HortNZ sponsoring new Nayland College irrigation system

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Nayland College’s horticulture unit is getting an upgrade thanks to a generous donation from HortNZ along with support from FruitFed Supplies who are kindly supplying materials at cost.

With the current system barely able to ‘make dew’, HortNZ has stepped up to help educate and prepare Nelson’s next generation of ‘budding’ horticulturists.

Nayland has 230 students from Year 10 to Year 13 involved with the horticulture unit at any one time, making Nayland College a focal point for horticulture education in Nelson.

Ms Armstrong shows her Year 10 class how to handle seedlings. — Image by: Tim Cuff

“Nayland College is the only school in this area that has a significant horticulture unit and to have grown to support 230 students this year is amazing,” said  Robyn Patterson, Nelson Tasman Careers Progression Manager for Horticulture New Zealand.

Nayland’s horticulture block covers everything from landscaping and gardening to business and economics, preparing students with a variety of skills, suited to the primary sector. “I can tell parents there’s loads and loads of jobs, and also quite happily say this is what earns the country its income.” – Esther Hancock, Nayland College horticulture teacher.

The current horticulture block isn’t fit for purpose, with not enough light and a manual watering system. This makes it challenging for students to sustain a gardening system over weekends and holidays. 

Year 10 Horticulture students  — Image by: Tim Cuff

With the plants not getting enough water, it leaves students feeling ‘irrigated’. The new automatic irrigating system will be of great help, and while it did the trick, the old watering system will not be ‘mist’.

By Student journalist Lennox Crowe