garden during extreme summer weather. These aren’t idealised systems or expensive upgrades — they’re real-world respons...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Annual raised beds often feel productive at first… and then stop thriving. We talk about the hidden workload of annuals, why potting mixes run out of nutrients, add toxicity to our soil and how lack of biodiversity can lead to pests and frustration. This isn’t an anti–raised bed rant. There are things they do well. But if you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “everyt...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Hi everyone! We have flooding and power outages throughout my area this week! So I'm hunkering down with the kids and re-releasing a top hitting podcast of mine. Check it out!! In this episode, we dive into the messy, beautiful reality of applying permaculture principles in your own life with Sez the Vet! Sam and Sez explore the highs and lows of designing ga...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment There’s no shortage of gardening advice online — but more information isn’t making us better gardeners. In fact, it’s often doing the opposite. In this Mastering the Garden episode of White Strawberries , Sam explores why overwhelm, comparison, and perfectly curated (often fake AI rubbish) can quietly drain our confidence and joy. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Creating garden goals that bring you joy, wellness, and sustainability in 2026—without getting caught in the “more, more, more” trap! I guide you through a simple four-question exercise to set achievable garden intentions: Choosing two new plants to try this year Making your garden easier and more sustainable Shifting your mindset to let go of what doesn’t serve y...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Supermarkets love annual crops — but only a very narrow version of them. In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries , I explore annual vegetables and fruits you’ll almost never see on supermarket shelves — not because they’re inferior!! We talk about why supermarket produce is bred for transport, uniformity, and shelf life — and what gets lost along the wa...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Next summer, I’m choosing a quieter, more generous way of gardening — more perennials, less hustle . In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries , I reflect on why perennial plants suit real life so much better than annual-heavy gardens, especially when you’re a parent, a busy human, or simply someone who wants joy without burnout. We explore what makes a p...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Discover the gentle power of manure in your garden! In this episode, Sam dives into ruminant manure, vermicompost tea, and worm juice, showing how these natural fertilizers can improve soil health, boost nutrient uptake, and make your plants thrive. Learn practical tips for safe application, the science behind soil-building benefits, and how to make the most of yo...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Guest: Alison White, Co-convenor of the Safe Food Campaign In this episode, I sit down with Alison White , the woman behind New Zealand’s version of the Dirty Dozen list — a ranking of the most pesticide-contaminated foods available on our shelves. Alison has a Master’s in Public Health, is a lifetime member of the Soil & Health Association, and co-convenes th...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment 🌹 Welcome to White Strawberries , your go-to podcast for effortless, joyful, and sustainable gardening. In this episode, I dive into why my roses are thriving without sprays, how biodiversity supports healthy plants, and how to make your own rosewater and tea from fragrant blooms. What you’ll discover in this episode: Common rose pests and how nature balances the...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment Could the future of food be rooted in trees, not annual grains?  In this episode of White Strawberries , I’m joined by journalist and NPR reporter Elspeth Hay , author of the  hopeful manifesto Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and Future of Food . Her work uncovers a surprising truth: for thousands of years, humans relied on perennial nut trees —oaks, chestnuts, hazelnuts...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment I’m not usually a political person, but sometimes a little adulting is needed. And I think it’s important that everyday Kiwis actually know what’s happening in our food system. In this episode, I sit down with Callum from GE Honesty to unpack the basics of genetic engineering, gene editing, and what these proposed changes, that are currently with parliament, could...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment 🌻 How cool are sunflowers? In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries , we explore everything there is to love about sunflowers — their ancient history, mythological roots, and the many ways they bring life (and light!) to your garden. From Greek mythology’s Helios and the sunflower nymph , to modern uses like phytoremediation — where sunflowers help clea...

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment In this episode we’re diving into asexual propagation: making clones of a plant we want. For beginners! There are more ways, but these are the easiest!!  AKA- Why My Baby Strawberries are Yucky.  AKA- How to steal plants.  Think of it as taking the complete DNA of a plant you love and bringing it home to grow in your garden. I cover:  🌱 Root cuttings – the basics...