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PODCAST

The Messed Up Gardener

Esther William (Aitken)

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

leisure home & garden

All Episodes

27:38

Ep 167: Why Sustainable Gardens Get Easier Every Year...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/03/07

Some gardens get easier every year. Others quietly get harder — and you start feeling like you’re slogging through the chores just to keep up. In this episode, Esther resets the idea of “sustainable gardening” and breaks it down as something much simpler: strategy. Not perfection. Not ideology. Not expensive products. You’ll learn how sustainable gardens get easier over time by managing five core flows. Plus: why small-space gardeners can be sustainable, how to reduce “rescue gardening,” and ...

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21:36

Ep 166: The Hidden Mistake Most Gardeners Don’t Even...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/02/28

Why Strategic Gardening Always Beats Reactive Gardening Sometimes the most damaging thing you can do in a garden… is intervene too quickly. In this episode of The Messed-Up Gardener, Esther unpacks the hidden mistake most gardeners don’t even realize they’re making — reacting to symptoms instead of strengthening systems. We explore: • The difference between reactive and strategic gardening • Why plants respond better to stability than overcorrection • The biology of “stress stacki...

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22:41

Ep 165: Autumn Is Where Smart Gardens Win - What to...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/02/21

Autumn isn’t the end of the season — it’s leverage season. In this episode, Esther breaks down how smart gardeners prepare before the cold really hits. You’ll learn the key mindset shift for autumn, the five strategic moves that set your garden up for winter success, and the common mistakes that quietly create stress later. No hype. No overwhelm. Just steady, practical preparation. Because winter doesn’t defeat gardeners — winter reveals preparation. 🌿 If you enjoyed this episode, please

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21:11

EP 164: Transplant Shock Isn’t About Transplanting —...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/02/14

Have you ever planted out a seedling, stood back proud… then come out the next morning to find it flopped over like it’s regretting all its life choices? 😅 In this episode of The Messed-Up Gardener, we’re breaking down “transplant shock” in a way that actually makes it feel manageable — because most of the time, it’s not about you doing something wrong… it’s about your plant adjusting to a sudden environmental reset. You’ll learn how to tell the difference between normal transplant stress

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21:36

Ep 163: Slugs & Snails Are Back — Here’s the Calm...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/02/07

Ep 163: Slugs & Snails Are Back — Here’s the Calm Plan That Actually Works A targeted, low-tox slug strategy for seedlings and soft growth Slugs are back — and if you’ve walked outside to find seedlings chewed overnight, this episode is for you. In this calm, practical mini-masterclass, Esther breaks down a low-stress, realistic approach to managing slugs and snails without turning your garden into a chemical zone or exhausting yourself trying to “fix everything.” This episode isn’t about...

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26:16

Episode 162: Tabletop Veg Is the 2026 Trend — Here’s...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/01/31

Growing food is changing — and this episode explains why tabletop veg is having a real moment, not just a social media one. In Episode 162 of The Messed-Up Gardener, Esther Williams breaks down how growing edible plants at waist height — on tables, benches, decks, balconies, and patios — is becoming one of the most practical, accessible ways to grow food in 2026 and beyond. This episode is calm, practical, and designed for real life. No hype. No pressure. Just clear guidance for anyone who wa...

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23:34

Ep 161: Most Gardening Advice Sounds Helpful — Here’s...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/01/24

5 myths, 5 truths, and the things that make a real difference Gardening advice is everywhere — and a lot of it sounds helpful. But for many gardeners, it quietly creates more pressure than progress. In this episode of The Messed-Up Gardener, Esther slows things right down. After a week shaped by extreme weather, disrupted travel, and a reminder of how quickly conditions can change, this episode becomes a steady, grounding pause — not a push to do more. This is a calm, supportive reality chec...

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25:48

Ep 160: What to Plant in January: Back to Basics —...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/01/17

January gardening can feel deceptively simple… and strangely exhausting. Whether you’re dealing with peak summer heat in the Southern Hemisphere or deep winter planning in the Northern Hemisphere, this episode is a calm, practical reset for tired gardeners who want clarity without pressure. In this episode, Esther walks you through seven reliable plants you can plant in January, no matter where you live — plus how to choose what actually fits your energy, space, and season right now. This isn...

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21:03

Ep 159: The 3-List Garden Permission Slip. What...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/01/10

Gardening doesn’t always need motivation — sometimes it needs permission. In this quieter episode of The Messed-Up Gardener, Esther shares a gentle reset for overwhelmed, tired gardeners: three things you’re allowed to quit, three things you’re allowed to ignore, and three things you’re allowed to do badly — without guilt. Recorded during a heatwave and a low-energy day, this episode is a reminder that you don’t need to earn your place in the garden. Showing up imperfectly still counts. If yo...

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17:52

Ep 158: When the Weather Cries Wolf

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2026/01/03

The forecast has been acting like that dramatic friend who’s “being such a diva” every second day… and if you’ve ever rearranged your whole garden plan for “rain at 3pm” that never arrived, this episode is for you. In this mini masterclass, Esther breaks down a simple, realistic system for gardening when the weather is unreliable — without becoming a full-time meteorologist, and without your garden turning into chaos. We cover the real reason weather chaos feels exhausting (decision fatigue),...

