Media Release from Otago Polytechnic

15 October 2010

Annual Giant Plant Sale on in Cromwell this Labour Weekend

Green-fingered gardeners and sassy shoppers can grab themselves a bloomin’ bargain at the Otago Polytechnic’s 17th annual Giant Plant Sale next weekend.

A huge array of locally grown plants will go on sale at the Polytechnic’s Central Otago campus, sold by its horticultural students after a year of cultivating them. The sale takes place from 9.30am to 2pm on Saturday 23 October.

Plants, vegetables and fruit on offer will include bedding plant punnets of gazanias, petunias, poppies, lobelias, herbs, tomato varieties, figs and strawberries. There is also a variety of natives, tussocks and trees.

Otago Polytechnic horticulture lecturer Jo Wakelin said the giant sale is a popular fixture for the region’s gardeners
 
“We have a great range of plants, fantastic bargains, free gardening advice and the chance to support our very own horticulture students. I’ll be on hand at the sale and am happy to give people advice,” she said.

All the plants have been propagated and grown by students on the year-long National Certificate in Horticulture. The sale gives them the opportunity to sell their course-grown plants to the public.

“The students have done an amazing job propagating the plants this year - I’m very impressed with the quality of stock which will go on sale,” said Ms Wakelin.

“All the plants and vegetables on sale are perfectly suited to our southern climate. We have some very special new asparagus, autumn raspberries and Italian artichokes and also have a variety of natives from the local area, and trees which do well here.”

”Our kowhais are grown from seed sourced from wild trees growing in the hills around Cromwell and are a great way to attract bellbirds and tuis back into the town.”

While the main focus of the day is plants and gardens, the sale is also a great family day out and a good chance to experience what else happens on campus, such as viewing the stone walls in the grounds which were built by students of New Zealand’s only full-time stonemasonry course.

Entry to the sale is free and Ms Wakelin encourages attendees to “go green” and bring their own cardboard boxes or washing baskets to take their purchases home. Items can be purchased using cash or Eftpos.

Money raised from the plant sale benefits the horticulture students, used for extra field trips and additional horticultural resources.

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