6 December 2019

New drought hardy garden beds for veg at Moruya Community Garden

| Alex Rea
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The grounds of Moruya’s Red Door Hall now have a community garden designed to cope with the dry times we live in.

Sustainable Agriculture & Gardening Eurobodalla (SAGE), received an IMB Bank Community Foundation grant of $20,000 which included establishing a Moruya Community Garden.

‘Veggies For All’ Coordinator Kathryn Maxwell says “Without this funding this amazing SAGE project would not be possible.”

“I would also like to thank Lachlan McDonald, Manager of the IMB Bank Branch in Moruya, for his wonderful support for this project.”

Kathryn Maxwell speaks at the launch of the new garden beds in Moruya. Photo: Supplied

Linda Chapman, the Anglican Parish Rector welcomed the 40 attendees to the launch at the church’s Red Door Hall.

Kathryn Maxwell spoke about the project and thanked the team of volunteers who worked many hours in October and November to set up the garden.

“It was quite complex setting up the wicking beds and we were lucky to have a few volunteers with experience in setting them up.”

Some of the established veggie beds beside the Red Door Hall. Photo: Alex Rea

The community garden comprises 14 wicking beds. A wicking bed is a garden bed with a waterproof lining that holds a reservoir of water at the bottom from which water is drawn upwards like a wick to the surface of the bed via natural soil osmosis or through the roots of plants in the bed.

Ms Maxwell says, “Basically, it works like large self-watering pot. With the very dry conditions, we are so glad we went with wicking beds.”

Ms Maxwell announced that the veggie beds will be leased to the following oragnisations – Meals on Wheels Out and About, The Disability Trust, Hammond Care at Home, Parent Care, Tenant Participation and Community Engagement – Mission Australia, the Anglican Parish and Susan Hume.

SAGE will provide seedlings vouchers, sugarcane mulch and access to a range of garden tools. Leaseholders will also be invited to a 3 hour basic veggie growing workshop on December 9.

Ms Maxwell thanks the following volunteers – Dana Rote, Mark Rote, Collette, Greg Wheatley, David Morris, Julie Klugman, Todd Jeffery, Steve Smith, Wendy Jones, Perla, Terry McGee, Thomas Schild, Mark Barraclough and the SAGE old duffers, Ahmed Lozi, Elizabeth Webb.

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