Fresh ideas make garden grow

A VEGETABLE garden producing organic vegetables, and lots of them in just over six months, is quite something and this is what Feroza Subjee with The NPO Rising Flower Community Project has achieved this year.

Feroza (chairperson of the project) and her team contacted Forest High School and approached the school governing body and principal asking them about land behind their school which has lain dormant and neglected for years. After negotiations with them, The Rising Flower Community Project took off and now is reaping the benefits to help provide food for the elderly and Forest High’s feeding scheme. “With the surplus stock we are beginning to sell some of the produce to locals. It’s going exceptionally well,” said Feroza.

“Even though we had begun to see progress we still needed more assistance and a few weeks ago I saw an article in the Comaro CHRONICLE about the Johannesburg South Garden Club and contacted Maud Pickup (chairperson) to see if the club would be willing to assist in any way they could. Maud along with Rob Jones and Rou Lindsay from the garden club came to have a look at our vegetable garden and land still waiting to be planted,” said Feroza.

“We were amazed to see what has been done up to now and how well the vegetables are growing, with no fertiliser either!” added Maud.

Some of the garden club members and members from Happy Hobblers Walking group are volunteering their time to help in the vegetable garden. They will also be assisting with seedlings so Feroza and her team will have flowers to sell too. “What they have done up to now is amazing, the vegetables look so healthy,” said Rob and Rou.

This is only the beginning and the garden club along with Rand Water Nature Centre are going to get involved with some local schools. “Seven schools are in so far and we are going to teach them how to lay out and plan their own vegetable gardens at their schools, also showing them how to harvest the produce and ways of watering and mulching,” said Rob and Rou.

Sustainability is the way forward and with projects such as this, children can learn how to plant and take care of their own vegetable gardens from a young age.

“We are hoping to start a fresh vegetable market in the not too distant future, where Feroza and her team will be able to sell some of their produce to help make ends meet. Gardening is not an easy task but can be so rewarding when you can eat what you grow,” Maud, Rob and Rou added.

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