The Messed Up Gardener

By Esther William (Aitken)

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Category: Home & Garden

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Episodes: 201

Description

Hello and Welcome to The Messed Up Gardener. This podcast covers all areas of gardening from a beginner, intermediate to advanced level. It covers gardening on any budget, any space, any place. There are no rules when it comes to me, and my gardens and I do it messy. There is nothing more fun than getting your hands dirty and creating that space that gives you joy and abundance. This podcast will give tips, tricks, hacks and methodology’s to make any space work from the tiny indoor garden to the rolling meadows with even a dash of bees, mushrooms and hydroponics thrown in. I have been a horticulturist for as long as I can remember and in the industry since I was 15 so that’s nearly 30 years of hands on gardening experience. I am really looking forward to being on this journey & doing it messy with you. 


Episode Date
Ep 186: The Crops That Teach You How to Garden
Jul 18, 2026
Ep 185: What Your Garden Is Trying to Tell You
Jul 11, 2026
Ep 184: Stop Starting Over Every Season
Jul 04, 2026
Ep 183: The Garden Bottleneck You Don't Know You Have
Jun 27, 2026
Ep 182: The Difference Between a Pretty Garden and a Useful Garden
Jun 20, 2026
Ep 181: Why Your Garden Should Have Jobs, Not Just Plants
Jun 13, 2026
EP 180: The Garden Maintenance Trap
Jun 06, 2026
Ep 179: Stop Growing a Garden You Can’t Maintain
May 30, 2026
Ep 178: Why Some Gardens Feed You Regularly… and Others Don’t
May 23, 2026
Ep 177: Stop Letting Harvests Happen By Accident
May 16, 2026
EP 176: The Hidden Weeks That Make or Break a Garden
May 09, 2026
Ep 175: How to grow more without more space (or effort)
May 02, 2026
Ep 174: Stop Growing the Wrong Crops (This Is What Actually Saves Money)
Apr 25, 2026
Ep 173: Why Most Gardens Fail in the First 90 Days (And How to Avoid It)
Apr 18, 2026
Ep 172: What a $100 Garden REALLY Looks Like (And Why Most People Get It Wrong)
Apr 11, 2026
Ep 171: Why Your Garden Isn’t Saving You Money… (And How to Fix It)
Apr 04, 2026
Ep 170: The Hidden Reason Many People Give Up Gardening
Mar 28, 2026
Ep 169: Why Knowing How to Grow Food Changes the Way You See the World
Mar 21, 2026
Ep 168: If Supermarkets Closed Tomorrow, Could Your Garden Feed You?
Mar 14, 2026
Ep 167: Why Sustainable Gardens Get Easier Every Year (And Why Some Get Harder)
Mar 07, 2026
Ep 166: The Hidden Mistake Most Gardeners Don’t Even Realize They’re Making
Feb 28, 2026
Ep 165: Autumn Is Where Smart Gardens Win - What to Do Before It Gets Cold
Feb 21, 2026
EP 164: Transplant Shock Isn’t About Transplanting — Here’s A low-stress system for seedlings that flop after planting out
Feb 14, 2026
Ep 163: Slugs & Snails Are Back — Here’s the Calm Plan That Actually Works
Feb 07, 2026
Episode 162: Tabletop Veg Is the 2026 Trend — Here’s How to Actually Make It Work - Tiny pots, real harvests, and the few things that matter
Jan 31, 2026
Ep 161: Most Gardening Advice Sounds Helpful — Here’s What Actually Is 5 myths, 5 truths, and the things that make a real difference
Jan 24, 2026
Ep 160: What to Plant in January: Back to Basics — The Most Reliable Plants for This Month, Wherever You Live
Jan 17, 2026
Ep 159: The 3-List Garden Permission Slip. What you’re allowed to quit, ignore, and do badly
Jan 10, 2026
Ep 158: When the Weather Cries Wolf
Jan 03, 2026
Ep 157: The 3-Goal Garden Rule (Because You’re Not a Garden Employee)
Dec 27, 2025
Ep 156: Outsource to Nature — Plants That Do the Work While You’re at Work
Dec 20, 2025
Ep 155: "Batch Gardening — Do the Work Once, Coast All Week”
Dec 13, 2025
Ep 154: The Bare-Minimum Watering Plan — Keeping Plants Alive When You’re Running on Fumes
Dec 06, 2025
Ep 153: “The ‘Someday Garden’ Trap — How to Start with the Garden You Actually Have”
Nov 29, 2025
Ep 152: Lazy Mulching — How to Protect Your Soil Even When You’re Too Busy to Garden
Nov 22, 2025
Ep 151: The 3-Bucket System — Never Waste a Weed, Leaf, or Kitchen Scrap Again
Nov 15, 2025
Ep 150: “The Odd Rule — Why Uneven Planting Looks So Darn Good”
Nov 08, 2025
Ep 149: “Beehind Closed Doors: What Really Happens When You Grow Under Cover”
Nov 01, 2025
Ep 148: “Chaos Gardening: Why Letting Go Might Grow More Than You Think.”
