Airing time: Your choice, on demand.
Join Martina from Blue Petal for a stroll around the garden. In this fortnightly show, learn from Martina as she shares garden tips, how herbs can be used, the brilliance of bees, and bushels of her 'Herbal Wisdom'
Herbal Wisdom is sponsored by Blue Petal
Podcasts
Click on the title of an episode to listen
Food Forest
What is a Food Forest, what does it consist of, why is it important, and the ecosystem functions and benefits?
And designing your Food Forest, from planning on paper to choosing the plants.
Duration: 00:28:13 | Date: 3 September, 2024
Urban Permaculture Garden, Kawakawa, & Varoa Mites
Martina talks with Cathy and Peter Gehr about small-scale urban permaculture gardens, properties of kawakawa as a native herbaceous bush, and a non-chemical way of helping bees in their fight against the varoa mite.
Duration: 00:28:45 | Date: 20 August, 2024
Back to the Roots - Rhizomes & Ginger and Tumeric
Today we talk about ginger and turmeric, how they are grown from rhizome, their long history as culinary and medicinal plants, and their health benefits and how they can be used in cooking.
Duration: 00:28:43 | Date: 6 August, 2024
Pounamu Skelton
Today's guest, Pounamu Skelton, talks about how Wintertime in the garden is a time to rest, and about Paunga. Titoki is the tree of interest - hear about the historical uses and possibilities for the future. Pounamu also shares what you can expect in the future and her next steps.
Duration: 00:28:43 | Date: 23 July, 2024
Garden in July, Oregano & A Bee Friendly Garden
Gardening in July and how to rejuvenate the soil. The herb of interest is oregano: what to do with it in the kitchen and how to use it in regards to its medicinal properties. In the last segment ‘A Bee Friendly Garden’ we will find out why, what and when it is important to care about our pollinators.
Duration: 00:27:43 | Date: 9 July, 2024
All About Pruning
Today we will be talking about pruning - why, when and how, as well as pruning of fruit trees, berries, and grapes.
Duration: 00:29:56 | Date: 25 June, 2024
Gardening in June, Thyme and How Bees are Over Winter in NZ
About gardening in June - prune, plant and pontificate. The herb of interest is thyme - what to do with it in the kitchen and how to use it in regards to its medicinal properties. In the last segment how bees overwinter in NZ, we will find a few interesting facts about the clustering of bees to regulate the temperature, ventilation and winter inspection.
Duration: 00:27:06 | Date: 11 June, 2024
All About Pumpkin
Today we will be talking about pumpkins: how to grow, harvest, cure and store them. Of course, we are going to mention the culinary and medicinal benefits of pumpkins with a few recipes.
Duration: 00:25:35 | Date: 28 May, 2024
All About Garlic
Today we will be talking about garlic, how to plant it and how to deal with garlic rust - a big problem garlic growers are facing. Of course, we are going to mention the culinary and medicinal benefits of garlic with a few recipes.
Duration: 00:25:45 | Date: 14 May, 2024
Companion Planting, Rosemary, and the Structure of the Bee Colony
Talking Companion Planting and its benefits for pest control, pollination, maximizing space, and increasing crop productivity.
Rosemary: what to do with it in the kitchen and how to use it in regards to its medicinal properties.
Structure of the Bee Colony - interesting facts about decision-making in the hive, swarming and adapting to circumstances.
Duration: 00:25:36 | Date: 30 April, 2024
April Gardening, Mint, and Bees
April activities in the veggie garden and orchard, the many uses of mint (for both the kitchen and the medicine cabinet), and the life cycle of bees
Duration: 00:26:56 | Date: 16 April, 2024
Starting the Garden, Parsley & The Honey Bee Colony
Martina teaches us about starting a garden, parsley as a culinary and medicinal herb, and the honey bee colony.
Duration: 00:28:26 | Date: 2 April, 2024