Gardening families save cash - and eat better, too

A community garden at Ohinemutu is teaching members the way to be self-sufficient - and to save money at the same time.
The community garden supports the nearby marae and families.
With funding from Te Puni Kokiri, Ohinemutu resident Tuhipo Kereopa, with the help of other residents, has set up a community garden on whanau land bordering Lake Rotorua. They have also done restoration work and planting along the Ohinemutu stream.
Since the garden was developed nine months ago it has flourished under the tender care of Rotorua Primary School pupils who have made compost as they learn about gardening.
"It's hard for many families today to make ends meet. It's about teaching the children to garden and growing vegetables for the people in the village. As the children learn the whanau come in and learn also. They are sharing their knowledge," she said. "This was what it was like in the old days - everyone supporting each other."
With the Christchurch earthquake fresh in people's minds and the recession biting into household budgets, gardening helped feed families, Ms Kereopa said.
"People need to learn to be self sufficient. We have to be realistic - nobody is safe from all this," she said. "It saves money too. Lots of families can't afford fresh vegetables today."
However, the Ohinemutu gardeners have had a few things to contend with - including pukeko which eat just about anything growing, especially watermelon.
As a result, the gardens have been built in raised boxes and surrounded with chicken mesh.
"Pukeko are a big problem. They eat everything in sight. You can't blame them because we have taken their environment," she said. With vegetables flourishing, attention can now be put towards developing a wetland on the lake, just out from Ohinemutu where watercress will be grown.
Meanwhile, Rotorua's Denise La Grouw, who formed the Hannahs Bay community garden three years ago, said growing fresh vegetables not only saved people money but provided families with nutritious food they wouldn't normally buy because of costs.
"It's not only going to save you a lot of money, families are eating healthier," she said.
Raised gardens could be made using recycled materials like old bottles or old tyres stacked on top of each other for planting potatoes and making rich soil, Miss La Grouw said.
Another way to save is to collect seeds, wash them and store them in old newspaper until ready for planting and to blanch and freeze vegetables not used.
"It's amazing just how much you can save by having a garden," she said.
Another way to save is to share produce with other growers.
"Most people focus on what they are good at growing," she said.