School Gardening Partnership 2024

September – Getting Going

“I’m really keen to get some support to create a garden to table type program in our school garden. We have a few, very over grown, garden beds, which the tamariki and I are working to clear. I’d love to develop a full program – composting, planting, harvesting, cooking, sharing kai and plants with whanau etc.”

Mel, Carlton School Partnership Coordinator

School Vege Challenge 2023

Harvest Time & Judging

Getting Going

Chanelle Huia-Rutten: “I love gardening in my personal time, as a beginning teacher I have been wanting the opportunity to share this love with my students – it will be nice to share.”

School Vege Challenge 2022

Harvest Time & Judging

Mid Challenge Update

We arrived at Carlton to check in on their garden but were way off the time we had estimated and had given to Ali who is the teacher in charge of the vege garden.

She was super busy on the run but took the time to power walk us to the garden and left us with some of the kids involved in the garden to talk about how it was going.

They had one red lettuce that was off growing by itself in a neighbouring bed. The kids liked the colour of it. It was bright and vibrant and reminds how we are not limited to keep vegetables solely ‘out the back’ many are highly attractive and can have a dual function offering ornamental value too.

They had Pak Choi ready too, the kids and I talked about that. They were going to talk to their teacher about harvesting it.

I’m looking forward to seeing the garden again in a couple of months.

We had a great chat with the kids. They explained that they take turns watering, though one girl, Charlotte, admitted that sometimes they forget to water.

Getting Going

Our kura love gardening and learning new skills along the way, they all have their own take on gardening and all have individual strengths.

When Gareth from Springvale Garden Centre visited to deliver our starter kit, our budding young gardeners shared their ambitions and favourite things about gardening:

“It’s fun to dig big big holes.”

“I do gardening with my mum at my house.”

“Strawberries are my favourite!”

“I want to start my own business by selling strawberries and flowers.”

“Growing tomatoes is my favourite.”