The Messed Up Gardener – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

The Messed Up Gardener

Esther Aitken

Leisure

Education

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/7d. Total Eps: 202

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 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.

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇬🇧 Great Britain - homeAndGarden
31/08/2026
#79
🇬🇧 Great Britain - homeAndGarden
30/08/2026
#57
🇬🇧 Great Britain - homeAndGarden
29/08/2026
#37
🇫🇷 France - homeAndGarden
31/07/2026
#96
🇫🇷 France - homeAndGarden
30/07/2026
#87
🇫🇷 France - homeAndGarden
29/07/2026
#80
🇫🇷 France - homeAndGarden
28/07/2026
#69
🇬🇧 Great Britain - homeAndGarden
16/06/2026
#92
🇬🇧 Great Britain - homeAndGarden
15/06/2026
#66
🇬🇧 Great Britain - homeAndGarden
14/06/2026
#48

Spotify

No recent rankings available

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.

See all

https://stan.store/EstherA
116 shares
https://stan.store/EstherA/p/create-your-own-diy-self-watering-garden-planters
50 shares
https://stan.store/EstherA/p/get-my-garden-goals-planning-worksheet-now
21 shares

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all

RSS feed quality

To improve

Score global : 63%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

Ep 127 “Sparkly Rocks and Stressed-Out Lettuce: Gardening with Crystals”

Saturday, May 17, 2025 • Duration 22:14

What happens when gardening meets good vibes and glittery geology? You get this episode.

Join Esther Williams—your cheeky host and dirt-loving rebel—for a slightly woo, slightly wild, and totally entertaining deep dive into the world of crystal gardening. From chakra-charged compost to protective tourmaline tucked near the tomatoes, we’re exploring how crystals have made their way from yoga studios to veggie beds—and why you might just want to bury a bit of sparkle under your zucchinis.

In this episode:
🔮 What the woo is all about (with just enough sarcasm to keep it grounded)
🌿 Which crystals to use for abundance, protection, or plant pep talks
🪴 How to place them without looking like you’ve started a cult in your backyard
🌕 Bonus tips for moon planting, naming your crystals, and laughing your way through the weirdness

Whether you’re crystal-curious or just here for the compost jokes, this episode is for anyone who believes gardening should be joyful, magical, and maybe just a little bit sparkly.

🎧 Hit play and discover why your kale might just vibe better with a rock named Kevin.

🛠️ Ready to get more from your garden? Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming mini masterclasses / episodes packed with real talk, practical tips, and a little bit of garden messiness.

Follow our Journey on our Facebook Pages

The Messed Up Gardener Or Shesther’s Mushrooms

Or Grab

· A Step by Step guide on how to create your own DIY self-watering planters

https://stan.store/EstherA/p/create-your-own-diy-self-watering-garden-planters

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

Freebies: Grab the

- "12 Essential Tips for a Thriving Garden: From Planning to Harvest" Practical Tips to Help You Grow a Flourishing Garden

- https://stan.store/EstherA

- Organic gardening Cheat Sheet: Natural methods for chemical free cultivation https://stan.store/EstherA

- Garden Goals Planning Worksheet https://stan.store/EstherA/p/get-my-garden-goals-planning-worksheet-now

Gardening can happen in any space, in any place, and on any budget.

Read moreCollapse

Ep 126 Weird, Wild & Wealthy: The Mystical Side of Plant Placement

Saturday, May 10, 2025 • Duration 22:53

Welcome back to The Messed-Up Gardener—your go-to podcast for all things gardening, worm wee, plant therapy, and occasional woo-woo wisdom. I’m Esther Williams, and today’s episode might just be my favorite kind of chaos: practical meets mystical, leafy meets loopy.

In this episode, we’re diving into the delightfully strange world of beneficial plant placement—a.k.a. why putting a jade plant in your southeast corner might not make you rich… but it might just make you feel like a grounded goddess with your life together.

✨ From feng shui’s wealth corners to intention gardens, we explore:

· What the heck a Bagua map is (and why your bathroom might be holding your financial future)

· The best houseplants for abundance, clarity, calm, and maybe even a bit of magic

· Indoor vs outdoor vibes—and how to plant with purpose, no matter the space

· How cultures worldwide (including Māori maramataka and folk traditions) have planted with meaning for generations

· Whether any of this is real, or if we’re just making ourselves feel better with basil

Plus, I’ll give you easy steps to try energy gardening yourself—without needing crystals, chants, or a renovation budget. Just some soil, a compass app, and maybe a rosemary sprig or two.

