Spring is just around the corner

The Southbank Sustainability Group (SSG) has made a start on spring planting.

Beds have been composted, seeds and seedlings planted, and mulch put on top to help conserve water.

We will have plenty of leafy salad greens and herbs in a few weeks. In the interim we are starting to harvest turnips, radishes, silver beet and spinach.

We are looking for volunteers to help with watering the gardens over spring and summer so email us using the address below if you are interested.

We also have some spare capacity in our worm farms if you would like to bring your leftover vegetable matter. Again, email us and we will include you on the “worm feeding” roster.

We have had quite a few people ask us about this bright green herb which is producing lots of new growth.

It is called Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and is a herb in the parsley family. You will often see it referred to in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine systems.

It is great to add a little to a salad of mixed greens – pick the leaves while they are young and small and don’t add too much as it has a bitter flavour.

As part of the Southbank Sustainability Group’s community activities, we have attended sessions of the children’s play group at the Boyd Community Hub talking to parents and carers about what is in the garden and how to use the vegetables and herbs.

The children have enthusiastically watered the garden beds with the assistance of their carers. These sessions provide a great opportunity for children in the high-rise buildings of Southbank to learn a little more about nature.

Watch out for our next sustainability focussed event “Darning and Needle-felting – Fix Your Woollens” which will be advertised on our Facebook page in the next few weeks.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, October 14, from 11.30am to 1pm, at the Boyd Community Hub with the assistance of the City of Melbourne. It will provide you with an opportunity to learn about the art of caring and repairing your winter woollens.

You will learn some different forms of darning along with how to needle felt to fix those holes and make your woollens last making them a delight to wear again. Mending is a great life skill which can save you money, save your clothes and reduce your impact on the environment.

Visit our Facebook page if you are looking for information on how to live more sustainably. There are guides on subjects as diverse as sustainable travel, reducing the impacts of your pets on the environment, volunteering, and food composting.

About the group

Southbank Sustainability Group is a solutions-focussed community group of Southbank residents working to bring positive change in sustainability practices. Reach us at [email protected] or facebook.com/SouthbankSustainabilityGroup

If you are interested in getting involved with SSG, send us an email or come to one of the upcoming meet-ups. •