White Strawberries: Gardening for Wellness & Joy
Welcome to White Strawberries, where gardening, permaculture, and sustainable living nourish body, and spirit and the planet. I’m Sam—a gardener, mum and podcaster.Each episode explores how growing and eating nutrient-dense, foods—from polyphenol-rich plants to adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha—supports vitality and a joyful, vibrant life. I cover garden design, soil health, mushrooms, animal integration, and seasonal growing insights. I am a self confessed lazy gardener, who aims to do things efficently with max returns. 🌱 Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, I hope you'll join me each week. 🌱 Let's connect on Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast 📘 Join the conversation on Fac...
Longevity Foods: Grow What Fuels Brian Johnson | Rooted in Wellness
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, all inspired by Johnson’s “don’t die” food guide and anti-aging meals.
What You’ll Discover
Blue Zones: Can Gardening Help You Live Longer?
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 filter those findings through the lens of gardening.
This isn’t a double-blind clinical trial. But it is a fascinating look at lifestyle...
Throw Back: 5 Garden Side Hustles, that isn't selling plants| Sparking Joy
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 even bring in a little extra cash.
I cover practical tips, real-life examples from New Zealand, and legal considerations so you can get started with confidence. Perfect for gardeners, l...
How I Saved My Garden from Summer Storms, Flooding & Wind
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 responses to waterlogged soil, wind stress, and disease pressure in a changing climate.
This is about observing your space honestly, responding early, and growing with the climate you have — not the one you planne...
Why Raised Veggie Beds Burn Out Beginner Gardeners | Mastering the Garden
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 “everything right” and your garden still isn’t feeding you — this episode will help you understand why, and what small shifts actually make gardening easier.
🌱 In this...
Throwback: Permaculture: Explained | With Dr. Sez the Vet
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 gardens, observing your land, and working with nature (even when it feels like society is pushing against it).
💚 From sun mapping and creating gui...
Down with AI gardens & Up with Real Life! Why Community Changes Everything | Mastering the Garden
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 “doing it wrong” despite knowing so much, this episode is for you.
This is a conversation about community over content — and why real transformation on our land doesn’t c...
Garden Goal Setting like a pro: Less Hustle, more Joy | Mastering the Garden
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 yearMaking your garden easier and more sustainableShifting your mindset to let go of what doesn’t serve youTackling that one task you’ve been putting off, in a way that’s funLet's do it together! I'll share my goals and lots of examples of what you might like.
Annuals Beyond the Supermarket: What to Grow Instead | Sparking Joy
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 way: flavour, phytonutrients, biodiversity, and joy. From purple tomatoes and unusual potatoes to heirloom beans, peas, and self-seeding “weeds,” this episode celebrates annual plants that thrive in real gardens, not industrial...
More Perennials, Less Hustle: Gardening Beyond the Supermarket | Sparking Joy
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 plant perennial, why supermarkets shape such a narrow food system, and how home gardeners have the freedom to grow softer, stranger, more seasonal, and more nutrit...
Poo Power: Gentle Fertilisers for Better Soil | Sparking Joy
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 your compost and worm farm.
🌱 What You’ll Discover:
Why ruminant manure (cow, sheep, alpaca) is safe and weed-freeHow mixed manures and vermicompost improve soil and fruit qualityPractical tips for liquid feeds, soil...Pesticides Uncovered: How to Eat Safer | With Alison White
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 the Safe Food Campaign.
Together, we unpack:
How the Dirty Dozen is created and what makes NZ’s version uniqueWhy grapes, celery, and stra...The Secret to Thriving Roses | Spark Joy
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 them.How planting a diverse garden supports predatory insects like ladybugs and praying mantises.Companion plants that naturally protect and enhance roses.Choosing the right rose variety: Wild, Heirloom, and Moder...Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food | With Elspeth Hay
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—as our main sources of flour, oils, and everyday staple foods.
At a time when the majority of the world’s calories come from m...
Basics of Genetic Engineering | With GE Honesty
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 mean for New Zealand farmers, gardeners, and the nutrient density of our food.
Whether you’re new to the GE conversation, a home gar...
Sunflowers: 6 Reasons to Grow them | Sparking Joy
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 clean toxins from the soil after disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima — these plants are true multitaskers.
