Lara Community Garden & Art Precinct in Lara, Victoria | Community organisation

Lara Community Garden & Art Precinct

Locality: Lara, Victoria

Address: Scuti Court 3212 Lara, VIC, Australia

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24.01.2022 We can once again meet at the garden!!This coming Sunday May 17 for Talking Gardening from 2pm. Anyone welcome. For any information phone 0414817020. In accordance with the COVID-19 restrictions we can now gather at the garden in groups of no more then 10 with social distancing of 1.5m still in place. We will update this page upon any changes to restrictions.

24.01.2022 A huge thanks to Boomaroo Nurseries of Lara for their latest donation to the garden. Cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce seedlings will be filling plots this weekend!!

24.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159391810339048&set=gm.2827694887489067

23.01.2022 Weve put all our start a garden quickly how-tos in here also :)

23.01.2022 A good article on mulching edibles.

20.01.2022 Get started with seed saving! Heres a free downloadable guide + lots more resources for you in the full article: https://www.milkwood.net//seed-saving-basics-...how-to-start/ . Got questions? Comment below and well do our best to point you in the right direction... . . A note that this video is a little piece of our Permaculture Living online course a 12 week, interactive, learn-from-home program of skills and habits where we actively support you to learn how to create household and community-scale resilience. You can join the waitlist for the next class here: https://courses.milkwood.net/permacultureliving . . And the music in this video is by the amazing Formidable Vegetable - thanks Charlie See more

20.01.2022 https://mooncalendar.astro-seek.com/gardening-moon-calendar A free site for anyone wanting to try this method. Im now using it at our place and hopefully soon will have exciting results. If anyone has had any experience please comment. Happy gardening.

20.01.2022 Do you know who Cecelia Payne was? We all should.

20.01.2022 No better time to check out retro suburbia.

19.01.2022 Our Social Sunday was a fruitful afternoon with lots of full tummies thanks to the garden. We will be continuing our summer pick at our Open Day, March 21, 10am-2pm. All welcome!

18.01.2022 Had an early Spring snowstorm and a visit from a pair of Eastern Bluebirds. I really like the pose and atmosphere in this image! Good Luck and Good Light! Steve... Image: Eastern Bluebird Male and Female, Brighton State Recreation Area, Michigan. #Nikon D4S, 200-400mm, 1/125th @ f9, ISO 640

17.01.2022 With the sudden closure of our beloved op shops we need to find other ways to donate. Share if you have given an item a new life.

16.01.2022 Nice afternoon at the garden watching the rain roll in.

16.01.2022 Hamish caught up with Costa to discuss the positive outcomes of thinking about growing your own food during social isolation.

16.01.2022 April is the time to plant garlic, leeks, shallots and spring onions! Tino guides us through prepping and planting.

15.01.2022 Happy Saturday. Heres an indoor activity for a rainy day. A template of white cabbage butterflies to place around your brassicas. Could be taped onto a stick to flap in the breeze or stuck directly onto brassicas. https://cvws.icloud-content.com/B/AaSOtaXnJFk/IMG_3734.JPG

15.01.2022 A wooden chair that's made without screws or nails - you don't see them much anymore! Tom and his dad Glen from Kyneton, VIC, are keeping the tradition on Windsor chairmaking alive.

15.01.2022 https://stonefamilyfarmstead.com/banana-peel-fertilizer/

15.01.2022 Celebrating the winter solstice. Banana boats are nearly ready.

12.01.2022 https://www.sbs.com.au//article/2015/12/18/seasonal-weed-c

12.01.2022 Even though this is a US study it still applies very much to Australia as good old OZ uses Roundup just as much as the rest of the world.

11.01.2022 We have plots available for anyone needing some more space for summer veg.

11.01.2022 Hope there is something in this story that can help you in your garden

10.01.2022 Garden open to the public during our event. All welcome.

09.01.2022 A few of us spent the afternoon sprucing up the garden for next Sunday’s Open Day and were gifted with this gem.

09.01.2022 We have evolved with the trees and are as much a part of nature as they are. if people can remember that then we can really start to appreciate ourselves as much as we appreciate nature.

07.01.2022 With so many folk getting into the garden we will post some handy things that may make your gardening life easier, more enjoying and softer in your back pocket. Todays tip- http://nwedible.com/how-to-use-pee-in-your-garden/

07.01.2022 Crear belleza - un altar para la Vida Hilandera de la naturaleza Hannah Bullen-Ryner Art

06.01.2022 https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/how-compost-fabrics/

06.01.2022 We had a lovely catch up at the garden last Sunday harvesting a few bits bobs growing in and around my garlic patch. No excuse for getting enough greens when you have a community garden in your life!

