COVID-19 has brought very challenging and worrying times for everyone. It is so important that we all look after each other and take Government advice on staying well ourselves and preventing the spread of the virus to others.
With sadness, PLANT took the decision to close Tayport Community Garden on Monday shortly before the lockdown was announced. Government guidelines followed, allowing allotment holders to carry on maintaining their plots, as long as they stay 2 or more meters apart.
However, a community garden is different from a series of individual allotments. It has lots of shared facilities and enclosed indoor spaces, like the sheds and the polytunnel as well as shared tools. These pose a real risk of passing on the virus, which can persist on a surface like wood for up to 4 days. The Government rules say that all communal spaces within outdoor facilities must be closed. This includes our polytunnel. Some limited outdoor gardening might be possible, with 1-2 volunteers working to strict rules.
The PLANT Committee met online on Thursday, 26th of March. Given the very uncertain situation at present, we decided that the whole Garden must stay completely closed to all staff and volunteers for the next fortnight. The Committee will meet again then and review the situation. We will keep you posted.
All the very best to everyone! Stay well and come up with creative ways to use all this extra time. Why not try growing food at home – even if you only have space for a window box or a planter. There is nothing like the flavor of crops that you have grown yourself. It might just become a passion for the future! Watch our online spaces for advice and support on growing at home.
Here is a link to an archive of Peter’s vlogs which you may find helpful at this time of year:
- Pre-lockdown message from the Community Garden
- Sowing parsnips and radish outside
- Spring pruning of fruit bushes
- Growing early tatties in a polytunnel
- Soil improvement before spring planting
- Spring composting tips for soil improvement
Don’t have a garden or pots? Kaska’s got a few tips for growing in a flat in upcycled food packaging.
We are working on getting some more lockdown gardening advice to you – please ping us your questions and growing tips on Facebook or via email: gardener@tayportgarden.org.
For those of you who need or are able to offer help in our community during this challenging time here are a couple of links to relevant resources:
- Tayport COVID-19 mutual help Facebook group
- Fife Voluntary Action Helping Hand, helpinghand@fva.org or call them on 0800 389 6046.
- Scotland Cares volunteer scheme
Warmest wishes from all at PLANT. Stay safe.
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