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Your Sustainable Home - Make your bed and grow in it

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Published on 22 April 2020

Your Sustainable Home - Make your bed and grow in it

Did you miss our ‘Make your bed and grow in it’ webinar? No worries, here’s an overview of it, including a recording of the webinar + helpful links and supporting information for you to check out at your own leisure.

Session 1: Make your Bed and Grow in it

Get started on your food growing adventure by learning how to make a veggie garden bed. Whether you have a lawn you’d like to turn into a no-dig food garden, or a balcony with just enough space for a raised bed or a few pots, everyone can grow food. Starting from the ground up, this Q&A session focuses on different ways you can set up your garden. 

Panellists & Chair

  • Caroline Arrowsmith, our very own urban garden extraordinaire

  • Sheldon Levet, a Farm Manager at Kaicycle 

  • Grant Corbishley of  Houghton Bay Farms

  • Susie Robertson, Community Manager (Chair)

Still, want to know more? See the further resources below the video.

Get started on your food growing adventure by learning how to make a veggie garden bed.

To keep up to date with gardening projects around Wellington - Join our gardening mailing list

Need supplies during level 4 lockdown?

  • Awapuni Nurseries are delivering veggie seedlings, you can order on Thursdays. 

  • Kings seeds and Koanga are delivering seeds. 

  • You can buy seedlings from Commonsense Organics stores which are open for your weekly shop.

  • Remember there are lots of free garden supplies out there! Leaves, seaweed, lawn clippings are all great for your garden. 

At level 3, lots of places will be open for click and collect and be able to deliver online purchases. Call up and check for up to date information and try to shop local and support small businesses if you can.

Can’t get your hands on the things you need or don’t have the space for a garden? Try foraging! There are so many wild edibles out there on your lawn and in your neighbourhood. Here is a good guide to get you started.

There’s A LOT of information out there and it’s difficult to know where to begin. To make it easier for you we’ve narrowed it down to some useful resources to get you started. 

For local all-round gardening blogs we recommend: 

  • Elien’s blog, Home Grown Happiness, is a treasure trove of tips and tricks learned from her no-dig garden in Porirua. 

  • In nearby Levin, Kath Irvine of Edible Backyard is a food garden and fruit tree legend.

For tips on starting your garden quickly in the time of COVID-19 and beyond:

  • Goodlife Permaculture - these champions are running a series of 8 weekly crisis gardening videos to get you through. The first video shows you 6 different easy ways to establish a garden bed. 

To keep up to date with gardening projects around Wellington  - Join our gardening mailing list

  • Kaicycle on gardens for communities - Kaicycle is for food security and community gardens. Check out this post if you want to know more about their Gardens for Community Initiative

  • DIY pallet planter box - Ever wanted to make your own pallet planter box for a deck or small space? Now you can with our handy DIY guide

  • DIY raised garden bed - So you’ve got some space in your backyard, great! Let us show you how to make your own DIY raised garden bed

  • How can you bee aware - The humble bumble bee is your garden's best friend. Learn how you can support your bumble buddy 

You don’t need much to get started, but over time it can be useful to invest in some quality tools. Check out our Ecoshop’s garden collection:

  • Bokashi Bin - the Bokashi Bin system is by far the easiest way to get composting at home

  • Bokashi pet poo composter - Got pets? Dispose of their presents the safe way with a Bokashi pet poo composter

  • Worm farm - Worm is the word, not bird. Get a worm farm and let them turn your food waste into black gold

  • Gardening calendar - Never miss a seasonal vege with this awesome easy-to-follow, what to plant and when gardening calendar - specific to the Wellington region

  • Ecowool mulch mats - protect your plants with a 100% biodegradable wool mulch mat. Help retain moisture and boost root grown all while maintaining warmer soil (especially good in winter) 

  • Hemp twine -  fairly self-explanatory, twine made out of hemp. Perfect for tying things up in the garden, but is also great for kids crafts!

  • Bio grow fertili pots -  start your seed in a pot and then plant it directly into your garden. It’s that simple

  • Garden ecoseeds -  you can’t grow a garden without seeds.. and lucky for you we’ve got lots of them

Need tools? Check out our awesome range of Niwashi garden tools made from the highest quality Japanese steel and craftsmanship. 

Got more questions? Get in touch at advice@sustaintrust.org.nz