Food / Kitchen / Sup Sup Gardens

Food / Kitchen / Sup Sup Gardens

The main focus of these gardens is to provide affordable food, but they can cover several bases at once.

These can help prevent food scarcity, reduce personal or community footprints, boost biodiversity, and provide social/educational opportunities.

Types of Plantings

Different climates and soils may require different methods to help your edible plants grow.

Beds

Herb Spirals

This is is similar to a raised bed, generally built with rocks or bricks to create the edges and help hold the soil in place. These are a great way to provide a variety of growing conditions (microclimates) in a very small space. Herbs that love dry soils should be planted at the top, and those that prefer more water can sit at lower levels of the spiral. Sun-loving plants can sit on the sunny side, while more delicate plants won't mind sitting in the shadier sections.

Raised Beds

In wetter climates with poor soil, raised beds can be a great solution for keeping roots from getting waterlogged, and you can easily build healthy soil on top of clay or other troublesome soil types. Raised beds are often lined with wood, but you should be careful to avoid treated wood, which (though it can last many years in a garden) eventually rots down and releases toxic chemicals into the soil. Bricks and concrete blocks can be used, but may heat up the soil making them inappropriate for hotter climates, or beneficial in colder climates. Metal (such as livestock troughs) can leach heavy metals into soil, and overheat soil. They can however help create particularly high raised beds, which is particularly helpful for people dealing with mobility issues. People with bad backs, or who use wheelchairs may still be able to garden so long as the bed is a reasonable height. If using a metal container, make sure to drill come drainage holes, so that your plants don't end up swimming in the event of heavy or prolonged rains.

Vertical Gardens

Waffle Gardens

These are ideal for places with long droughts and arid weather. Clay soil is perfect for creating the edges and sections of a waffle bed, but you could include soil amendments including compost and mulch to help boos soil nutrition and maintain moisture around the roots.

Considerations

Resources

Oceana

Australia

Solomon Islands

Click the Seed button to the right to find our seed resources. They include guides and apps to help you find the right species for your area, seed swaps, seed libraries, and companies who sell organic or heirloom seeds.

Maps

International

Europe

UK

Grants & Funding

Europe

UK

National award schemes There are a number of key organisations offering grants and advice to community based projects e.g. 

North America

Mexico

USA

Oceana

Australia

Western Australia