Troppo Plant and Garden Articles

18 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Best Soil Amendments for Te Puke’s Soil Conditions: A Local Guide

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to Troppo.nz, your go-to source for all things growing in our beautiful corner of the world, Te Puke! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting to get your hands dirty, understanding your soil is the first step to a thriving garden or orchard. Here in the Bay of Plenty, we're bless...

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17 Apr

Te Puke Region

SCHOOL HOLIDAY PHOTO COMPETITION! RRR – Rescue, Revive, Rehome

• April 17, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

We know school holidays are all about creating wonderful memories, and who better to share them with than your beloved furry, scaly, or feathered family members? RRR - Rescue, Revive, Rehome is searching for the BEST photo capturing a special moment between you and your animal during these holidays...

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17 Apr

* TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz), Te Puke Region

Cyclone Tam’s Fury Brushes Te Puke: Northern Communities in Our Thoughts

• April 18, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Well, Cyclone Tam has certainly made its presence felt here in Aotearoa! While we in Te Puke haven't borne the brunt of its full force like our whanau up in the Far North, let me tell you, that wind has been something else! For the past day or so, a constant, howling gale has been whipping through ...

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17 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Identifying and Managing Common Pests and Diseases in Te Puke Gardens

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Identifying and Managing Common Pests and Diseases in Te Puke Gardens Welcome to all our fellow green thumbs in beautiful Te Puke! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting to dig in the fertile Bay of Plenty soil, you'll know that along with the joy of watching your plants thrive comes t...

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16 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Choosing the Right Aspect for Your Garden in Te Puke’s Unique Terrain

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Choosing the Right Aspect for Your Garden in Te Puke's Unique Terrain Welcome, fellow green thumbs, to the wonderful world of gardening in Te Puke! Known as the Kiwifruit Capital of the World, this region boasts a rich horticultural heritage and a climate that can support a fantastic array of plant...

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15 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Using Mulch to Regulate Soil Temperature in Te Puke’s Variable Climate

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to the Troppo blog! Here in beautiful Te Puke, we know all about the ups and downs of our weather. From scorching summer days to chilly winter nights, our soil can experience quite a temperature rollercoaster. But there's a simple yet incredibly effective tool that can help your garden thriv...

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14 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz), Te Puke Region

A Community Building Toolkit for Bay of Plenty, New Zealand: Cultivating Edible Landscapes Together

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

1. Introduction: Sowing Seeds for Community Resilience The Vision of Community Food Forests in the Bay of Plenty Community food forests, also referred to as forest gardens, represent a holistic approach to land management that draws inspiration from natural forest ecosystems.1 Unlike conventional ...

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14 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Creating Windbreaks for Delicate Tropical Plants in the Bay of Plenty

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to the Troppo.nz blog! If you're lucky enough to be growing beautiful, but often delicate, tropical plants here in the stunning Bay of Plenty, you'll know that while our climate is generally kind, the wind can sometimes be a real nuisance. These breezes, while often refreshing for us, can wr...

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14 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz), * TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz), Te Puke Region

Cultivating the Future: Jared’s Food Forest Tour in Rural Te Puke – Inspiring Youth and Kai Resilience

• April 15, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Here at Troppo.nz, we're passionate about showcasing initiatives that build a more sustainable and resilient future for Aotearoa. Our recent collaboration with Jared on a visit to his burgeoning food forest in rural Te Puke was a truly inspiring experience. We witnessed firsthand his dedication to c...

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13 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Supercharging Your Te Puke Harvest: Advanced Techniques for an Extended Growing Season

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

We all love the bounty of a Te Puke garden, but what if you could push the boundaries and enjoy fresh produce even longer? Building on our previous tips, this post dives into more advanced techniques, including grow tents, heat mats, in-soil heating, and the crucial element of experimentation, to tr...

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12 Apr

Plant and Garden Articles

Growing Tropical Plants in NZ: 100 Fascinating Facts You Need to Know

• April 12, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Here are 100 unique and interesting facts about growing tropical plants in New Zealand: New Zealand's Northland region boasts the warmest average temperatures, making it ideal for many tropical species. The Kermadec Islands, despite being part of NZ, experience a truly tropical climate unlik...

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12 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Permaculture Principles for a Thriving Home Garden in Bay of Plenty

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to the wonderful world of permaculture gardening! Here at Troppo.nz, we believe that creating a flourishing and productive home garden in our beautiful Bay of Plenty doesn't have to be complicated. Permaculture offers a simple, yet powerful, set of principles that work with nature, not again...

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11 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Creating Your Own Urban Food Forest in Te Puke, NZ: A Step-by-Step Guide

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Imagine stepping out your back door and into a lush, edible paradise. A place where fruit trees, berry bushes, and useful herbs grow in harmony, providing fresh, nutritious food right at your fingertips. This isn't a far-off dream – it's the reality of an urban food forest, and you can create one ri...

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10 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Designing a Low-Maintenance Food Forest: Tips for Te Puke’s Climate

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to the Troppo.nz blog! For those of us lucky enough to call the beautiful Bay of Plenty home, particularly the fertile lands around Te Puke, the idea of a thriving, edible garden is often top of mind. But who has endless hours to dedicate to weeding, watering, and pest control? The good news...

