A NEW crop of gardeners will learn the tricks of the trade thanks to a Northwich supermarket.

Schoolchildren from across the area are picking up Grow and Sell kits from Waitrose so they can grow produce over the summer and develop their entrepreneurial skills by selling what they grow outside the branch.

Each kit contains seeds for six different herbs and vegetables, 30 certificates, badges for the children to designate roles for the growing and selling parts of the scheme, a growing chart wall planner with hints and tips, and wild flower seeds to help boost the number of bees, butterflies and other pollinators in school hedgerows.

Children aged between seven and 11 are joining in the scheme from Victoria Road Primary School, Comberbach Primary School, Hartford Primary School, Hartford Manor Primary School, Kingsley St John’s Primary School, Rosebank Special School, Sandiway Primary School, St Wilfred’s Catholic Primary School, Weaverham Wallerscote Primary School and Winington Park Primary School.

Peter Gibbs, branch manager at Northwich’s Waitrose, said: “We are delighted to support local schools through our Grow and Sell scheme.

“It’s both educational and fun and I’m confident the children will enjoy both growing the herbs and vegetables and then later in the year selling them outside our Waitrose Northwich branch.”