Dunedin Botanic Garden - Wandering Weeders (Tuesdays)

Garden collections are highly managed by staff, who aim to supress the growth of weeds using a variety of techniques such as ground covers, mulching and physical removal of pest plants. Hand weeding is a core part of the weed management repertoire. This is where you come in to lend a hand!

With a huge area to cover and only so much time in the day, there will always be a corner of the gardens that could use some hand-weeding love! Enjoy working in a beautiful outdoor setting in the company of likeminded volunteers, while making a positive visible difference, helping our garden to thrive!

The setting will be a garden collection that rotates on a roster. It will include both curated garden beds as well as potted plants in the nursery. Occasionally, the focus may be removing invasive plants in the bush, using grubbers to help with deeper roots.

The core tool of choice will be the handy wonder weeder, allowing the careful removal of plants without damaging roots of others nearby. Short sessions will be spent in targeted collection locations in small groups of up to four, led by a garden Ranger.

Register for Wandering Weeders

Time commitment

Sessions will run on Tuesdays, 12:30 – 2:30pm.

You can join us once, or on an ongoing basis. Group size is restricted to 4, so there may be a waitlist to join casually, or when a place becomes available.

Sessions will begin in early September. Our Ranger will confirm the meeting location the week prior to the session.

Required skills and attributes

• Positive attitude, respectful of environment and approach to health and safety
• Good communications skills
• Moderate level of fitness (able to push a wheelbarrow, walk over uneven ground, work at ground level)

Equipment required

• Gloves, safety glasses and tools will be provided.
• Please wear appropriate sturdy footwear, long pants and long-sleeved clothing and bring any food or drink you may wish to have with you.
• Please wear a rain jacket, if rain is forecast. We can work in light rain, but will postpone in poor weather conditions.

If you have any questions please get in touch by emailing botanic@dcc.govt.nz