“It’s okay if plants die” wasn’t the opening line a room of aspiring gardeners was expecting to hear. But Eurobodalla Council’s Debbi Long reassured everyone it’s part of the process.
“You’ll be putting the same love and attention into your tomato bush, then the eggplant right next to it goes gangbusters,” Debbi said.
“That’s gardening. Sometimes one thing thrives and another doesn’t. Sometimes you learn why and sometimes it’s a mystery.”
As a Council sustainability officer, Debbi is passionate about helping people build the skills and confidence to start their own kitchen garden. Council’s free workshops cover the basics of setting up a kitchen garden that suits your space, budget, skill level and household eating habits.
Debbi talks about store-bought produce being bred for shelf life and transport, with some food travelling long distances before it reaches the plate: “An interesting fact is that pretty much as soon as you pick something, it starts to lose nutritional value.”
“While food grown at home might only stay fresh for a few days, it can be picked as you need it and eaten at its best.”
Another thing Debbi loves to remind people is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get started.
“What a lot of people don’t realise is that bagged soil has often travelled a long way before it reaches the shop, using fuel and adding cost, when we have free materials right at our fingertips,” Debbi said.
“Think coffee grounds from a local coffee shop, ash from your fireplace, horse, cow or chook poo from a local farm, and of course, your own lawn clippings. There’s plenty of ways to layer your very own veggie bed.”
Whether you’re renting, working with a concrete courtyard or starting from scratch, the workshop explores options like microgreens on the kitchen bench, lasagne and no-dig gardens, and low maintenance self-watering wicking beds.
The first workshop in Narooma was fully booked. Some asked how to keep veggies alive, others asked about cockatoos, pests and citrus trees, while newer residents who moved to the coast from Canberra were eager to understand Eurobodalla’s coastal climate.
Debbi brings plenty of knowledge to the room, but also makes space for everyone’s questions, ideas and gardening mishaps. Participants left the session feeling more informed, more confident and ready to have a go at growing their own food.
The Batemans Bay workshop has been rescheduled to Wednesday 26 August and another workshop is at Moruya Library on Thursday September 3. Bookings are essential and can be made online, or by contacting your local library for assistance.
