I think it was Marcel Proust who said “let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
Thanksgiving has come early to the SACG this year due to the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund at The Columbus Foundation. We have many needs at the SACG, but lack the funds to improve and expand the Garden as much as we would like to do so. As the growing season was winding down last October, I approached Veronica Anthony at next-door Build the Bridge of Ohio.Org about working together to seek a grant from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company through the Columbus Foundation. Thankfully, she readily agreed. I made a wish-list of what we needed to improve our existing site and drafted a description of our history and what we would like to accomplish in 2010. Some very nice ladies, including Dr. Lisa Schweitzer Courtice, from The Columbus Foundation paid us a visit, admired our Garden and took some notes. About two weeks ago, I received the great news that our grant request was being funded in full. Yippee! I am very grateful for these charming gardeners.
Because of the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation, we will be able to purchase garden tools to keep at the Garden for the benefit of the neighbor gardeners who lack tools of their own and have had to borrow tools from others in the past year. In particular, we plan to purchase a shovel, garden rake, hoes, watering can and utility cart (for hauling compost and mulch) to keep at the Garden on a full-time basis. We also have a little funding with which to purchase or build a small, portable shed to store those tools during the year and the stakes, etc. during the winter season. (I have found a tiny shed within our budget. However, with a little additional research we might be able to buy a slightly larger new or used shed and could even build our own shed within our budget if we are blessed with sufficiently skilled and motivated volunteers. It would be particularly nice to have a shed with a slanted roof that could divert rain water into a rain barrel. Let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in helping us build a shed).
One of our SACG neighbors from Morrison Avenue commiserated with me last summer about the weedy area along Cherry Street. Now, we will be able to improve the appearance of that section of our lot by building more raised beds along Cherry Street. We can then move the strawberry patch to that section (so the neighborhood kids will have an easier time poaching ripe strawberries) and have space for a few additional gardeners. Our grant even includes funds to pay for delivery fees for additional compost and to further approve the appearance of the Garden by placing a rose bush on the sides of each gate.
We will also be building a raised garden bed at each of BTBO’s group homes so that its client residents can learn to grow their own food, improve their diets and reduce their own food bills like the rest of us.
Of course, we were not the only local community garden to benefit from the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation. It also funded 15 other community gardens and gardening projects, including the Good Seed Community Garden program of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in the northland area, the George’s Creek community garden and the North of Broad Community Vegetable Garden supported by Columbus Housing Partnership, the Sharing Garden of the Columbus Torah Academy, the Community Housing Network’s gardening education program, the Livingston Garden supported by the Crossroads Community Development Program, the Hilltop Highland Community Garden supported by the Hilltop Christian Community Development Corporation, the Pinecrest Community Garden-Park of the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio, the Otterbein College garden education program, the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church Garden at Mill Run, Urban Concern’s Hope Grows’ outreach program, Urbancrest Community Improvement Corporation’s community garden outreach program as well as the new Bexley Community Garden, the Growing Hearts and Hands Care Group Community Garden and the Southfield Community Garden Phase II Kingdom Business which were all supported by the amazing Four Seasons City Farm.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation also funds the Urban Garden Academy at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Grant recipients were encouraged to send a representative to each of the four two-hour community garden seminars, which started on February 10. Luckily for us, Rayna volunteered to represent the SAGC and has been taking copious notes to share with all of us (or at least me).
We are very blessed to have a generous benefactor in our community. Many community garden grants are focused almost exclusively on youth gardening programs and are not available for community gardens like ours. Of course, as excited as I am about our February blessing, if we have a lot more people sign up for the Garden in March, we will need to expand the garden more than currently contemplated and raise additional funding.
You can read more about the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation on its website.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thanksgiving Comes Early to the SACG.
I think it was Marcel Proust who said “let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
Thanksgiving has come early to the SACG this year due to the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund at The Columbus Foundation. We have many needs at the SACG, but lack the funds to improve and expand the Garden as much as we would like to do so. As the growing season was winding down last October, I approached Veronica Anthony at next-door Build the Bridge of Ohio.Org about working together to seek a grant from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company through the Columbus Foundation. Thankfully, she readily agreed. I made a wish-list of what we needed to improve our existing site and drafted a description of our history and what we would like to accomplish in 2010. Some very nice ladies, including Dr. Lisa Schweitzer Courtice, from The Columbus Foundation paid us a visit, admired our Garden and took some notes. About two weeks ago, I received the great news that our grant request was being funded in full. Yippee! I am very grateful for these charming gardeners.
