Going Green in Aspire Tarneit Square’s Sustainability Garden
Since opening, Aspire Tarneit Square has looked after a thriving sustainability garden. Once a row of empty planter boxes, the garden is now home to many thriving veggies and herbs. The children love spending time in the garden and learning about how to care for it.
The composting worm farm is a key part of the centre’s sustainability garden. These small, slimy (and gross to some), critters break down leftover food from the centre, any residual leaf litter, and any other natural scraps. What’s left over is gorgeous, nutrient-rich fertiliser that is mixed in with the plant’s soil. As well as that, the compost bin also produces worm juice! This super-charged liquid is the concentrate of all the liquid left in the worm farm. The juice can then be mixed into water in a watering can and sprinkled over any plants. Plants love the extra nutrients that the worm juice provides.
Families at Aspire Tarneit Square also love taking bottles of worm juice home to help their own gardens. One family has attributed the success of their cucumber patch to the centre’s worm juice. The worm juice is so popular that it often runs out before more can be made.
There’s nothing quite like eating your own produce in a freshly-cooked meal. Luckily for the children at Aspire Tarneit Square, this is a regular treat! All sorts of thrive in the sustainability garden, including parsley, mint, green capsicums, spinach and broccoli. The Centre Chef then uses the harvested goods in her cooking.
The kinder children love to look after the veggie patch, taking turns watering the plants, picking out weeds, and warding off caterpillars. They all feel a responsibility to take care of the garden, and love to see it thrive. Erna, one of the centre’s incredible Kindergarten Teachers, has a passion for the environment and leads the sustainability program. Learning about gardening and where food comes from is important in early childhood education. This helps them learn about the plant cycle, what plants need to grow and produce food, and allows them to connect the dots between the food they eat at home and where it comes from.
There are currently spaces available in Aspire Tarneit Square. If you’d like your children to grow and develop in an environment that truly cares for their development, take a guided tour of the centre. Learn more at the links below:
