Learning, playing, sharing, supporting our community and environment, fresh, organic food, expressing creativity, learning new skills, feeling safe. These phrases help describe the principles behind the Fig Tree Community Garden. Your enthusiasm, ideas and knowledge are always welcome.
ORGANISATIONS
If you are part of a group or organisation that could benefit from supervised volunteering at Fig Tree or perhaps your organisation would like to contribute to community development and environmental outcomes, contact us to discuss mutually beneficial opportunities between our organisation and yours, including sustainability, grant partnerships, sponsorship, education and more.
Email figtreegarden@gmail.com
INDIVIDUALS
REGULAR EVENTS
Working Party
Thursdays, 9.30am to 2.30pm
Every Thursday the Fig Tree Community Garden Working Party continue to develop our grant projects including building new garden beds, pathways and upgrading our outdoor kitchen. Volunteers are more than welcome to join the Working Party to help assist with these major works.
Community Kitchen
Second Friday of every month, Daylight Savings months (Oct-Mar) from 5pm.
Wind up the working week with a potter around the garden followed by a cook up in the wood-fired oven. Bring something to bake for dinner to share with family and friends (pizzas are the most common choice - but anything you can cook in your oven at home will taste even better baked in the wood-fired oven). Sit back with a drink and enjoy some friendly banter while the kids have a play in the garden.
Working Bee
Last Sunday of every month (except December) from 10am to 1pm.
After a few hours gardening, talking and learning it's time to sit back and relax with some lunch and a hard-earned drink. We crank up the wood-fired oven to cook up any food you might like to bring along for lunch and drinks are available from The Croatian Wickham Sports Club bar.
COME ALONG ANYTIME
Someone in the know is usually at Fig Tree Community Garden most days. Come along and introduce yourself. If you end up on your own there's still lots to do!
Watering
Water comes from the three water tanks on the site. One located near the hot house and the two in the garden. Watering cans are located near the tanks. The water tanks hold 1400 watering cans worth of water… knock yourself out. The priorities for water are hot house (these things dry out quick), new seedlings in the garden and anywhere where there is a stake without a plant as this will indicate that someone has planted seeds directly into the garden. Everything else is a bonus. Even trees in the park or orchard will enjoy a drink in the height of summer. Water in the late afternoon or morning if possible.
Planting
The seed board is located under the awning near the hot house. These seeds are for everyone to plant. Take your pick. If seeds are small they should be raised in seed trays in the nursery. If seeds are large they can be direct sown in the garden, however, if planting direct you will need to ensure the seeds get enough water to germinate as you are likely to be the only person that knows where they are. Mark seed locations with stakes. Clearly label all seeds when you plant them. Seedlings in the hothouse can be planted out into the garden. A companion planting chart located near the seed board will give you an idea on what likes growing with what.
Composting
If you would like to regularly donate your kitchen scraps or grass clipping to Fig Tree Community Garden we would be most grateful, as this is how we get healthy soil at the site. Grass clippings, coffee grounds and other bulky organic materials go in the compost bays (no cuttings please). If compost is cold then it probably needs to be turned - beats spending an hour at the gym. Most of the fertiliser and soil needs are met through the composting on site.
Seed Saving
Most things planted at the site are from heirloom seed varieties meaning they will produce viable seeds for next crop. So if plants in the garden are going to seed that's OK because we want to collect the seed. When seeds dry out on the plant gather them up put them in an envelope or wrap them in a piece of paper, label them and pin them on the seed board ready for next season - too easy.
Pulling Weeds
If in doubt - don't pull it out.
Fertilising
The best fertiliser going comes from the worm farms. The liquid caught in buckets should be spread around your favourite plants. It will go further if you dilute it 1 part worm wee to 5 parts water, but this stuff has a neutral pH so it wont harm plants if not diluted. Spreading compost on garden beds that look a little under the weather is also a helpful practice.
Harvesting
Everyone's favourite. Most vegetable plants benefit from harvesting - so pick, pick, pick. Plants bolt to seed or became exhausted when they are not harvested. The only time you will take the whole plant when harvesting is when you pick root crops such as carrots, potato, Swedes, beetroot and the like. Go ahead - you've earned it. For leafy vegetables including lettuce, spinach, celery, parsley and the like, pick the outside leaves by breaking them off in a sidewards motion so that the leaves snap off at the base. This will ensure that the plants keep producing. For fruit - you know the drill.
Playing
It's not all about work. In fact it's more about play than anything. You may wish to have a game of CHESS while sipping a cool beverage from the bar. Perhaps a roll up on the BOWLING green would tickle your fancy. The KIDS CLUB HOUSE, the TYRE SERPENT and SAND PIT are strictly for kids (or kids at heart).
