Backyard Garden Competition

BASSETERRE (29TH Sept. 2020): The Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism are organizing the 2020 Backyard Garden Competition, which aims to spread awareness on food security and healthy eating practices to the residents of St. Kitts.

Registration for the competition opened on Monday 28th September and will continue until midnight on Saturday 31st October, 2020. The official launch for the Backyard Competition will be held on Saturday 10th October, 2020. The competition will be judged on the following three areas of interest:

• Vegetable Gardener: any individual with a vegetable garden within a space less than 10,00 square feet of land without the use of hired loabour.
• Ornamental Gardener: any individual with an ornamental garden within a space less than 10,000 square feet of land without the use of hired labour.
• Professional Landscaping: any individual, group or institution with an ornamental garden with the use of hired labour.

Entries into any category can include the residential front, side, back or entire property once it is less than 10,000 square feet.

All interested persons must complete and sign the registration form acknowledging their full participation and respect for the guidelines/rules and regulations of this competition. The registration form and guidelines of the competition can be accessed by clicking here.

All registration forms must be submitted to the Department of Agriculture or the Ministry of Tourism before midnight on Saturday 31st October, 2020. An Inspection will be done on your garden and feedback provided on your eligibility within two (2) days of registration.

Judging periods for the competition will be held in February and March 2021.

Additionally, the Department of Agriculture will be hosting a compost workshop for backyard gardeners at 8:30 am on Thursday 8th October, 2020 at the department of Agriculture.

The ALCAS Community group will be providing organic mulch to backyard gardeners and institutions at a reduced rate during the entire competition. Also, Argimato indicated that all backyard seed packets will be sold at a reduced rate for the remainder of the year.