The Organic Garden City Trust, a Christchurch initiative set up in 1997, are implementing organic gardening in schools so that children learn how to grow their own vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruit.

We are offering to set up an edible garden in your school assisted by small groups of your children. This strongly ties in with the Social Studies, Science and Health curricula and reinforces skills learnt in these subjects.

Students can learn to:

• grow veges, herbs, fruit, berryfruit, flowers, natives
• set up a worm composting bin
• create no-dig mulch gardens using newspaper, pea straw, hay, manure, seaweed, compost
• practise seed collecting/saving
• use organic pest control, explore companion planting
• earn certificates for their efforts
• visit other school gardens
• make compost as part of the school recycling scheme
• apply their maths, science and technology skills in a practical setting

We can provide:

• a garden facilitator to work with small groups of children in your edible garden for one whole day each week
• expertise in designing and managing the garden
• information on teacher resources including display material and activity worksheets
• a plan for setting up a school composting system
• worm bins for hire or purchase

We need you to provide:

• your enthusiasm and support
• at least one teacher and/or parent to be involved
• access to a wheelbarrow, hose and tools
• a patch of ground for the garden
• a minimal fee ($200 p.a.) towards soil, peastraw, seeds etc.
• $100 per term for the garden facilitator

There are several kids edible gardens already growing in Christchurch schools including the Rudolf Steiner School, Addington Primary, Nova Montessori, St Bernadettes, Elmwood Normal, St Albans, Ladbrooks, Linwood North, St Martins Christian, Wharenui, Tamariki, Kirkwood Intermediate and Waltham Primary

If you are interested in having this programme set up in your school, please contact the Kids’ Edible Gardens Administrator.

Funders & Sponsors

Supporters

• Keep Christchurch Beautiful - ChCh City Council,
• Trees for Canterbury,
• Christchurch Environment Centre,
• ChCh Permaculture Group,
• ChCh Appropriate Technology Group,
• NZ Association for Environmental Education,
• Mid-Canterbury Wastebusters,
• Sustainable Cities Trust.