By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Keysborough community garden is flourishing in abundance, with the delivery of 35 new garden beds.
At a recent working bee, Maralinga Community Garden members installed the extra 35 Biofilta wicking ‘food cubes’ alongside its raised beds, in-ground plots and the original 13 cubes.
The new wicking beds were then filled with a locally-made, specially-designed soil.
It means there’s plenty of plots available for lease at the Chandler Reserve site in Keysborough.
For a year’s membership, gardeners can tend their own crops, as well as meet and learn from other green-thumbs.
Garden president Bryan Hunter said the rows of new wicking cubes were a “breath of fresh air” that made the gardens look more organised.
“We’re hoping to take on more people. We’ve had a few local residents been in contact about membership.
“Meanwhile we’ll plant them out, with any extra produce going to three charities. It won’t be going to waste.”
Already, the garden has donated surplus food to the charities Cornerstone, Sikh Volunteers Australia and Reaching Out Because We Can.
Maralinga has grown in leaps and bounds since starting in early 2022 – with new native plantings from City of Greater Dandenong lining the perimeter.
The new beds were part of a $48,000 Living Local grant from the State Government. The grant also covered a $20,000 new shed and a shelter.
Next step is council approval to install the garden shed – which is parked for the time-being in Mr Hunter’s driveway.
There are also plans for a 10,000-litre water tank with a solar-powered pump.
“The garden looks amazing. It’s growing every day, with more people joining and even coming along to the working bees.
“It’s nice to see like-minded people there and seeing the garden change.”
To join, go to the Maralinga Community Garden’s Facebook page.