We also dive into how to:
🌻 Use sunflowers...
Asexual Propagation: Beginner’s Overview of How to Clone a Plant
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, tips, and tricks for plants like comfrey that practically clone themselves.
🌱 Cuttings – how to take branch c...
DIY Electrolytes: Turning Garden Surplus into Functional Hydration | Sparking Joy
Leave a comment!
This week on White Strawberries, we’re talking about DIY electrolytes — making your own hydration mix right from the kitchen (and garden).
Whether you’re in autumn apple season in the Northern Hemisphere or heading into long, sunny days here in New Zealand, this episode shows you how to turn fruit surplus into clean, functional hydration — without the bright blue sports drinks or artificial sweeteners.
I share how a 12-hour adventure race taught me the importance of electrolytes, what I learned from Dr. Stacy Sims — author of ROAR
and a...
Help! My Garden Isn’t Thriving | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
🌱 In this episode, I’m tackling a problem I hear all the time — what to do when your garden isn’t thriving.
Maybe your garden used to be amazing, but now your plants are struggling. Maybe you are hesitant to continue to purchase soil and your plants aren't thriving. Maybe your potting mix has released all it's fertiliser, or maybe you're starting from scratch! Leaves are pale, flowers are sparse, and growth is slow. I’ll walk you through practical ways to fix infertile garden soil and bring your garden back to life...
Mulch and Ground Covers| Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
🌱 In this episode, I explore something that’s been top of mind lately — ground covers.
Ground covers form one of the eight layers of a forest and play a vital role in any thriving garden, orchard, or food forest. They’re not just about filling space — they’re about protecting, nourishing, and bringing life to your soil.
I’ll chat about:
🌾 Why we need to mulch our soil
🧹 How to clear the space first
💚 Why living mulches (aka ground covers) are so awesome
🌿 What to consider when choosing groun...
WWOOFing! Organic Farm Work Exchange | Sparking Joy
Leave a comment!
🌍 In this episode, I’ve just returned from WWOOFing — and I have a lot of feedback to share!
What exactly is WWOOFing? Is it for you? And how can you make sure you find the right host before you pack your bags and head off to dig, plant, and learn?
I’ll chat about:
🌾 What WWOOFing really is
💬 The questions to ask before joining a host
🧭 How to filter out good hosts
🪴 Why getting clear on your expectations before you go makes all the difference
💪 What my...
DIY Electrolytes: Turning Garden Surplus into Functional Hydration | Sparking Joy
This week on White Strawberries, we’re talking about DIY electrolytes — making your own hydration mix right from the kitchen (and garden).
Whether you’re in autumn apple season in the Northern Hemisphere or heading into long, sunny days here in New Zealand, this episode shows you how to turn fruit surplus into clean, functional hydration — without the bright blue sports drinks or artificial sweeteners.
I share how a 12-hour adventure race taught me the importance of electrolytes, what I learned from Dr. Stacy Sims — author of ROAR
and a leading expert in fe...
Chicken Tractors- Considerations, pros and cons| Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
🐓 In this episode, I share my lived experience with chicken tractors and the mandala garden system — the joys, the frustrations, and the lessons five years in.
We explore:
🪴 How chickens save you work with composting, weeding, and pest control
🛠️ Design considerations: circular vs. rectangular tractors, PVC vs. wood, mites and materials
👩🌾 What it’s really like moving a dome once your Zone One (Garden Bed) fills with fruit trees and hedges
🌬️ Why wind (and tarps!) can make or break your chicken dome setup
This is part personal story, part des...
Chickens in the Garden | With Dr. Sez the Vet
Leave a comment!
We’re talking chickens—those fluffy butt, soil-turning, pest eating wonders that can be put to work in your garden.
🐔 Whether you're dreaming of adding chickens to your permaculture setup or wondering if they're right for your orchard, this episode is packed with practical, real-world insight. I'm joined by Sez the Vet, an experienced life-style vet and educator.
This is a conversation I was looking for 10 years ago! I get to have it now and share it with you.
Are we OK to feed our hens oats in t...
Growing Topicals in a Cold Climate | With Steve Fawcett
Leave a comment!
🌱 In this episode, I sit down with Steve Fawcett to explore Troppo — an urban tropical food forest in Te Puke. Yes, tropical plants… outdoors… in a place that gets frost and hail!
We dive into:
🍌 Bananas as mineral accumulators (and why banana lollies taste the way they do)
🌴 Air layering and how it can trigger early flowering in plants
❄️ Frost protection strategies and mulching like crazy
🌳 Why food forests build deeper community resilience than veggie beds alone
Steve’s casual style hides just how much knowledge he’s built through hands-on...
The Home-Scale Forest Garden – My Review & Takeaways | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
🌱 In this episode, I dive into The Home-Scale Forest Garden by Dani Baker (2022), How to Plan, Plant and Tend a Resilient Edible Landscape.
I share why this book captured my attention, what makes it such a treasure for anyone wanting to create a forest garden, and how I’ve been inspired to rethink my own food forest. From mapping your space with to-scale circles to understanding the roles of nitrogen fixers, mineral accumulators, and even fungi, Dani’s approach is full of practical, joyful ideas.
I highlight:
The eig...Dirty Dozen Guide: Nutrition, Pesticides & Biodiversity | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
Some fruits and vegetables are heavily sprayed with pesticides—and it’s not just a chemical issue. These plants may also produce fewer natural compounds that make them nutritious, and conventional growing methods can harm the environment. 🌱
Welcome to White Strawberries, In this episode, we unpack the Dirty Dozen—the 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues—and explore the Clean 15, foods that are generally safer. I’ll share advice on which ones to grow at home, which to buy spray-free, and which can be safely peeled...
Happy Kids. Gardening and Free Play with Children | With Robin Mann
Leave a comment!
In this episode, Sam puts on her educator’s hat, drawing from over 20 years of experience working in schools across New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, and the USA — including roles as Dean, Head of Business Department, sustainable living and outdoor education specialist, and working with at-risk youth.
Sam sits down with Robin Mann, founder of Grow Wild Education, an inspiring nature-based learning initiative. Grow Wild Education runs weekly nature school programs and summer holiday sessions that encourage curiosity, creativity, and a deep connection with the natural world.
Together, they explore prac...
Perennial Vegetables for Harvesting over Winter | Sparking Joy
Leave a comment!
In this episode of White Strawberries, I dig into the unsung heroes of the vegetable garden: perennials!
You’ll learn about my three favourite edible roots — yacón, Jerusalem artichokes, and oca (NZ yams) — and the leafy perennials I would grow even if I only had 1m2 of garden bed: Sorrel, perpetual spinach, Welsh onions, and chives.
These plants are weedy in the best way, nutrient-dense, and perfect for gardeners who want to reduce the time and effort they spend in their garden, so they c...
Nitrogen 101: Transforms Your Garden | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
🌱 What is nitrogen actually and when we know what it is why does it matter?
In this solo episode of White Strawberries, I ditch the edits (full disclosure I took the "um's" out) and go full conversation mode to unpack something that is made overly complicated sometimes: nitrogen.
🧪 We explore:
• What nitrogen really is
• How to tell if a plant is nitrogen-rich—or ready to mulch
• Composting ratios made simple
• "Humanure"
• Why fresh arborist mulch is awesome for paths and terrible for your garden bed
• Why...
Water Wisely: Recycling & Irrigation Tips | With Sofee D
Leave a comment!
💧 🌦️ If you’ve ever looked at a garden hose like it was made of gold—this one’s for you.
In this episode of White Strawberries, I have a conversation with Sophie, a Zero Waste Educator, about the messy magic of water in the garden. From buckets of bathwater to rainwater you wish you could store, we share what it’s really like managing water—whether you live in a tiny house on a large amount of land, or a suburban backyard, this ones for you.
🚿 We explore...
Hydrangeas | Sparking Joy
Leave a comment!
In this Spark Joy episode, we dive into the wonderful world of hydrangeas — one of New Zealand’s most beloved perennial shrubs, known for their stunning blooms and versatility.
As I recorded this in the height of summer, hydrangeas were truly sparking joy in my garden. Now, as winter sets in, it’s the perfect time to prune your hydrangeas, take cuttings to propagate, plant new hydrangeas, and feed your existing plants. Plus, if you’re looking to adjust your soil’s pH for the best color and health, now’s the moment to ge...
Pruning, Fiejoas, Cuttings & Lemon Tree Rescue | Conversation with a Newbie
Leave a comment!
