Veggie plots can be time machines

Home veggie gardeners can head to Hollard Gardens, Kaponga, on Sunday (16 January) for a free workshop offering tips and techniques for extending their harvesting seasons.

The two-hour workshop will cover the effective use such things as frost cloths, cold frames and cloches, and ways to plan planting so that fresh vegetables are available during more of the year.

"Home vegetable gardening has really taken off in recent times and we're anticipating much interest in this workshop," says the Taranaki Regional Council's Regional Gardens Manager, Greg Rine. "There are proven ways of turning your garden plot into a little time machine so you can enjoy your produce for longer - and it doesn't require you to be gardening all through winter."

The workshop starts at 2pm and the venue will be Bernie's Home Garden, a section of Hollard Gardens devoted to practical demonstrations of different food-growing principles and ideas.

Workshop participants are also encouraged to bring along their own seeds and take part in an informal "seed-swap stall".

The event is part of a year-round series of free workshops and other events at Hollard Gardens, Tupare and Pukeiti, the three Regional Gardens owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council on behalf of the people of the region.

All three properties are open daily and entry is free.

For more information, see www.hollardgardens.info, www.pukeiti.org.nz and www.tupare.info.

Social media users can also follow the Regional Gardens on Facebook (TaranakiRegionalGardens) and Twitter (TaranakiRG).