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16:06

Ep 157: The 3-Goal Garden Rule (Because You’re Not a...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/12/27

It’s Twixmas… that weird in-between week where time doesn’t exist, your diet is 80% snacks, and your garden has decided to grow 9cm overnight just to humble you. In today’s episode, I’m sharing what we’ve been up to on our little modern-homesteading adventure — harvesting elephant garlic, drying it in our very glamorous garage drying room, and turning not-quite-perfect dahlias into something surprisingly magical: air-dried petal confetti. But the real reason you need this episode? Because if ...

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24:06

Ep 156: Outsource to Nature — Plants That Do the Work...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/12/20

If your garden currently survives on “thoughts and prayers” because you’re flat out with work, life, Christmas chaos, kiwifruit, H&S… and maybe even relocating a 8m plastic house because it’s basically a solar oven… this one’s for you. 😅 In this episode, we’re talking about how to design a garden for real life — not a gardening show. A garden that still looks good and produces food… even when you miss a weekend (or three). In this mini masterclass, you’ll learn: ✅ What

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25:48

Ep 155: "Batch Gardening — Do the Work Once, Coast...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/12/13

Batch Gardening — Do the Work Once, Coast All Week - How to garden like meal prep — one big push, lots of lazy wins. If you only have one decent chunk of time each week (or fortnight) to garden, this episode is your permission slip to stop feeling guilty and start gardening smarter. Esther breaks down “batch gardening” — a meal-prep style approach where you do the heavy lifting in one focused session, then let your garden quietly coast until you’re back. In this episode, you’ll learn ho...

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24:49

Ep 154: The Bare-Minimum Watering Plan — Keeping...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/12/06

The Bare-Minimum Watering Plan — Keeping Plants Alive When You’re Running on Fumes” A realistic survival guide for tired, overcommitted gardeners. You meant to water… and then work, kids, pets, emails, and life happened. By the time you remembered, it was dark and the guilt had already kicked in. If that sounds painfully familiar, this episode is for you. In this mini masterclass, I walk you through a realistic, no-perfection-required watering plan for tired, overcommitted gardeners who ...

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24:32

Ep 153: “The ‘Someday Garden’ Trap — How to Start...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/11/29

Stop waiting for perfect conditions and grow something now. “We’ll really garden when we move.” “Once we build the raised beds.” “When I’ve got more time… next season.” If that sounds like you, this episode is your loving smack on the hand with a trowel. 💚 We’re talking about the gap between the perfect garden in your head and the scruffy reality out the back — and how to start now with just one messy square metre. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: · ...

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18:15

Ep 152: Lazy Mulching — How to Protect Your Soil Even...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/11/22

Feeling like your garden is either drowning or turning into crunchy toast — sometimes in the same week? 😅 In this episode of The Messed-Up Gardener, I’m talking lazy mulching: the simple, real-world way to protect your soil, keep plants alive, and save your future sanity… even when you’re absolutely shattered. Between overflowing water tanks, heat waves, a shed-that’s-pretending-to-be-an-office, 2kg strawberry harvests and butter beans for days, our place is busy, messy, and very real.

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19:34

Ep 151: The 3-Bucket System — Never Waste a Weed,...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/11/15

Ever stared at a pile of weeds or kitchen scraps and thought, “Now what?” In this episode, Esther shares the simple 3-Bucket System — a no-stress, no-science-degree method for turning everyday garden mess into free, nutrient-rich compost and fertiliser. From overflowing water tanks to feijoa flowers and hubby’s booming flower beds, Esther kicks off with a real-life update from her own messy, abundant garden before diving into how three humble buckets can transform the way you handle waste: W...

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19:06

Ep 150: “The Odd Rule — Why Uneven Planting Looks So...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/11/08

Ever notice how some gardens just feel right? In this short and sunny episode, Esther unpacks one of gardening’s simplest design secrets — the rule of odd numbers. Discover why planting in threes, fives, or sevens creates flow and balance, how our brains naturally prefer a little imperfection, and when it actually pays to break the rule entirely. From hydrangeas to veggie beds, Esther shares real examples from her own garden that prove small tweaks can make a big difference. You’ll walk away ...

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24:32

Ep 149: “Beehind Closed Doors: What Really Happens...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/11/01

Hello and welcome to another episode of The Messed-Up Gardener! Today, we’re pulling back the netting (literally) to talk about the sneaky pollination problems that happen in greenhouses, tunnel houses, and bird-netted spaces — and the easy fixes that bring the buzz (and the fruit set) back. We’ll celebrate a little milestone too: this week marks three years since the show launched in November 2022. If you’ve been here since the messy early days — thank you! 💚 🌸 What You’ll Learn • Why

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24:01

Ep 148: “Chaos Gardening: Why Letting Go Might Grow...

The Messed Up Gardener ·

2025/10/25

Hi & Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener Spring is in full swing here at The Messed-Up Gardener HQ—sunflowers about to pop, kiwifruit vines gearing up to flower, bees on overtime, and the greenhouse going bonkers. All that colourful, buzzy beautiful mess got me thinking about the trend taking root across NZ: Chaos Gardening. In this episode, I share what it is, why the wild works, and how to try it (without losing your mind). In this episode you’ll learn What chaos garden...

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