Oct 25, 2025
Ep 147: “Barrel Dreams: The Pros and Cons of Growing Nursery Trees in Big Pots While You Wait for Your Land”
Oct 18, 2025
Ep 146 Hot House Secrets — How to Grow Smarter in Pots & Soil
Oct 11, 2025
Ep 145: The Harvest Hustle - 6 Things to Pick Now Before They Go to Waste (Save your crops and your sanity with timely harvesting)
Oct 04, 2025
Ep 144: The Garden Mood Boost: 4 Simple Changes to Lift Your Space (and Your Spirits)
Sep 27, 2025
Ep 143: The Weekend Wonderlist – 6 Mini Garden Projects That Look Huge
Sep 20, 2025
Ep 142: “The Garden Goldmine: 7 Things in Your Backyard You Didn’t Know Were Valuable”
Sep 13, 2025
Ep 141: “The 5×5 Garden Glow-Up: 5 Tiny Tweaks for Big Growth in 5 Days”
Sep 06, 2025
Ep 140: The Doomsday Garden Kit – Listener Q&A Special (Part 3)
Aug 30, 2025
Ep 139: The Doomsday Garden Kit – Listener Questions Answered (Part 2)
Aug 23, 2025
Ep 138: The Doomsday Garden Kit: What to Pack When the World Goes Sideways
Aug 17, 2025
Ep 137: “The 3×3 Garden Reset: 3 Things to Stop, 3 Things to Start, 3 Things to Celebrate”
Aug 09, 2025
Ep 136: “Before Spring Smacks You in the Seedlings: August Garden To-Do’s”
Aug 03, 2025
Ep 135: "Minimalist Gardening: Less Stuff, More Style"
Jul 26, 2025
Ep 134: What if I told you your garden could grow your soap?
Jul 12, 2025
Ep 133: Bug Off Naturally: Growing Insect-Repelling Plants & Safe Bug Bite Herbal Remedies
Jun 29, 2025
Ep 132: The Garden Centre Secrets: What They Don’t Want You to Know!
Jun 21, 2025
Ep 131: Allergies in the Garden: What’s Making You Sneeze & How to Naturally Soothe It
Jun 16, 2025
Ep 130: The Juicy Truth About Antioxidant-Rich Fruits & Veggies You Can Grow at Home
Jun 07, 2025
Ep 129: Growing Younger – Anti-Aging Plants & DIY Remedies You Can Grow at Home
May 31, 2025
Ep 128 Planting with Purpose: The Magic of Intention Gardens
May 24, 2025
Ep 127 “Sparkly Rocks and Stressed-Out Lettuce: Gardening with Crystals”
May 17, 2025
Ep 126 Weird, Wild & Wealthy: The Mystical Side of Plant Placement
May 10, 2025
Ep 125 Peace Gardens: Cultivating Calm in a Chaotic World
May 05, 2025
Ep 124: Preparing Gardens for Winter – Essential Autumn Tasks
Apr 26, 2025
Ep 123: Grow Your Own Smoothie Garden – The Ultimate Guide to Fresh, Homegrown Ingredients
Apr 19, 2025
Ep 122 “Grow Your Own Garden Snack Bar: From Soil to Snack Time!”
Apr 12, 2025
Ep 121: Stop Wasting Space! Smart Layout Tips for a Thriving Veggie Garden
Apr 05, 2025
Ep 120: Before You Plant: Must-Know Veggie Garden Tips.
Mar 31, 2025
Ep 119 Keyhole Gardens what are they and why they work.
