We grow all our vegetables in raised beds. Mort Bay Community Garden is located on a site with industrial heritage, the soil is most likely polluted. Raised beds make sure that we can enjoy healthy crops.
The vegetable garden is organised in five color coded sections, each of which comprises of several raised beds. We grow perennial plants in the green section at the fence, in the herb bed and in some of the centre beds of the yellow, red and blue sections. The majority of space is used to grow annual plants.
Twice a year the members decide which crops to grow at a general planting meeting. New members are encouraged to join one of the garden bed groups – red, yellow, etc. Each group will plan the season, making sure that the rules of crop rotation are observed and suitable companion plants are planted. They will:
- Organise task sheets for the working bees
- Help with seed germination and seedling growing
- Care for their plants, including fertilising, weeding, pruning, pest control and harvesting.
- All members are also encouraged to help in other areas of the garden.