On sleepy Sunday mornings while most students are still in bed, Green Thumbs volunteers are deep in the plant beds on their campus allotment, nurturing their crops. Green Thumbs, VTeam’s sustainable gardening project, grow seasonal fruit and vegetables to share amongst volunteers, with surplus produce being donated to students on campus. Their dedication to planting for the planet earned them the prestigious Platinum Sustainable Essex Award from the university, the highest achievement possible in the Sustainability Team’s accreditation programme.
The Green Thumbs allotment is an oasis of calm nestled in the green space behind the Wivenhoe House, and it’s a flourishing sanctuary not just for pollinating insects, but for its volunteers, too. Gardening is beneficial to mental and physical health, and the project allows students to take a break from the bustle of uni life while connecting with nature and the growing community.
Talking to Dan and Sofiia, the co-project leaders of Green Thumbs, as they guided us around the plot, it became clear that these keen beans know their stuff about environmentally responsible gardening. They use second-hand and repurposed resources where possible, and they practise permaculture, a gardening system that aims to grow crops while regenerating the soil and reducing waste by working with nature rather than against it.
The team are currently using the ‘three sisters’ method in one of their patches, an Indigenous North American companion planting technique for growing corn, beans, and squash together in harmony. This supportive planting technique mirrors the supportive environment of Green Thumbs, where everyone is welcome to grow together, literally and figuratively.
You don’t need to be an expert to get involved with Green Thumbs — even serial house plant neglecters are welcome! Why not give Green Thumbs a go next year? You’ll soon reap the rewards.
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