Mar 22, 2025
Ep 118 Fertilizers 101: Feeding Your Plants Indoors and Out
Mar 08, 2025
Ep 117 "Gardening in the Wind: Thriving Despite the Breeze"
Mar 01, 2025
Ep 116 Dried Floral Arrangements – Grow, Create, and Profit
Feb 22, 2025
Ep 115: Mini Masterclass Organic Gardening Uncovered: Natural Practices for a Healthier Garden
Feb 10, 2025
Ep 114 "Lawn Love: The Grass is Greener When You Know the Basics"
Feb 01, 2025
Ep 113 "Garden Irrigation - Tips, Tricks, and Common Mistakes"
Jan 25, 2025
Ep 112 "Garden Pest and Rodent Control: Tips for Keeping Your Garden Thriving"
Jan 18, 2025
Ep 111 Planting the Seed: Easy Ways to Introduce Kids to Gardening
Jan 11, 2025
Ep 110 Succulent Success: A Beginner’s Guide to Thriving Plants
Jan 04, 2025
Ep 109 Gardening Goals Made Simple: Plan, Grow, and Thrive in 2025!
Dec 28, 2024
Ep 108 Planter Perfection: Answers to Your Top 5 Outdoor Container Gardening Questions
Dec 21, 2024
Ep 107 Subtropical Gardening Made Easy: Tips for Thriving Plants and a Lush Backyard Paradise
Dec 14, 2024
Ep 106 Planting a Medicinal Garden with a Bonus Soothing Herbal Tea Recipe
Dec 07, 2024
Ep 105 "No Dig, No Stress: The Ultimate Hack for Effortless Gardening Success"
Nov 30, 2024
Ep 104 "Revive, Restore, Reimagine: The Power of Riparian Planting!"
Nov 23, 2024
Ep 103 "The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Gardeners: Practical & Personal DIY Ideas!"
Nov 17, 2024
Ep 102 "Sustainable Garden Projects: Pallet Furniture, Planters, and Storage for Eco-Conscious Gardeners"
Nov 09, 2024
Ep 101: From Blossom to Bounty: Essential Tips for Thriving Fruit Trees All Year Round
Nov 02, 2024
Ep 100 "Spookify Your Garden: Halloween Gardening Tips for a Hauntingly Beautiful Landscape"
Oct 26, 2024
Ep 99 Ornamental Gardens: Your Guide to a Beautiful Landscape
Oct 19, 2024
Ep 98 Scented Gardens for All: Growing Fragrance in Rural & Urban Spaces”
Oct 12, 2024
Ep 97 Easy Spring Bulb Care
Oct 05, 2024
Ep 96 Easy to Grow & Cook with Spring Vegetables
Sep 28, 2024
Ep 95 Stump Be Gone: Effective Strategies for Tree Stump Elimination
Sep 21, 2024
Ep 94 Spring Planter Upgrades + A new Freebie
Sep 14, 2024
Ep 93 The art of decluttering your garden.
Sep 07, 2024
Ep 92 The composting fundamentals - anyone can compost at home Urban or rural
Aug 31, 2024
Ep 91 What is the true cost of creating a vegetable garden.
Aug 24, 2024
Ep 90 Never go hungry with these Top 10 vegetable garden staples.
Aug 17, 2024
Ep 89 Heading into Spring at full throttle – Priority list.
Aug 10, 2024
EP 88 Oh dear the in-laws are coming - 5 quick garden colour up hacks that will turn your garden from bla to wow!
Aug 03, 2024
Ep 87 Hanging baskets for all seasons
Jul 27, 2024
Ep 86 Growing in & mastering Planter Boxes for all spaces.
Jul 20, 2024
Ep 85: 4 Low Maintenance Gardening Methods I use personally with Fantastic Results.
Jul 13, 2024
Ep 84: Mastering germination and seedling growth.
Jul 06, 2024
Ep 83: 5 Pro tips for managing your seeds from seed set to pre germination.
Jun 29, 2024
Ep 82 Preserving your harvests & food storage
Jun 22, 2024
Organic gardening 101.
Jun 15, 2024
Ep 80 Edible landscaping & how you can apply it into your garden.
Jun 08, 2024
Ep 79 Regenerative gardening. What is it & how to apply it.
Jun 01, 2024
Ep 78 Common Mistakes Made when Small Space Gardening.
May 25, 2024
Ep 77 Creating Climate-Resilient Gardens
May 18, 2024
Ep 76 The ongoing struggle with weeds - is it worth it?
May 11, 2024
Ep 75 Cultivating Cash from Your Garden
May 04, 2024
Ep 74 Getting winter ready with Secrets to a Flourishing Cold-Season Garden
Apr 27, 2024
Ep 73 Mastering Indoor Winter Plant Care
Apr 20, 2024
Ep 72 Rose care from planting to pruning.
