Throng

Prime Television and Top Shelf Productions are looking for families who are interested in being in future series of GET GROWING.

The popular ‘back-to-basics’ gardening series recently screened on Prime and offered practical hands on advice on how to adopt a more self sufficient lifestyle by establishing a home garden.

Hosted by gardening guru Lynda Hallinan, with input from experts Heather Tait and Hamish Dodd, the series followed one family with little gardening experience over a 10 week period as they transformed their suburban back yard into an edible wonderland, producing all of their family’s – and friends! – vegetables over summer.

Prime are now looking for ‘gardening guinea pigs’ for a second series, who ideally know little or nothing about growing their own food but are willing to learn and let the cameras document their every success (and the odd failure) for the country to see.

7:00pm Sunday, March 14 on Prime

Lifestyle

You may be groaning about the excessive humid weather currently sweeping our beautiful country, but rest assured winter will soon be chasing its tail, and before long your green fingers will be kept busy winter-proofing your garden. But where to start?! NZ Gardener Magazine Editor Lynda Hallinan has you covered. Tonight she explains the importance of crop rotation and seasonal planning as the garden is prepared for winter, and the Coles family reflect on their experience and look ahead to a self sustainable future.

7:00pm Sunday, March 7 on Prime

Lifestyle

Tonight, see how sharing fresh produce is as satisfying as growing your own when Lynda and the Coles look at school and community gardens, which are becoming increasingly popular. Many New Zealanders are choosing to grow their own veggies as a way of cutting costs during tougher economic times and sharing these within your local community cuts costs even more.

Lynda also challenges the Coles to take a stall at a Farmers Market and they quickly learn that selling at a market is an ongoing progress of learning, testing new products and constant refinement - how successful will their first attempt be?

7:00pm Sunday, February 28 on Prime

Lifestyle

Tonight, Lynda teaches the Coles the best tactics for dealing with problem weeds and reveals easy solutions to send them packing - and stop them coming back. One of the best organic ways to deal with weeds is to keep a thick layer of mulch on your soil and plant so densely that weeds aren't able to squeeze through. The family also learn how to feed their garden for free with organic tonics made from seaweed, comfrey and horse manure.

7:00pm Sunday, February 21 on Prime

Lifestyle

"To spray or not to spray" is tonight's big question! Lynda reveals the top five summer pests and diseases such as aphids, who love the tender tips of young plants. Over time, these pests can cause distorted and stunted growth so it's a good idea to get rid of them as soon as possible to avoid further spreading.

Lynda shows how to make homemade eco-friendly remedies from simple pantry ingredients. Create a spray from adding a squirt of dishwashing liquid to lukewarm water and use it to gently wash the leaves to remove aphids - use cotton wool or tissue to brush them off if they're stubbornly clinging on.

7:00pm Sunday, February 14 on Prime

Lifestyle

This week, NZ Gardener magazine Editor Lynda Hallinan shows you how to protect your plants from outdoor invaders and explains how easy it is to preserve excess produce. Bugs and pests love your crops as much as you do, so Lynda shows what to plant to reduce the need for sprays and encourage beneficial bugs. And don't despair when faced with a produce glut, start pickling and preserving for winter, creating tasty treats you can enjoy throughout the year.

7:00pm Sunday, February 7 on Prime

Lifestyle

The Coles family are five weeks into their self-sufficiency push and Lynda Hallinan is on-hand to help them navigate those gardening pot-holes.

This week, Lynda looks into irrigation systems and shows how regular watering is the key to a healthy crop. It's also time to reap the benefits of earlier sowing and enjoy fresh produce from the garden.

7:00pm Sunday, January 31 on Prime

Lifestyle

The Coles family are four weeks into their self-sufficiency push and Lynda Hallinan is on-hand to help them navigate those gardening pot-holes.

This week, we discover how compost is the lifeblood of your garden and Lynda shows the Coles how to make the ultimate compost heap using kitchen scraps, garden waste, newspapers, even the contents of your vacuum cleaner!