06.01.2022 Industrial agriculture is turning our farmland into dead soil at an alarming rate. The Need To GROW is a film about SOLUTIONS for healing our broken food system.... Watch the film right now for free at https://grow.foodrevolution.org/ The UN estimates we have fewer than 60 years of farmable soil left on Earth. And many people are concerned that governments and Big Ag want to control what we eat. Its as if our human right to eat safe food is under attack by industrial agriculture, pesticide and GMO manufacturers. Agriculture is the most destructive human activity on the planet. - Rosario Dawson (From The Need To GROW movie) Industrial agriculture is first and foremost a war against the earth because its a war against all species. Since youre bringing war chemicals into the production of food and all theyre doing is killing. - Vandana Shiva, PhD Something must be done. Which is why we spent the last 5 years making our film The Need To GROW. The Need to GROW is a story about real-world SOLUTIONS. Watch the movie for free at https://grow.foodrevolution.org/ Executive produced and Narrated by Rosario Dawson (Marvels The Defenders, The Lego Batman Movie)... The Need To GROW follows three renegade leaders as they fight to heal our broken food system and protect new technology that holds the key to feeding the planet and reversing the damage caused by industrial agriculture. An urban farmer struggles to keep his land after he pioneers a way to grow organic, nutrient-dense produce at warp speed ANYWHERE (Imagine paved parking lots sprouting acres of huge, healthy, micronutrient-rich, organic veggies) An 8-year-old girl scout challenges the ethics of a beloved organization in her quest to raise awareness and make healthy food available to everyone. And a visionary inventor builds a machine that takes waste and turns it into a natural substance that can reclaim and regenerate dead soil. (Doing in days what takes nature 400 years!) Watch the full movie for free: https://grow.foodrevolution.org/ Its easy to feel like the problems we face on the planet are too big. That theres nothing we can do. That its too late. Its not. We just need hope. WE NEED TO KNOW THERE IS A CHOICE THAT *CAN* WORK. This film provides that hope. Youll see real solutions to some of our biggest environmental challenges. The movie is engaging, informative and hopeful without being preachy. It will make you laugh, make you cry, give you chills, and inspire you to participate in the restoration of the Earth. And for a limited time, you can watch the entire film absolutely free: https://grow.foodrevolution.org/ If youre interested in a healthy future for our planet, please watch the film right away. The disruptive new technology featured in the film puts the power to grow unlimited healthy food in the hands of the people. And these breakthroughs threaten the status quo of the energy, agriculture and fertilizer multinationals who want to control what we eat. Many deep-rooted corporate interest groups desperately want this technology to quietly disappear. We cant let that happen. We WONT let it happen. The more people aware of these solutions, the better our chances of passing on a thriving, healthy planet to our children and grandchildren. Watch the movie, learn about the solutions, spread the word and join us in making a difference: https://grow.foodrevolution.org/

05.01.2022 A good read for pruning this winter

05.01.2022 https://pipmagazine.com.au/grow/how-to-make-compost-tea/

04.01.2022 Thank you to all who came to visit the garden yesterday, thanks to all our hard working members and welcome to our new members Lorna and Michelle. Check out these other visitors that are more than welcome anytime they like and a wonderful reason to let some veg go to seed.

04.01.2022 Dont worry if the supermarkets run low, we have all the information you need to make your own, grow your own, and keep you and your family healthy. We are shar...ing our huge online resource of articles about how to make your own bread, pasta, yoghurt, butter and even beer, discover how to ferment foods, grow vegies, compost food waste and make your own beauty products. The Pip Magazine website is packed full of great articles and resources, and our magazine provides even more in-depth info on how to be more self-reliant at home. Visit the website today!

