A TOP-NOTCH RAISED BED.

As people queued in single file outside their local supermarkets, horticultural businesses offering online orders of were run off their feet.

At Clevedon Herbs and Produce in south Auckland, vege box orders tripled from the first week of lockdown. “We were getting online enquiries almost every minute,” says Amy Tregidga, who runs the company with her sister Liz and parents Jenny and Phil. “Each week we had to shut orders off several days earlier than usual. It was great, but overwhelming, as we were busy harvesting.”

At Commonsense Organics, which has stores in Auckland and Wellington, there was a surge in demand for fresh vege boxes. They say new customers were consciously choosing quality locally grown food for the healthiest 5 + A Day as possible.

With their farm shop and farmers’ market stalls all out of action, Clevedon Herbs and Produce also started offering winter harvest seedling combos and garden starter boxes of seedlings for home gardeners to plant out. Although their family motto is “we grow everything ourselves”, they’re happy when their customers want to do the same! Order at clevedonherbsandproduce.co.nz.

Take a handy husband “with too much time on his hands” and a plant-loving wife and what do you get?

When Joel Cameron built this covered vege bed (below) for his wife Laura’s Rolleston garden, she was so chuffed she plugged it on Facebook – and Apt Creative was born. With overhead inbuilt irrigation and clear corrugated roofing on hinged front and side panels, Joel’s beds are “the perfect solution to stop cats, dogs, chickens, frost and winds destroying all your hard work”. He also makes portable herb planters and wooden sheds. Phone 027 254 3807 for prices.