Young Garden Club recently held a hands-on community workshops encouraging locals to grow their own food — even if all they have is a single tub. Club president Joy Carter led the event at Bunnings Young, where participants watched a large container transformed into an edible garden using a mix of vegetables, herbs and flowering plants selected to grow well together. The tub included a patio tomato, capsicum, basil, parsley, lettuce and marigolds. Ms Carter explained that the plants had been chosen not only for what they could produce, but because their different heights, root systems and growing habits made them suitable companions in the one container. Participants were shown how plant size, sunlight, watering and root space all needed to be considered when growing vegetables together. A compact patio tomato, for example, was better suited to the tub than a much taller variety that could outgrow the space and compete with surrounding plants. The workshop also covered pruning, staking and watering. Ms Carter encouraged gardeners to stake tomatoes early, before their roots became established, rather than pushing supports into the soil later and risking damage to the root system. Lettuce leaves could be picked from the outside to allow the plant to continue producing from the centre, while herbs including basil and parsley could be regularly pruned to encourage further growth. Companion planting was another focus, with basil planted alongside the tomato and marigolds included among the vegetables. Pollinators also had a place in the discussion, with Ms Carter encouraging gardeners to consider bees when creating productive vegetable gardens. The practical demonstration showed that growing some of your own food did not require a large backyard or traditional vegetable patch. Each person attending received a raffle ticket, with one participant taking home the completed vegetable tub at the end of the workshop. For Ms Carter, however, the workshops are about more than growing vegetables. “We’d like to thank Bunnings for giving us this wonderful platform to meet new people, share gardening with our community and introduce people to the Young Garden Club,” she said. The club’s motto is “Friendship through gardens”. “Our club’s about sharing gardening knowledge, learning from each other, meeting new people and encouraging everyone to have a go,” Ms Carter said. “You don’t have to be an experienced gardener, whether you’ve been gardening for years or you’ve just started out, everyone is welcome. “Gardening is not just about growing plants, it’s about friendship and community.” The return of the Bunnings workshops comes as Young Garden Club rebuilds its activities after a quieter period. The club is now looking ahead, including revamping its calendar and rebuilding connections across the community. That renewed activity will continue next month with a Monteagle High Tea at Monteagle Hall on Sunday October 11. The event will run from 12:30pm to 3pm and will include garden trivia, a plant sale, high tea treats, information about upcoming events and the launch of the Young Garden Club’s 2027 printed calendar. Guest speakers will include Paul Borland from Young Honey Bees, speaking about bees, and Ken Langton, speaking on roses. The event will also bring together people from district gardening clubs, with local schools invited to take part. Tickets are $10 per person, with children under 12 free. RSVPs are requested by October 3 for catering. Young Garden Club meets on the first Saturday of the month at 3pm at 27 Campbell Street, Young.