03.01.2022 Mint: Mint comes in all sorts of flavours so many its hard to believe. Whilst I wont try and list them all but I will post the ones that are readily available i...n Victoria, as for those of you in the warmer states check with your local nurseries for what is available. Now before we go much further I need to point out that mint planted in the garden is a bad idea as it can be invasive and can get away on you and before you know it will be everywhere so I only ever grow it in containers. Most if not all mints love water so where ever you plant it you will need to ensure that it is going to get watered each day so that it thrives. I have been known to put a pot of mint into a shallow pond as I have with Vietnamese mint at the moment in the backyard and it is growing like it never has before. When you grow mint particularly the running type like Vietnamese mint as it will take root where ever it touches the soil so keep an eye on it. If you absolutely would rather grow it in the garden here is a tip that will help you stop it from getting away on you. Cut the bottom out of a pot that is at least 150mm diameter this will help the soil inside of the pot be one with the rest of the garden soil. Then press, wriggle and massage the pot into the garden bed of your choice until the rim of the pot is just below the soil level. Plant the mint cutting or small plant directly into the soil and cover the pot with soil so you dont even see it. By doing this technique, youre still allowing the mint to express its mint-ness. The roots can still spread outwards as normal, however the sides of the pot will stop them from spreading further. As the roots natural behaviour is to grow close to the surface they will not dive down and under the bottom of the pot, theyll stop there. FYI As part of ongoing management of this plant, youll need to pull out the pot/plant and prune the roots back every now and then as theyll start getting root bound, circling in on themselves. So there you go, you can have your mint and vegies side by side, living happily ever after. Eau de Cologne mint: (Mentha x piperita f. citrata) has bronze purple leaves and a lavender-like aroma. Eau de Cologne mint is an environmental weed in Victoria. Lemon mint: (Mentha x piperita f. citrata Lemon) has pink flowers and light green, lemon scented leaves. Curly mint: (Mentha spicata var. crispa) has pretty, crinkled leaves. Orange mint (Mentha x piperita f. citrata Orange) has dark green leaves with purple edges, and a strong, orange flavour. White peppermint: (Mentha x piperita) is a vigorous grower with lilac-pink flowers. It makes a very good tea. It is an environmental weed in Victoria and Western Australia. Stone mint: (Cunila origanoides) has a fresh, minty flavour. Chocolate mint (Mentha x piperita f. citrata Chocolate) doesnt taste like an after dinner mint, but it does have a chocolate-peppermint scent. Spearmint: (Mentha spicata) makes the best mint tea of all. It is an environmental weed in Victoria and Western Australia Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens). Also called woolly mint and round-leafed mint, this vigorous plant is invasive and should not be planted near bushland. Ginger mint: (Mentha x gracilis Variegata) has variegated leaves, and makes a warming tea for mid winter. Its also good in fruit salad. Catmint: (Nepeta mussinii) is an aromatic herb that is commonly grown in the garden. It produces clusters of lavender-blue flowers amid mounds of gray-green foliage. This easily grown plant has an interesting history regarding its various uses in the landscape. Banana mint: (Mentha Arvensis Piperascens Banana) A common plant with a candy banana flavour. The mint has a strong banana taste making it a great tea herb for desserts and sauces. Vietnamese mint: (Persicaria Odoratum) An easy to grow groundcover with a strong coriander flavour used in Laksa and other Asian dishes. Pineapple mint: (Mentha Suaveolens Variegated) A perennial herb with pale pink flowers in summer and attractive green and white leaves with a soft pineapple fragrance. Mojito mint: (Mentha Suaveolens Variegated). A perennial herb with pale pink flowers in summer and attractive green and white leaves with a soft pineapple fragrance. Basil mint: (Mentha Sp.). A hardy perennial that is the Basil you have when you dont have any Basil. Common mint: (Mentha Viridis). Long, oval shaped, lush green leaves, white flowers with intensely sweet mint fragrance. I think by now you sort of get what I mean by there are a lot of varieties of mint! These varieties are cultivated here in Victoria and are readily available although in some places you may need to order them in. Not all mint varieties are used for culinary purposes. Some are better utilized for their aromatic properties or aesthetic appearances while others, like field mint, are normally treated as medicinal plants. Mint will grow in partial shade and full sun however in the warmer months and warmer states it is better grown in partial shade and will do well it gets no further sun past 1.00pm. Mint is not that fussy about soil it will just about grow anywhere in anything, however if you are going to take my advice and grow it in containers, use good quality potting mix, and fertilise regularly. Tip: grow some in smaller pots as it is a great companion plant that will help you deter pests that way you can take the plant to the problem. Companions: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, chili and bell peppers, Chinese cabbage, eggplant, potatoes,kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, salad burnet and squash. Planting mint near peas, cabbage or tomatoes will improve their health and flavor. Pests: Whilst they are great at deterring pests, they can be susceptible to some themselves which is rare but not unusual they are, aphids, earwigs, mealybugs, slugs, snails and spider mites. Keep an eye out for the tell tale sign, if they are getting eaten it will nearly always be at night by baby snails and slugs, so you may need to bait them with either rolled oats or a pet friendly snail bait, like Blitzem, or defender used sparingly any un used pellets will break down as fertiliser. Culinary: Uses are many, teas, cordials, used as fresh herbs, garnishes, flavourings, great as a dried herb. For more info like this you can obtain a copy of my book at www.craigcastree.com.au or you could book a video consultation with me, distance is no longer a problem I can carry out consultations in every garden in Australia now via video all you need to do is book it, msg me for details. Consultations include a copy of my book for the first session mailed to you.

01.01.2022 Hi Friends of LCGAP We were lucky enough to have two whipper snippers donated to us however they unfortunately don't work. We are wondering if there is a whipper snipper guru out there that would be able to give us some advice or help. ... Thanks.

01.01.2022 A huge thank you to all the folk who got busy tidying the community garden at our Social Sunday yesterday. A fun day that has left the garden looking great!!

01.01.2022 Thanks to Deb, Allison and Mark dinner was complete after our catch up at the garden.