National Organic Week

Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September 2024 is National Organic Week

It's all about learning and knowing where your food comes from.

To celebrate National Organic Week, we have added some new resources to our waste pages to assist with getting started in growing some of your own food, and dealing with food waste. So while we are spending time at home this National Organic Week take a look at our ideas to help you grow some of your own food and manage your food waste at home. There are even activities for the kids!

• Check out the container gardening video below for small spaces and renters and our suggestions for the best plants to start with.
• Find out more about worm farming and composting to create your own organic fertiliser at home. There are videos and fact sheets to get you started.
• At school? Tumbleweed have a range of lesson plans for students to learn more about composting, worm farming and reducing waste.
• Have a go at our crosswords and find a words about worms, composting and a whole range of waste themes.
• Find out how using your garden organics bins properly helps make compost we can all use.

Do you rent or live in an apartment? Try container gardening.

This clip provides some great advice. Costa chats with a couple who have mastered container gardening.

Trying a herb garden in containers?

Easy herbs to start with include chives, mint, parsley, sage, oregano and rosemary. You can cut and use the herbs when you need them, that way they don't sit in your fridge and wilt or go off.

What are the best container vegetables to start with?

• Lettuce - It is easy to grow and there are so many varieties to choose from. Try a range of different types and grow a salad right there on your balcony.
• Radishes - These are a great beginner crop and can be ready within 4-6 weeks. Radishes provide a great peppery taste to your salads.
• Baby spinach and silverbeet - Easy to grow and great for chopping off the leaves you need, as you go. New leaves replace the ones you take, providing you with fresh vegetables whenever you need it.
• Beetroot - If you don't want a glut, plant smaller amounts of seeds a few weeks apart, to keep the crops going longer.
• Potatoes - These just need a deep container, with not a lot of space. Nothing tastes as great as home grown potatoes.
• Carrots - Similar to potatoes, carrots need depth to grow, but not a lot of space. Try some different varieties - did you know some carrots are purple?
• Eggplant - These grow great in a container. The plant will need staking to keep it held upright.