Apr 13, 2024
Ep 71 Garden structures that successfully enhance plant growth.
Apr 08, 2024
Ep 70 Tired Gardens? No problem! here are a few easy ways to revive it.
Mar 30, 2024
Ep 69 Passive gardening secrets revealed.
Mar 23, 2024
Ep 68 Effective ways to maximize garden harvests using recycled materials.
Mar 16, 2024
Ep 67 The top 10 plants to grow in your garden for home remedy utilization.
Mar 10, 2024
EP 66 Thinking of Planting Subtropical’s in your garden? Then ask yourself these questions first.
Mar 02, 2024
Ep 65 Creating the right privacy screen in your garden.
Feb 17, 2024
Ep 64 Parks & Garden Tree Maintenance with or without Herbicides?
Feb 10, 2024
Ep 63 Diabetic Friendly Gardening - What Vegetables to avoid & What to grow more of.
Feb 04, 2024
Ep 62 The Hype Behind Edible Flowers.
Jan 28, 2024
Ep 61 Reflecting back over the last 4 Seasons and the lessons learned.
Jan 20, 2024
Ep 60 Dry, Hot Garden? – Here are some Easy ways to conserve water while still maximizing your garden health.
Jan 13, 2024
Ep 59 Growing Garden Plants Ideal for Arts & Crafts.
Jan 06, 2024
Ep 58 A simple approach to growing climbers in the garden.
Dec 09, 2023
Ep 57 Avoiding Gardening Burnout, Overwhelm & Stress
Dec 02, 2023
EP 56 Growing Citrus without Drama
Nov 25, 2023
Ep 55 Simple Vegetables for all year-round harvests.
Nov 18, 2023
Ep 54 Tips for Cultivating Acid-Loving Plants
Nov 11, 2023
Ep 53 Let’s Talk all things Sexual & Asexual Plant Propagation.
Nov 04, 2023
Chat 10 Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Prickles in the Lawn and how to treat them.
Oct 31, 2023
EP 52 Must Do’s to Grow a Bumper Crop of Potatoes - Ready for Christmas.
Oct 28, 2023
Chat 10 Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Cover crops what are they & are they just for over wintering?
Oct 24, 2023
EP 51 -Developing low maintenance systems to enable gardening with an injury while still remaining staunchly self-sufficient.
Oct 21, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Mealybug what they are & how to eradicate them.
Oct 17, 2023
Ep 50 Growing Your Best Cucumbers and Courgettes and how to preserve & store the excess.
Oct 14, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Roses and Colour Reversion
Oct 10, 2023
EP 49 Growing Your Best Capsicums & Tomatoes and how to Preserve & Store the excess
Oct 07, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Why plants, Why this career path? A Up close & Personal Answer.
Oct 03, 2023
Ep48 - From Gusts to Growth: How to Protect Your Plants from Windy Weather
Sep 30, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: How do you know if your garden environment is healthy?
Sep 26, 2023
Ep 47 - Supermarket Fruit & Veggies Verses Growing Your Own.
Sep 23, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: What kind of soil is best for growing plants in the garden?
Sep 19, 2023
Ep 46 - Sustainable Roots: Cultivating a Greener Future with Permaculture.
Sep 16, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: What are some Indoor plants for low light or shaded areas?
Sep 12, 2023
Ep 45 - Are you Spring ready? No? This Spring Garden Task List May Help.
Sep 09, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Easy To Grow & Hard to Kill Indoor Plants.
Sep 05, 2023
Ep 44 – A Cheats Guide To Successful Composting.
Sep 02, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Hot Tips To Keeping Planters Hydrated
Aug 29, 2023
Ep 43 - Ways to Improve your Garden Biodiversity & Why it’s important.
Aug 26, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Planting as per the instructions on the label.
Aug 22, 2023
Ep 42 - Beating Garden Droughts with these Hot Tips.
Aug 19, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Tips to cost effectively maximize your current landscape.
Aug 15, 2023
Ep 41- Garden Events Pro’s Cons & How To Do’s
Aug 12, 2023
Quick & Messy 10 min or less Garden Chat: Hot Garden Money Saving Tips Using Cold Frames
Aug 08, 2023
Ep 40 - Weeding 101 - Tips and Tricks for a Beautiful Garden
Aug 05, 2023
Quick & Messy 10min or Less Garden Chat: 3 hot tips a new gardener needs to know to start a garden.
