NParks Distributes 400,000 Free Seed Packets; Registrations Open From Now To 31 Oct

When you’re tucked away in concrete buildings as many of us Singaporeans are, there’s a feeling of separation from nature.

The closest some of us get to greenery is plucking the leaves from strawberries before we stuff them in our mouths.

But we can all carve out a tiny garden in our homes if we want, not just because it’s nice to look at, but also because we can get some fresh veggies.

NParks Distributes 400,000 Free Seed Packets

The National Parks Board (NParks) will be distributing 400,000 seed packets of edible plant varieties to interested members of the public this year, as part of the Gardening with Edibles programme.

The programme is part of NParks’ Edibles Horticulture Masterplan, which was launched last year.

In a news release last Saturday (9 Oct), NParks said the programme aims to encourage the public to garden at home or in community and allotment gardens.

The seed packets will contain one type of leafy vegetable from these 10 varieties:

• Chinese Flowering Cabbage (Cai Xin)
• Chinese Kale (Kai Lan)
• Bayam (green)
• Kangkong
• Xiao Bai Cai
• Bayam (green and red)
• Nai Bai Cai
• Kow Peck Chye (Jiu Bai)
• Chinese Mustard (Jie Cai)
• Huang Jing Bai Cai

The seed packet will also come with a plant care sheet in four languages.

“As each seed pack has more than enough seeds for the growing of one plant cycle, we encourage you to share or exchange a portion of the seeds with others to increase the variety of vegetables you grow,” NParks said.

With this distribution exercise, the total number of seed packets given out under the Gardening with Edibles programme since its launch in June 2020 now stands at 860,000.

“The programme is also aligned with Singapore’s national strategy to strengthen our food resilience and reach the “30 by 30” goal…” NParks said.

Under the “30 by 30” goal, Singapore aims to produce 30% of its nutritional needs by 2030 in a bid to strengthen its food resilience.

NParks will also be launching the Social Enterprise Community Urban Farm Grant, which aims to create more spaces for recreational gardening.

NParks Study Demonstrates Benefits of Gardening

Gardening may not just be good for sustainability, but beneficial for your mind as well.

NParks cited a study it did this year between May and July that showed that those who gardened regularly – especially those who gardened for about one to four hours in a week – showed higher mental resilience when compared to the general community.

“The findings also suggest that people who gardened regularly are able to better regulate their emotions, maintain good relations and cope with stress during challenging times,” NParks said.

“They also reported greater confidence and positive thinking. With this next tranche of seeds distribution, NParks hopes to extend these benefits to more people as they garden at home.”

Registration Open From Now To 31 Oct

Interested? Well, make sure to register before 11:59pm on 31 Oct, when registrations close.

Those who do not have access to internet devices may also register for a seed pack by calling 6499 1099 to register your residence address.

NParks will mail the free seeds to your address as soon as registration closes.

Click here to register now!

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Featured Image: Facebook (NParks)