KiwiHarvest offering ready-to-go planter boxes for $35 donation

From saving food consigned to the bin to repurposing rubbish wood to grow vegetables, KiwiHarvest's latest campaign will provide want-to-be gardeners short on space an easy in.

The food rescue charity is offering raised planter kits in exchange for a $35 donation, plus they're hosting two workshops to provide some know-how on getting the kits set up.

KiwiHarvest has been rescuing excess food from supermarkets and hospitality businesses in the Queenstown Lakes District for a while now, helping, it says, to alleviate immediate food security stress in the community.

The food collected is divvied out to people who need it.

The planter box scheme, is a way for the charity to do something to address longer term food security in the community too, it says.

"One hundred years ago this region was 95 percent self-sufficient and now it is just five percent," a spokesperson says.

"The ability to nutritiously feed yourself and your family with costs etc and disruptions to the regular food chain is becoming more difficult."

The 'KiwiHomeHarvest' planter has been specifically created to offset some of the common reasons locals may not grow veggies at home.

"This is a proactive step for people to help themselves be more food secure in the long term. In keeping with KiwiHarvest Ethos we have utilised mostly excess and waste materials to create this unique package.

"This pilot program would not have been possible without the support of so many on our community."

Planter package includes:

From this pile, to planter box (Image: Supplied).

Frame and separate plant drums that can easily be disassembled and moved in the back of most cars so works for anyone in rental accommodation
Self-watering reservoir system built in plant drums so less maintenance needed
Built in storage to maximise space
Netting
Compost
Green veggie seedlings
Maintenance advice from local gardener on the day of assembly and awesome recipes from local chefs
Help to assemble so zero experience required
Free delivery

Join a KiwiHomeHarvest assembly evening at Remarkables Markets in November and take home a ready-to-grow planter: