Growing Kai - Te Huringa
Grow with the season. Observe the whenua. Feed the whānau.
Te Huringa Growing Kai is being developed as a practical guide to help whānau plan what to sow, plant, care for and harvest throughout the year.
The starting focus is Uawa/Tolaga Bay and Tairāwhiti, recognising that local weather, soil, rainfall, shelter and seasonal conditions can affect when and how kai is grown.
What to Plant Now
Find simple guidance for the current month, including:
- what to sow from seed
- what seedlings can be planted
- what may be ready to harvest
- what jobs to prepare for the coming weeks
Monthly Growing Calendar
Follow a month-by-month growing guide for Uawa/Tairāwhiti.
Each month will include:
- Sow now
- Plant now
- Harvest now
- Prepare for next month
- Seasonal observations
Vegetable Growing Guides
Practical growing information will be added for common kai including:
- kūmara
- potatoes
- tomatoes
- lettuce
- silverbeet
- cabbage
- broccoli
- peas
- beans
- pumpkin
- corn
- carrots
- onions
- garlic
- herbs
Prepare Your Māra
Learn the basics of:
- choosing a suitable growing area
- preparing soil
- using compost
- mulching
- raised beds
- containers
- shelter
- drainage
- crop rotation
Care for Your Plants
Simple guidance for:
- watering
- feeding
- weeding
- protecting plants
- observing pests and plant stress
- responding to changing weather
Harvest and Save Seed
Learn when kai may be ready to harvest and how to begin saving seed for future growing seasons.
Māramataka and Observation
Māramataka knowledge and practice can differ between iwi, hapū, rohe and whānau.
Te Huringa encourages people to observe their own environment, record what happens in their māra, and use the māramataka knowledge that is appropriate to them.
Over time, whānau will be able to record:
- planting date
- marama
- weather
- rainfall
- soil conditions
- what was planted
- what was harvested
- what worked well
This is an early developing section of Te Huringa. Growing guidance will continue to be expanded and reviewed.