Aug 01, 2023
Ep 39 - Key Steps in Planning & Designing a New Garden
Jul 29, 2023
Ep 38 – From Spores to Harvest: A Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home
Jul 22, 2023
Ep 37 - Growing Without Soil: An Introduction to Hydroponic Gardening.
Jul 15, 2023
Ep 36 - Let’s Talk All Things Potting & Re-Potting Plants - Your Q’s & My A’s.
Jul 08, 2023
Ep 35 - A Behind the Scenes Look at Kiwifruit $$$ Growing. From Pollination to Picking & Everything In Between.
Jul 01, 2023
Ep 34 - Let’s Talk All Things Cuttings & Propagation.
Jun 24, 2023
Ep 33 – Garden Fertilizers What, How, When & Why.
Jun 17, 2023
Ep 32 - Slugs, Snails, Ants & All things Garden Creepy Crawlies.
Jun 10, 2023
Ep 31 - Can Hedging & Shelterbelts Be Key to a New Form of Urban Forestation? I Think So & Here’s Why.
Jun 03, 2023
Ep 30 - From Frosty to Flourishing: Overcoming the Challenges of Cold Weather Gardening.
May 27, 2023
Ep 29 - Proven Tips to Mastering the Art of Self - Sustainable Gardening.
May 20, 2023
Ep 28 - A Few Gardening Questions Answered – Algae, Garlic, Watering, fertilizers, & Repotting
May 13, 2023
Ep 27 - The Sound of Water How & Why to Add & Maintain Water Features in Your Indoor or Outdoor Garden Space
May 06, 2023
Ep 26 - Mastering the Art of Worm Farming – It’s so simple any one can have one.
Apr 29, 2023
Ep 25 – From Seed to Sprout: Secrets to Growing Healthy Seedlings
Apr 22, 2023
Ep 24 – The Garden of Lies: Uncovering the Truth behind Organic Gardening Myths
Apr 15, 2023
Ep 23 – Bulb Boosters: Tips for Growing Beautiful Bulb Blooms No Matter the Season
Apr 08, 2023
Ep 22 – The Ultimate Autumn Gardening Checklist:10 Key Chores You Can’t Skip.
Apr 01, 2023
Ep 21 – Green Thumbs Up for these 6 Tips to Maximize Your Garden's Growing Potential
Mar 25, 2023
Ep20 -Exploring The Fascinating World of Beekeeping in an Interview with Judy Knipmeijer
Mar 18, 2023
Ep19 – 10 Highly Effective Ways to Grow Plants on a Budget.
Mar 11, 2023
Ep18 – A 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your garden.
Mar 04, 2023
Ep17 – The Mental health benefits from working in your garden will blow you away.
Feb 25, 2023
Ep16 – Understanding Your Gardens Love Language.
Feb 18, 2023
Ep15 – 3 Sexy flowers to grow for your valentine’s dried floral bouquet that they can treasure for a really long time.
Feb 11, 2023
Ep14 – Top 5 herbs with healthy superpowers that should be an essential in all households.
Feb 04, 2023
Ep13 - Wet weather garden fails & how to combat it.
Jan 28, 2023
Ep12 - Simple planting methods & techniques for pots, planters & in the garden.
Jan 21, 2023
Ep11 – 8 Companion plants that are Rockstar's in the garden.
Jan 14, 2023
Ep10 – 5 Steps to Creating an Abundant Sustainable Garden
Jan 07, 2023
Ep9 - The Secret to Small Space Continuous Harvests on a Budget.
Dec 31, 2022
Ep8 – Maximise your indoor growth by utilizing any of these 6 planting vessels.
Dec 24, 2022
Ep7 – All things Christmas tree, Living decorations, Pine sap clean-up & Pet deterrent during the silly season.
Dec 17, 2022
Ep6 – To Mulch or not to Mulch that is the question. What? When? Why and How.
Dec 10, 2022
Ep5 – The Secret (Warfare) Life of your Garden.
Dec 03, 2022
Ep4 – Back to gardening basics for newbies and a refresher for the more advanced.
Nov 26, 2022
Ep3 – The importance of layering your gardens and no we are not talking about soils.
Nov 19, 2022
Ep2 – If you have these 7 key garden tools then your set to manage any garden.
Nov 12, 2022
Ep1 – Take the time to get to know your gardening spaces regardless of if its outside or inside.
Nov 05, 2022
Hello and Welcome to The Messed Up Gardener
Nov 01, 2022