Children gather in Charlottetown to learn about gardening with limited space

Over a dozen kids gathered at a local park in Charlottetown on Saturday to learn about container gardening.

It was part of a free event held by the city, led by The Burly Farmer, a pair of part-time farmers who specialize in high-density urban farming.

That means they use small spaces to grow fruit and vegetables.

On Saturday, the duo had children from age six to 10 start vegetables in plastic buckets to take home. The group also planted veggies at the community garden at Orlebar Park.

"We had a great opportunity to teach a few youngsters how to grow some vegetables, a little bit about container gardening," said Tom Lund, co-owner of The Burly Farmer.

The business donated the plants so the event could be put on for free.

"They had a lot of fun and it's great to see the kids involved in that sort of thing. It's really important to try to get kids involved in growing food."

Seven-year-old Sukriti Alchuru planted lettuce and cherry tomatoes in a container to take home.

"I like them," she said. "I have done this at home … I planted peas and beans," she said.

Alchuru said she would like to learn more about gardening and would come back if more events were held.

Gia McCormick was another one of the kids gardening at Orlebar Park.

"I just planted some vegetables, and I grew some broccoli a little, and also I grew a few tomatoes," she said, noting that carrots are her favourite.

McCormick doesn't have a garden at home, but said she "loved" the experience.

"Maybe I just might make my own garden," she said.

McCormick said she will be back to check on some of the plants she put in the community garden, and might even take a few veggies for herself.

The workshop also included filling four community vegetables planted in Orlebar Park.

Ankush Gowda, 10, said he took a liking to gardening when he started helping his parents with it at the age of six.

Gowda said he planted all kinds of vegetables at the community garden so people can harvest them to eat.

He decided to plant carrots in a container to take home.

"I planted carrot seeds, you can't see them because the seeds are really really really small," he said. "I decided to choose carrots because like at my house I have, like, tomatoes, lettuce and all the other options here."

Gowda said he has a giant garden at home. Broccoli was also an option to plant, but he said he didn't plant any to take home because he doesn't like it.

Lund said The Burly Farmer is planning five more workshops throughout the summer geared toward people interested in gardening in small spaces who are a bit older.

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