Community Garden Spirit

The property was established in 1981 as a market garden, and over the years it has feed thousands of families and community groups. After the earthquakes the need for people to have a safe place to go to and grow food grew and the market gardens evolved into the allotment style community garden plots they are today.

Each season, community or family groups adopt a plot for the season; the season starts in September and goes through until the end of May.

Local businesses such as Zealandia Horticulture, Tui Products, Terra Viva Home and Garden and Farmlands donate and sponsor supplies. The gardens would not be flourishing if it was not for their support.

About 30 different community groups or families have a garden and the produce grown feeds between 300 to 400 people, sometimes more. Once a month a large shared lunch is held with all the groups, everyone brings something to share to eat grown from the garden. These are tremendous occasions with a real party like atmosphere. The annual pumpkin growing competition is a highlight with groups dressing up as pumpkins and decorating their pumpkins.

Some groups are experienced gardeners and need little support, whereas other groups have little or no experience and are shown everything they need to know.

Seedlings are supplied by Zealandia every fortnight. There is always a sense of excitement when the truck arrives, and groups are always quick to get the plants in the ground. By having such great quality seedlings the results are amazing - it is not uncommon to find heads of broccoli 20cm in diameter! Bok choy is usually ready to harvest within a month of planting, tomatoes just thrive and as for lettuces, these grow prolifically all year round. Cabbages are usually foot ball size and the bold leafy cavolo nero kale stands at least one metre tall.

My philosophy is that if you give the groups the best possible ingredients to work with, for example healthy well grown seedlings, rich compost, the right tools and soil, they will get the best results.

Planning/Preparation

Feed the soil and it will feed you. Every group is taught about the importance of looking after the soil. Plots must be kept weed free, and compost or sheep pellets needs to be dug into the earth before anything can be planted. Linseed straw mulch is widely used to keep weeds under control and to conserve moisture. Organic principles are followed and the worm farm provides a copious quantity of worm tea, which all the seedlings are watered in with. Drip line irrigation waters every plot. Bird netting is supplied to keep the birds at bay and the lawns between the plots are mown by Waiora staff. Seeds are saved from crops such as corn, pumpkins, coriander, kamo kamo, sunflowers and heirloom peas to use for next season.

Groups can lay out their plots in anyway they like, some like to use traditional rows, whereas others like to follow the companion planting model. Scarecrows are encouraged and raised beds are supplied for those who have physical disabilities.

Planting

The vegetables seedling varieties are supplied at the relevant time of year to plant them e.g. tomatoes in November, seed potatoes in September. Nothing is grown out of season because the results will be poor and it's all about groups being successful.

Harvesting

Groups find this the best bit, some members of the groups have never eaten anything they have grown before and the sense of pride they get when they pick there first cabbage, lettuce or tomato is immense.

What to plant now
The main crops being planted now are beetroot, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, bok choy, spinach, silverbeet and lettuce. Rows of radish and carrots are being sown as well.

What’s being harvested now
New potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, radish, silverbeet, beans, peas, tomatoes, capsicum, spinach, bok choy, broccoli, strawberries, basil, parsley, mint,

Top tips

• Add layers of mulch around the base of long term crops such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, this keeps the weeds away, the soil cooler and produces a bigger crop.
• Soak seedlings in worm wee tea before planting, this gives the entire plant the best start and limits transplanting shock.
• If space is limited, grow climbing crops such as beans or gherkins up taller crops like corn.

If you have never been involved with a community garden, give it a go, you are guaranteed to get far more than you give and that’s not just with vegetables but be aware, they are quite addictive. Sharing produce you have grown yourself is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Local councils have a list of community gardens in your area, contact them to find out where your nearest one is. Some regions have a community garden association such as the Canterbury Community Gardens Association www.ccga.org.nz. For more information visit Waiora at www.waioratrust.org.nz or visit them on facebook.

By Rachel Vogan.