Oh—and this week’s garden gossip includes worm bath resurrection, frost-fighting seedlings, and a surprisingly cute new plant stand for my peace lily (she’s now thriving in my own wealth corner).

🛠️ Ready to get more from your garden? Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming mini masterclasses packed with real talk, practical tips, and a little bit of garden messiness.

Follow our Journey on our Facebook Pages

The Messed Up Gardener Or Shesther’s Mushrooms

Or Grab

· A Step by Step guide on how to create your own DIY self-watering planters

Ep 117 "Gardening in the Wind: Thriving Despite the Breeze"

Saturday, March 1, 2025 • Duration 21:40

Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener Podcast, your go-to mini masterclass for all things gardening! I’m your host, Esther Williams, and I’m absolutely buzzing to be here today.

This week, we’ve been dealing with some wild weather—rain, wind, and all the joys (and headaches) that come with it! While the rain is great for the orchard and helping the kiwifruit plump up, the wind has been a bit of a nightmare. But thanks to our shelterbelts, damage has been minimal. That got me thinking—how do you garden successfully in windy conditions?

In today’s episode, we’re tackling everything you need to know about gardening in the wind—from selecting wind-resistant plants to designing your garden layout for better protection. We’ll cover:
🌿 Why wind matters and how it affects plants and soil.
🌿 The best wind-resilient plants, including hardy shrubs, sturdy veggies, and trees with flexible branches.
🌿 Garden design tricks to work with the wind instead of against it, like windbreaks, sheltered zones, and strategic planting.
🌿 Practical protection methods, including staking, mulching, and DIY wind shields.
🌿 Long-term strategies to strengthen your garden over time, like deep-root watering and using living windbreaks.

Plus, I share an exciting update about a science experiment I developed for growing oyster mushrooms in a classroom setting! A local high school has officially signed on to run the experiment, and hubby and I are donating all the materials. Stay tuned for updates on how the students get on!

So if you’ve ever struggled with wind-damaged plants or found your mulch blowing away like tumbleweed, this episode is packed with practical tips to help your garden thrive—even in a wind tunnel!

Ready to take your garden to the next level, naturally? Grab your cup of tea (or compost bin!), get comfortable, and let’s dig in! 🌻

🎧 Listen Now & Subscribe!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Got questions or a topic you'd love to hear about? Reach out—I love hearing from my fellow messy gardeners!

💬 Join the Conversation:Share your thoughts, garden wins, or questions with me on @themessedupgardener or #esther.aitken on Instagram, TikTok or find me on Facebook Esther Williams

Ep 40 - Weeding 101 - Tips and Tricks for a Beautiful Garden

Saturday, August 5, 2023 • Duration 27:16

Hello and Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener.

Weeding your garden is an essential task that helps to keep it healthy and thriving. Weeds are unwanted plants that grow alongside the desired plants in your garden and compete with them for resources such as water, nutrients, and sunlight. If left unchecked, weeds can quickly overtake your garden and cause your plants to struggle or even die.

In this episode I go through a number of tips that help in weeding with ease and safety. I also include a number of natural weed killing recipes that may be of interest. Enjoy and have a fantastic week.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book.

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

If you have a gardening business or you’re looking at starting a gardening business including arboriculture, land clearing, firewood or a general plant growing & selling business lets work together in my 1 on 1 private coaching business containers. Having helped my clients grow several 6-figure businesses including from start-ups and working on million-dollar open space management contracts for many years now, let me help you & let’s grow your business so you can leapfrog your profits and establish a viable & sustainable business

Come visit me at the @themessedupgardener on Instagram, TikTok or find me on Facebook Esther Aitken and DM me any questions you would like to have answered on the podcast regarding your garden / plants / business and I will see what I can do.

Quick & Messy 10min or Less Garden Chat: 3 hot tips a new gardener needs to know to start a garden.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 • Duration 07:25

Hi and welcome to back The Messed-Up Gardener and this 10 min or less quick & messy garden chat. I wanted to try something a little different. I keep getting questions that do not fill my traditional weekly podcast, so I figured why not do them as a 10min or less quick & messy garden chat. Please send me any gardening questions and I’ll see if I can accommodate them as either a quick & messy or as a formal podcast episode.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book.

