Associate Prof Paul Guy and his colleague Susan Mackenzie from the University of Otago botany department have used a glasshouse to grow a variety of fruit and vegetables to give to people in need over the summer.
Mrs Mackenzie, a technical assistant in the department, said she spent only about an hour a week looking after the plants in the glasshouse, but her colleagues raved about her gardening talent.
A researcher and lecturer in infectious organisms, he said he "usually liked diseased plants ... but [thought he’d] come down and help Susan look after healthy ones’’.
The fruit and vegetables were grown in one of the university’s two glasshouses usually used for student projects, but with spare space over the summer and plenty of donations from the wider university community the pair decided to turn it into a way to combat rising food prices.
A variety of capsicum, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplants and more have headed to the St Vincent de Paul foodbank each week since September, depending on what they could pick at the time, Mrs Mackenzie said.
She encouraged everyone to grow their own fruit and vegetables at home, saying the quality and amount to come out of the glasshouse was "on par with homegrown ... Just get yourself some shelter, even by wrapping Glad Wrap around [the plants]’’.
St Vincent de Paul Dunedin foodbank representative Jo Bell said its phone had "not stopped ringing’’ for requests, and yesterday was its busiest day yet.
Every little bit helped, especially coming up to Christmas and with the high cost of fresh produce, she said.