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09 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Integrating Native Plants into Your Urban Food Forest for Enhanced Biodiversity

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to the Troppo.nz blog! Today, we're diving into a fantastic way to make your urban food forest even more vibrant and beneficial: by weaving in some of our amazing native New Zealand plants. You might be thinking, "Food forest? Native plants? Do they even go together?" The answer is a resound...

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08 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

The Benefits of Guild Planting in a Small Urban Space

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

(Featured on www.troppo.nz) Living in a town or city often means limited space for gardening. You might have a tiny backyard, a balcony, or just a few pots on a windowsill. But even with these small areas, you can create a thriving and productive mini-ecosystem using a clever technique called guild...

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07 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

How to Build a Vertical Food Forest for Limited Space in Te Puke

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Living in beautiful Te Puke often means enjoying the outdoors, but what if you have limited garden space and still dream of fresh, homegrown produce? The answer might just be a vertical food forest! This innovative gardening technique allows you to grow a surprising amount of food in a small footpri...

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07 Apr

Te Puke Region

Join the Fun on the Kids Kai Trail at the Flavours of Plenty Festival!

• April 8, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

This year, the Kids Kai Trail was a big hit at the Flavours of Plenty Festival in Te Puke! It was a day packed with fun, learning, and hands-on activities for kids. From exploring bees to planting in community gardens and even learning how to make their own pizza sauce, the day was full of exciting ...

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06 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Understanding Soil Health in a Permaculture Garden: Te Puke Edition

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome, fellow green thumbs and aspiring permaculturists! Here at Troppo.nz, we’re passionate about creating thriving, resilient gardens that work with nature, not against it. And at the heart of a successful permaculture system lies one crucial element: healthy soil. Especially here in our beauti...

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05 Apr

Te Puke Region

Te Puke Community Rallies Together for Mum’s Cancer Treatment: A Heartwarming Movie Night Fundraiser

• April 9, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

In September 2023, 46-year-old Sarena Crane, a devoted mother from Tauranga, started noticing troubling symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, and discomfort. Initially, these symptoms were attributed to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or endometriosis, but further testing soon revealed a far more serio...

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05 Apr

Te Puke Region

🌿 Bay of Plenty Orchid Show Blooms Bright in Rainy Te Puke

• April 8, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

The Bay of Plenty Orchid Society hosted its annual orchid show over the weekend at the Te Puke Memorial Hall. The event took place on Friday and Saturday, running from 10am to 4pm each day. Visitors enjoyed a stunning variety of orchid displays presented by both the Bay of Plenty Orchid Society and...

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05 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Rainwater Harvesting for Sustainable Food Forests in Bay of Plenty: Including the Smart Use of Recycled IBCs

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to Troppo.nz! Here in the fertile Bay of Plenty, we’re often blessed with ample rainfall. But are we truly capitalizing on this natural gift, especially when it comes to nurturing our thriving food forests? Rainwater harvesting offers a clever and sustainable method to hydrate your edible la...

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04 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Composting Secrets for a Nutrient-Rich Food Forest in Your Backyard

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Imagine stepping into your backyard and being greeted by a thriving food forest – lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and the promise of delicious, homegrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. It sounds like a dream, right? Well, one of the biggest secrets to making this dream a reality lies right under you...

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03 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Attracting Pollinators to Your Urban Food Forest: Essential Plants and Techniques

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome, green thumbs and aspiring urban farmers! Here at Troppo.nz, we believe that even in the heart of our towns and cities, we can cultivate thriving food forests bursting with life. A crucial ingredient for a successful and productive urban food forest is a healthy population of pollinators. Th...

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02 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Understanding Te Puke’s Microclimates for Optimal Tropical Fruit Growth

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to Troppo.nz! If you're passionate about growing delicious tropical fruits right here in Te Puke, you've come to the right place. While our region is famous for its kiwifruit, the diverse landscape also creates pockets of unique conditions – what we call microclimates – that can be perfect f...

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01 Apr

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz)

Protecting Your Tropical Plants from Frost in Bay of Plenty: Practical Tips

• April 14, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome fellow tropical plant lovers! Here in the beautiful Bay of Plenty, we're lucky to enjoy a generally mild climate that allows us to grow a fantastic array of lush, exotic plants. However, even in our little slice of paradise, the threat of frost can rear its icy head, potentially damaging or ...

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28 Mar

Te Puke Region

Kids Kai Trial at Flavours of Plenty: A Fun, Hands-On Adventure for Youngsters to Explore Food Resilience

• March 28, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

While most events at the Flavours of Plenty festival are designed with adults in mind, there's one exciting exception: the Kids Kai Trail, happening on April 5, hosted by the Te Puke Kai Resilience group and Colab. Chris Johnstone, Colab coordinator, explained, “While Flavours of Plenty mainly targ...

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28 Mar

Te Puke Region

Protected: Te Whare o Tīmata: A Whānau-Centered Journey of Learning, Connection, and Māori Identity

• March 28, 2025
• By Troppo
• Enter your password to view comments.

