Big demand for community garden plots
Regenerative practices have been applied since the inception of Queenstown Community Gardens 13 years ago, where demand has continued to increase for plots as produce prices soar.
Treasurer Megan Palmer says they’re seeing a huge amount of interest from local people wanting to secure plots as the cost of groceries has risen significantly. There are 80 individuals signed up at present, growing produce on about 70 plots at the gardens. “We’re back to a waiting list again, but we’re working our way through it as a few people lose interest,” says Megan. “We have whole flats of young people taking plots to grow their own vegetables and save money.”
In an exciting new initiative, a new community plot of raised garden beds has been created, thanks to several grants from Te Hau Toka – Connecting Communities; Sky City and the Queenstown Lakes District Council. Queenstown Community Gardens’ volunteers are growing vegetables here to be donated to community agencies, mainly Baskets of Blessing and Happiness House, and to Abbeyfield.
“Several of our members help at Baskets of Blessing and our new president, Paula Squire-Thomas, volunteer cooks at Abbeyfield,” says Megan, who herself regularly donates preserves to Abbeyfield, such as rhubarb compote and chutneys, made with produce from the Gardens. “People don’t know how to make preserves anymore so if we have excess fruit in our orchard that’s a little less than perfect, many don’t know how to make use of it,” she says.
Members at the Gardens regularly barter and swap food.
Regenerative agriculture principles have always been applied, ever since the inception of the community garden plots back in 2009, says Megan. Many members are into permaculture and no dig, however, the constant battle with couch grass makes this a bit of a challenge.
“We’re pesticide free, we grow cover crops to prevent soil erosion and we use mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.” Garden rules stipulate no chemicals or pesticides, only organic fertilisers, such as sheep pellets, chicken and horse manure.
Comfrey has proved to be a winning crop at regenerating the soil and grows plentifully at the Gardens. It’s been used by Maori for generations as a fertiliser before they plant potatoes, is a healthy chicken feed, and is planted all around the Gardens fruit trees, providing a healthy boost. “Because it has such a deep taproot it draws up the nutrients into the leaves and the flower attracts bees and beneficial insects,” says Megan.
Megan and several other gardening members make a very effective comfrey and beeswax salve, which is excellent for treating bites, stings, skin conditions, arthritic joints, and as a poultice on sprains or breaks. Calendula flower petals, yarrow and plantain growing in the gardens are also used in the homemade salves.
The Exchange Café, The Coffee Hatch and NZSki donate their spent coffee grounds to the Gardens and the plastic bags are returned and reused by the Exchange Café. The grounds are used as a mulch, added to the compost bins and make a wonderful soil conditioner.
There is a planting of native trees at the southern end of the Gardens, and nearby native plantings on the wetland attract birds and help keep insects under control.
