Lifeline may help Community Garden project – October 2024

Well, the universe works in mysterious ways! After doubts about the future of the Community Garden it has been thrown a valuable lifeline.

Despite no additional gardeners coming forward, and no contacts to follow up, the group has had a significant uptake in people joining our Facebook page … future gardeners perhaps? 

Further, it has been approached by REAP Wairarapa to run a series of gardening courses at the Martinborough Community Garden for beginners. 

(If you are interested in joining the course contact Pip Maynard 021753281, or 066570172 Heartland Services Martinborough, 39 Jellicoe Street – you  need to enrol, but the course is free).

The course will be basic: the first session is scheduled for Wednesday 30 October from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 noon and will look at starting a veggie garden from a patch of grass; basic composting, seed planting, “patch” protection from birds, wind, slugs etc. 

There will be follow-up sessions in November and February looking at summer preparation,  planting preparation, then planting, and harvesting – produce and seeds, and preparing for Autumn. Participants will be encouraged to join the group between the courses to monitor the progress of their work, and to generally become more involved in gardening. 

This is a new and exciting venture for our garden!!!

Meanwhile, we have planted the pumpkin patch, which is well mulched with compost and Peastraw. Lettuce crops are also going in, along with bok choy, celery, beans and beetroot.

We are on the hunt for some kumara shoots (tipu), we have been a bit slow with them this year, but have prepared a spot for planting. If anyone has a few spares we would love to take them off your hands… just drop them into the Garden at 51 Oxford Street.

We are still open to people committing to attend to certain areas of the garden, so if you are obsessed with a particular crop and would like to see it developed at the Community Garden, drop by and have a chat – Wednesday mornings 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, 51 Oxford Street. We’d love to see you!

Martinborough Community Garden:

 https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=martinborough%20community%20garden