Tiny community gardens ‘pop up’

SMALL food gardens popped up at the local shops in Downer and Chifley yesterday as part of an initiative by Canberra City Farm, a nonprofit group that advocates “socially, economically and environmentally responsible food production and sustainable living”.

The small planter boxes or “pop-up gardens” are the first of many Canberra City Farm members intend to install in the next six months for the benefit of local residents.

At the launch of the Chifley pop-up garden on Sunday, Canberra City Farm vice president Mark Spain said he hoped the gardens would inspire more Canberrans to grow some food at home.

“These pop-up gardens are particularly suitable for Canberra’s dry climate as the design reduces the waste of water through evaporation and only need to be topped up with water once per week,” he explained.

“The wicking beds demonstrate how easily food can be grown even in a small space like an apartment balcony.”

Wicking beds are a form of planter box that contain a water reservoir allowing the plants to draw moisture from below.

The pop-up gardens are located at A Bite to Eat cafe at the Chifley shops and outside the Downer Community Centre.

Canberra City Farm will demonstrate wicking bed construction and other urban farming techniques at Floriade 2014.

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