Where to begin
Getting Started
You don't need everything at once. Start with a few essentials, build your soil biology, and let the seasons guide you.
Starter Kit
These are the supplies that come up again and again across tasks. Get these first and you'll be able to work through most of the seasonal calendar.
Hand Tools
- Broadfork Loosens soil deeply without destroying structure. You'll use this before every planting.
- Soil thermometer Tells you when to plant, when to brew compost tea, and when to sow cover crops. 100 mm probe depth.
- Moisture meter Takes the guesswork out of watering decisions. A squeeze test works too once you've calibrated your hands.
Soil Amendments
- Hardwood biochar A permanent home for soil microbes. Needs "charging" with nutrients before adding to soil — never apply raw.
- Fungal-dominant compost The foundation of everything. Aged 12+ months with visible hyphal threads. Source locally or make your own.
- Blackstrap molasses Unsulphured. Feeds beneficial microbes in compost tea brews, EM activation, and soil drenches.
Biological Inoculants
- Mycorrhizal inoculant (AMF) Extends your plants' root networks dramatically. Apply granular form directly in the planting hole.
- EM-1 concentrate Beneficial microbe culture for bokashi, foliar sprays, and soil drenches. In NZ, look for EMRO NZ.
- Rhizobium inoculant Fixes nitrogen from the air via legume roots. Strain-specific — match the inoculant to the crop you're sowing.
Composting Setup
- Bokashi bins × 2 Ferment kitchen waste into soil amendment. Two bins so one fills while the other ferments.
- Bokashi bran EM-inoculated wheat bran that drives the fermentation. Buy it or make your own with EM-1.
- 200 L drum or IBC tote For charging biochar slurry and brewing compost teas. A food-grade drum is fine.
Nice to have later
- Refractometer — measures Brix (plant sugar) as a health indicator
- Microscope (100–400x) — see the biology in your compost tea. Optional but addictive
Start with the season
Pick the current season and work through the tasks in order. Soil prep comes first, then planting, then composting and cover crops build the system over time.