In today’s Q&A-style episode, I chat with Becks, who’s growing food on a small urban section packed with subtropical and Mediterranean microclimates. We talk through her real-life garden dilemmas—from a wayward apple tree branch and overachieving feijoas, to pruning grapevines and getting citrus trees back on track.
We cover:
🍏 How to prune an espaliered apple tree
🍇 When and how to cut back grapevines
🌱 How to take a cutting and get it growing
🍋 What to do when your lemon tree looks sad and wobbly
🪴 Why feijoas fruit like mad...
Composting! Hot or not? | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
♻️ Ever wondered if your compost pile is killing weed seeds—or just giving them a warm nap?
In this episode of White Strawberries, I dive into my very first proper hot composting adventure. Spoiler: it involves bamboo stakes, cow poo tea, temperature obsessions, and a whole lot of bindweed I didn’t trust in a cold pile.
🌱 We’ll explore:
• Why not all weed seeds die in regular compost
• How to build a hot compost heap step by step—no fancy bins required
• What materials (and simple amendments) boost your...
Elderberries: Grow & Use Them Year-Round | Sparking Joy
Leave a comment!
Elderberry: Grow it because it’s delicious, beautiful — and scientifically proven to shorten the duration of the flu.
This episode dives into the magic, science, and mischief of elderberries — a plant that blurs the line between medicine and myth.
Learn why it’s a favourite of permaculturists, herbalists, and birds alike — and why it might just belong in your garden too.
We explore:
– How and why to grow elderberry (even if it's a bit "weedy")
– What science says about its immune-supporting compounds
– Its rich folklore, from...
Pigs in the Garden | Conversation with Dr. Sez the Vet
Leave a comment!
We’re talking pigs—those chubby, soil-turning wonders that can transform your paddock and garden into a thriving ecosystem.
🐖 Whether you're dreaming of adding pigs to your permaculture setup or wondering if they're right for your orchard, this episode is packed with practical, real-world insight. I'm joined by Sez the Vet, an experienced life-style vet and educator, who breaks down the real benefits of pigs—from tilling the soil and fertilizing as they go, to controlling pests like guava moth by eating fallen fruit.
We also dive into the impor...
Mediterranean Guild Gardening: Figs, Grapes, Olives & Companions | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
What do olives, grapes, figs, and lavender all have in common? They're part of the sun-loving, drought-tolerant crew that thrive in Mediterranean climates—and today we’re designing a whole guild around them.
In this episode, I explore what it means to plant perennials where they want to grow and why matching plants to their ancestral homes creates a thriving, low-input ecosystem. From nitrogen-fixers like tagasaste and Spanish broom to groundcovers like clover and nasturtium, we’ll break down each guild member's role and how they support each other.
You'll also h...
Wine Cap Mushrooms in Orchards | With Sarah Williams
Leave a comment!
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 food forest or permaculture orchardWhy yours might not be fruiting yet (ahem, speaking from experience!)Cooking, freezing, and eating them—especially if you're cutting back on meatWhy they’re hard to find in shops, and why that's exactly why we should grow themTheir role in nutrien...White Strawberries: How They Inspired This Podcast | Sparking Joy
Leave a comment!
🎙️ Why White Strawberries? 🍓
Welcome to White Strawberries, the podcast where we explore the lost art of living with nature—from a tiny house tucked into New Zealand bushland, surrounded by chickens, weeds, and yes... white strawberries.
In this episode, I (Sam!) unpack the five quirky, nerdy, and joy-filled reasons behind the name White Strawberries. We dive into:
✨ What white strawberries actually are (spoiler: not unripe fruit)
🌿 Why growing a variety of plants matters—for your gut, your soil, and your sanity
🥬 How supermarket food falls short—and what we can do inste...
What to grow when: Timing Your Veges Right. | Mastering the Garden
Leave a comment!
New to gardening and wondering when to plant things like tomatoes, spinach, or broccoli? This episode is for you!
We’re diving into the basics of plant life cycles and how to know what to grow and when—without having to constantly check a list. By understanding what part of a plant you’re eating (leaf, flower, fruit, or seed), and how plants behave through the seasons, you’ll be able to plan your garden with more confidence and without the need of a generic plant list.
Whether you’re in New Zeala...
