Plot to create own winter produce

Amira, 6, Hume mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou, Milan, 5, and Bastian, 3, get in some practice for planting day. Picture: Joe Mastroianni

Budding green thumbs can get their hands dirty at a Hume council planting event in Craigieburn next month.

The council is encouraging children to help plant winter vegetables in plots at Connections@Craigieburn as part of the council’s Live Green Program.

Families are also being encouraged to adopt a plot at the site.

Mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou said the event was one of three organised by the council to help residents get the most out of their vegetable patch during winter.

“Winter is a great time to grow vegetables, and there are some fantastic varieties that do particularly well in Melbourne’s cool climate,” she said.

“While winter vegetables sometimes take a little longer to develop, they often demand less maintenance.”

The planting day is on Saturday, May 7, from 1.30pm, and the council will also host information sessions on how to prepare soil for the colder months.

This is when vegetables, such as cabbages, onions, peas and broad beans, grow.

The sessions are on Thursday, April 21, at Broadmeadows’ The Age library, from 6pm, and Saturday, May 7, at Tullamarine library, from 9.45am.

Details: www.hume.vic.gov.au/livegreen workshops