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

Ep 39 - Key Steps in Planning & Designing a New Garden

Saturday, July 29, 2023 • Duration 29:35

Hi and Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener.

Planning and designing a new garden is so special because it allows you to create a unique space that reflects your personal style and preferences. It allows you to choose plants, colors, and textures that bring you joy and enhance your outdoor living experience. Additionally, a well-designed garden can add value to your property and create a more inviting atmosphere for you and your guests. It matters because it provides a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment to create a beautiful and functional outdoor space that you can enjoy for years to come.

In this episode I go through a number of questions that I work through with my clients when creating and designing a new garden. I hope they help you in your garden planning journeys. Enjoy and have a fantastic week.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book.

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

Ep 38 – From Spores to Harvest: A Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home

Saturday, July 22, 2023 • Duration 27:48

Hi and Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener.

Growing mushrooms at home can be a great idea for several reasons. Firstly, it is a fun and rewarding hobby that can bring a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Secondly, it allows you to have fresh and organic mushrooms at your fingertips, which can save you money in the long run. Additionally, growing mushrooms at home can reduce your carbon footprint by eliminating the need for transportation and packaging. Finally, mushrooms are a nutritious and delicious addition to your diet, and growing them yourself ensures that they are free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.

In this episode I go through a number of questions that I have been asked around mushroom growing over the years, and I included a number of how to’s that have worked well for me in the past. Enjoy and have a fantastic week.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book.

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

Ep 37 - Growing Without Soil: An Introduction to Hydroponic Gardening.

Saturday, July 15, 2023 • Duration 28:50

Hi and Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener.

Hydroponic gardening is an interesting topic for several reasons. Firstly, it allows for plants to be grown in a soil-free environment, which can be beneficial in areas where soil quality is poor or limited. Additionally, hydroponic gardening can lead to higher crop yields and faster growth rates compared to traditional soil-based methods. It also allows for more precise control over plant nutrients and water supply, resulting in healthier plants. Finally, hydroponic gardening is a sustainable and space-efficient method of agriculture, making it a popular choice for urban and indoor gardening.

In this episode I go through a number of the questions that I have been asked around hydroponic gardening over the years and I included a number of how to’s that have worked well for me in the past. Enjoy and have a fantastic week.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book.

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

Ep 36 - Let’s Talk All Things Potting & Re-Potting Plants - Your Q’s & My A’s.

Saturday, July 8, 2023 • Duration 29:26

Hi and Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener.

I've had a couple of questions lately around potting & repotting of plants and especially with the economy being way more scary lately with things being so expensive that in the old days even I wouldn't even hesitate to throw out old potting mix into the garden simply because I could go out and buy another bag of potting mix but now not so much.

In this episode I go through a number of the questions that I have been asked including how you can revitalize old potting mixes and how to do it safely and economically.
Enjoy and have a fantastic week.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

Ep 35 - A Behind the Scenes Look at Kiwifruit $$$ Growing. From Pollination to Picking & Everything In Between.

Saturday, July 1, 2023 • Duration 31:21

Hi and Welcome to another episode of The Messed Up Gardener.

I'm really excited about this particular episode. I'm going to talk to you about my Kiwifruit journey this past year and some of my packhouse days. Today's topic is going to be including working with customers to pollinate their plants an seeing what orchardists are doing to grow their crops and being part of a harvesting team and the processes around that and that next step of watching and seeing the Kiwi fruit being processed in an actual Kiwi fruit packhouse.

For those of you who don't know what a Kiwi fruit is they are actually a Berry not a fruit and most cases it has skin covered with brown fuzz which is actually in fact edible.

Don’t forget to grab one of my gardening freebees.

As always Gardening can be done in any space in any place and on any budget.

Freebies DM me for:

Nasturtium Pesto recipe.

The Free TMUG 12 Step Guide to Creating Healthy Soils in your Garden.

The 12-step guide to creating healthy soils in your garden. It’s so jammed full of information with actual examples of my soil sampling tests that I am considering turning it into an E book

If you are ready to grab a freebie, email me at the themessedupgardener@gmail.com or flick me a DM and I will send it through to you.

If you are looking for some help planning your next gardening project or just need some 1 on 1 private coaching reach out and let’s get growing.

The Messed Up Gardener – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

The Messed Up Gardener – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other3

Buzzsprout3

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other3

Buzzsprout3

Facebook2