Nestled in the heart of Te Puke, Bay of Plenty, Te Whare o Tīmata is more than just an educational tool—it is a living, breathing expression of Mātauranga Māori, designed to inspire, teach, and connect. It is a place where whānau, tamariki, and communities can come together to explore ancestral heri...

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27 Mar

* TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz)

“Hei Tiki” email response

• March 27, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Mauri, my plant family. This morning, I received an email questioning my branding, expressing concerns that it might diminish the integrity of my mahi through misappropriation. It caught me off guard, but I acknowledge the importance of these kōrero. Conversations around culture, identity, and resp...

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26 Mar

Exploring New Zealand

“Weeding for Wildlife: Help Restore Kotukutuku Gully!”

• March 26, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Join the Kotukutuku Gully Weeding Bee and Make a Difference Nature needs a helping hand, and you can be part of the solution! The Maketū Wetland Society (MOWS), in collaboration with the Kotukutuku Gully group, invites you to a hands-on conservation event to tackle pesky pest plants and restore the...

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26 Mar

Te Puke Region

Wetlands restoration in Te Puke with FRUITION’s Hei Whanake

• March 26, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

As part of Vector Group Charitable Trust, Troppo is documenting the comprehensive wetlands restoration project in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. Today marked the commencement of planting a significant number of native flora, a crucial step in rejuvenating our region's natural resources. In a few weeks, the...

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25 Mar

Delicious Recipes

Fermenting Fun: Kefir, Salted Butternut Ferment & Feijoa Fizz!

• March 25, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Last night, disaster struck—the hot water cylinder blew! So instead of showering, let's embrace the funk another way—with some ferments! Who needs warm water when you have bubbling jars of probiotic goodness to keep things exciting? The stars of today's fermenting session come straight from Troppo’...

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22 Mar

* TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz), Te Puke Region

The Easiest Way to Harvest Banana Bunches – Plus an Exciting Ice Cream Project & Saying Goodbye to a Giant!

• March 22, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Troppo shares key activities and insights while preparing for the 'Flavours of Plenty' event and managing their garden. The focus is on banana harvesting techniques, replacing banana clumps with rarer varieties, and handling an overgrown 'green Abyssinian.' https://youtu.be/2jdGwuTpcbc Harvesting ...

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21 Mar

* TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz), Exploring New Zealand, Te Puke Region

A Green Encounter: When Green and Wild Visited Troppo’s Urban Tropical Food Forest

• March 21, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

It's not every day that your passion project catches the attention of someone who shares your vision for a greener, more sustainable world. That's exactly what happened when Bahareh from Green and Wild visited our Troppo urban tropical food forest and nursery in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. The excitemen...

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16 Mar

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz), Community Gardens, Te Puke Region

🌿 Te Puke’s Green Gems: A Day of Community and Cultivation 🌿

• March 16, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

On Sunday, March 16th, the Bay of Plenty buzzed with excitement as local community gardens opened their gates for a special event. Among these verdant havens, two Te Puke treasures stood out: the Te Puke Community Garden and Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre. But that’s not all—Troppo’s very own...

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16 Mar

* Food Forests of New Zealand (www.foodforests.nz), Community Gardens

Community Garden Open Day Bay of Plenty and Rotorua

• March 16, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Explore Your Local Community Gardens! Local Community Gardens are throwing open their gates to share what they do. Whether you're a gardening enthusiast, a curious visitor, or someone looking to get involved, this is the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and discover the i...

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05 Mar

* TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz), Te Puke Region

Introducing TROPPO’s Kai and Canopy – Growing, Harvesting, and Feasting Together! 🌱🍽️

• March 5, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Welcome to TROPPO's Food Forest Kai and Canopy, our YouTube channel where we take you on a journey from plant to plate! 🌿🥑🍍 Whether you’re a tropical grower, a food forest enthusiast, or just someone who loves the idea of harvesting your own kai, this channel is for you! What You Can Expect on TR...

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02 Mar

Te Puke Region

🌿 Giggles Garden Glow-Up: Growing, Learning & Digging in Together! 🌱

• March 2, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Exciting things are happening at Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre! Their amazing food forest is about to get a fresh burst of life, and guess what? The whole community is invited to join in the fun! A Garden That Gives Back! At Giggles, the garden isn’t just about growing plants—it’s about ...

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28 Feb

Podcast

Plumeria Variety Compendium: Names, Descriptions, and Grower Notes

• March 28, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

The document is a compilation of information about various plumeria varieties. It includes descriptions of flower colors, sizes, fragrances, and growth habits, as well as cultural significance across different countries. Additionally, the source provides insights into naming conventions used by grow...

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27 Feb

* TROPPO's Food Forest in Te Puke, BOP (www.foodforest.org.nz), Te Puke Region

Experience Global Flavors at The Daily’s Kitchen Pop-Up Series!

• February 27, 2025
• By Troppo
• 0 comments

Are you ready for a culinary adventure that takes your taste buds on a journey across the globe? The Daily is bringing an exclusive Kitchen Pop-Up Series, offering a unique dining experience that showcases vibrant international cuisines. With limited seats available, now’s the time to secure your sp...

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