An Angus project is set to yield a new crop of community gardeners.
Raised bed kits have been readied to go out to locals in the Sustainable Kirriemuir scheme and from next week the novices can look forward to a step-by-step guiding hand to avoid the growing pains of their new hobby.
There are 50 bedding boxes being sent out in the town with everything people need to get started, adding to 100 built last year.
But people across the district who may already have their own vegetable plot or are thinking of starting one are also being encouraged to sign up for the 12-week Angus growing award.
It has been created to take folk new to gardening through the journey of planting, nurturing and ultimately savouring the fruits – or vegetables – of their labours.
The Nourish Kirriemuir initiative is a branch of the Sustainable Kirriemuir scheme and professional gardener Emily Hutchison hopes it will deliver two tonnes of tasty produce in the town in the coming year.
Emily said: “We have designed it to be suitable for complete beginners or people with 1-2 years gardening experience.”
Local support
George Maxwell of Ballindarg, near Kirrie has made up the 50 raised beds and project participants will follow the course devised by Rose Benoy.
Local gardening expert Ally Bruce at Pathhead is also involved with the supply of compost for the project.
Emily said: “The course includes all of the information people need to take their garden vegetable plot from soil and seed to a healthy harvest, in a sustainable and wildlife-friendly way.
“It looks at reducing the amount of pesticides and encouraging pollinators into the garden.”
“There are so many ways of gardening and this is a way of people learning together.
Nourish Kirriemuir growing leader Emily Hutchison
She said the pandemic had driven home to many the value of ‘grow your own’.
“Last year people really became aware of the food system and many found it a really good thing to grow your own,” said Emily.
Many turned to home growing to occupy their time during the pandemic and avoid journeys to the supermarket.
Emily said: “The first couple of years of growing is a huge learning curve for anyone.
“There are so many ways of gardening and this is a way of people learning together.
“We give people seven different varieties of seeds so they are growing the right sort of things that should do well.
Varieties galore
Beans, beetroot, chard, leeks, kale and radish are among the produce participants can look forward to harvesting.
She continued: “Those taking part will have the support of a group of experienced local gardeners at their fingertips as part of our community growing Facebook group.
“It has been set up exclusively for participants of the course – there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
“People can spend a couple of hours a week on the course but it will be more than just about growing, it looks at things like the foods our farmers are growing and the geology of the area.
“There are lots of community growing partnerships, but not people being supported in this way,” she said.
“Really it is just to see if they get a taste for it and hopefully decide to continue to grow their own food.”
Nourish Kirriemuir
Emily took up her role as growing leader with the project last year.
The scheme is funded by the Climate Challenge Fund managed by Keep Scotland Beautiful as part of the wider work of Sustainable Kirriemuir.
“I am involved with the three school gardens and Northmuir and Southmuir primary schools and Webster’s High School,” added Emily.
“Some of the children are really enthusiastic and they have really exciting ideas for their gardens.”
A professional gardener for six years, Emily spent a practical training year with the MacRobert Trust at Tarland in Aberdeenshire before moving to the National Trust for Scotland’s heritage gardening school in Dumfriesshire.
“I then worked at Glamis Castle for a couple of years so I have been involved in a lot of things which are very different to this but I am loving this role and being involved with the community,” she said.
Sustainable Kirriemuir
Formed in 2019, the Sustainable Kirriemuir community group hopes to help the Angus town become a model of sustainability and resilience with a strong local economy.
It is leading initiatives to reduce carbon emissions around energy use, food, waste, transport and consumerism.
At the beginning of this year, it led an online business support session around the circular economy and reducing waste.
The group has been working with Circular Tayside in encouraging businesses to avoid plastic use and re-use wherever they can, with good local engagement to date.