Maketū Rotary Club's seed sale scheme

Maketu Rotary member Erica Tingcombe with the packets of seeds ready to be sold.

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Maketū Rotary member Erica Tingcombe with the packets of seeds ready to be sold.
By Stuart Whitaker

It's an idea that is sure to grow.

Maketū Rotary Club is about to introduce a seed bank that will have a number of benefits beyond raising money for the service club.

Member Erica Tingcombe says the idea is to encourage people to garden.

''One other benefit is that a lot of the seeds we get are heritage seed so they are ones you won't buy in a shop theses days, only if its a specialist order. A lot of the specialist plants are quite hardy - they have a tendency to grow well and be stronger, tougher.''

The club is asking people to collect seeds and take them to Maketū Information Centre which is where the packets of seeds will be sold at $2 each. It is hoped that in the future they will also be sold at The Daily cafe in Te Puke.

''We've already got the seeds ready for Maketū seed bank. We'll also be selling seeds at the (Maketū) market.''

Erica previously set up Ōpōtiki's first seed bank to fundraise for the local hospice.

''Seed banks like this run though clubs like Rotary have huge possibilities for everyone. It's such a good fundraiser and its good for the community as well.

''I found with the hospice one we had lots of people coming back and of course once they started getting seed from us, they got more aware of gathering seeds.''

The club has also been given a selection of native seeds to sell that include details of where the seeds were collected with relevant information to be passed on when the seeds are sold.

''We record any special details, for example with kowhai, it's better to scarify the seeds so water penetrates.''

Erica says people donating seeds should put them in a paper bag or envelope - not in plastic - and write the name of the plant that the seeds are from on it.

''That's really all we need, but if there's anything special about the plant - maybe it was grandma's plant - they can put that on it because that makes it a bit more personal.''