Because of the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation, we will be able to purchase garden tools to keep at the Garden for the benefit of the neighbor gardeners who lack tools of their own and have had to borrow tools from others in the past year. In particular, we plan to purchase a shovel, garden rake, hoes, watering can and utility cart (for hauling compost and mulch) to keep at the Garden on a full-time basis. We also have a little funding with which to purchase or build a small, portable shed to store those tools during the year and the stakes, etc. during the winter season. (I have found a tiny shed within our budget. However, with a little additional research we might be able to buy a slightly larger new or used shed and could even build our own shed within our budget if we are blessed with sufficiently skilled and motivated volunteers. It would be particularly nice to have a shed with a slanted roof that could divert rain water into a rain barrel. Let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in helping us build a shed).
One of our SACG neighbors from Morrison Avenue commiserated with me last summer about the weedy area along Cherry Street. Now, we will be able to improve the appearance of that section of our lot by building more raised beds along Cherry Street. We can then move the strawberry patch to that section (so the neighborhood kids will have an easier time poaching ripe strawberries) and have space for a few additional gardeners. Our grant even includes funds to pay for delivery fees for additional compost and to further approve the appearance of the Garden by placing a rose bush on the sides of each gate.
We will also be building a raised garden bed at each of BTBO’s group homes so that its client residents can learn to grow their own food, improve their diets and reduce their own food bills like the rest of us.
Of course, we were not the only local community garden to benefit from the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation. It also funded 15 other community gardens and gardening projects, including the Good Seed Community Garden program of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in the northland area, the George’s Creek community garden and the North of Broad Community Vegetable Garden supported by Columbus Housing Partnership, the Sharing Garden of the Columbus Torah Academy, the Community Housing Network’s gardening education program, the Livingston Garden supported by the Crossroads Community Development Program, the Hilltop Highland Community Garden supported by the Hilltop Christian Community Development Corporation, the Pinecrest Community Garden-Park of the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio, the Otterbein College garden education program, the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church Garden at Mill Run, Urban Concern’s Hope Grows’ outreach program, Urbancrest Community Improvement Corporation’s community garden outreach program as well as the new Bexley Community Garden, the Growing Hearts and Hands Care Group Community Garden and the Southfield Community Garden Phase II Kingdom Business which were all supported by the amazing Four Seasons City Farm.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation also funds the Urban Garden Academy at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Grant recipients were encouraged to send a representative to each of the four two-hour community garden seminars, which started on February 10. Luckily for us, Rayna volunteered to represent the SAGC and has been taking copious notes to share with all of us (or at least me).
We are very blessed to have a generous benefactor in our community. Many community garden grants are focused almost exclusively on youth gardening programs and are not available for community gardens like ours. Of course, as excited as I am about our February blessing, if we have a lot more people sign up for the Garden in March, we will need to expand the garden more than currently contemplated and raise additional funding.
You can read more about the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation on its website.
Thanksgiving has come early to the SACG this year due to the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund at The Columbus Foundation. We have many needs at the SACG, but lack the funds to improve and expand the Garden as much as we would like to do so. As the growing season was winding down last October, I approached Veronica Anthony at next-door Build the Bridge of Ohio.Org about working together to seek a grant from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company through the Columbus Foundation. Thankfully, she readily agreed. I made a wish-list of what we needed to improve our existing site and drafted a description of our history and what we would like to accomplish in 2010. Some very nice ladies, including Dr. Lisa Schweitzer Courtice, from The Columbus Foundation paid us a visit, admired our Garden and took some notes. About two weeks ago, I received the great news that our grant request was being funded in full. Yippee! I am very grateful for these charming gardeners.
Because of the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation, we will be able to purchase garden tools to keep at the Garden for the benefit of the neighbor gardeners who lack tools of their own and have had to borrow tools from others in the past year. In particular, we plan to purchase a shovel, garden rake, hoes, watering can and utility cart (for hauling compost and mulch) to keep at the Garden on a full-time basis. We also have a little funding with which to purchase or build a small, portable shed to store those tools during the year and the stakes, etc. during the winter season. (I have found a tiny shed within our budget. However, with a little additional research we might be able to buy a slightly larger new or used shed and could even build our own shed within our budget if we are blessed with sufficiently skilled and motivated volunteers. It would be particularly nice to have a shed with a slanted roof that could divert rain water into a rain barrel. Let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in helping us build a shed).
One of our SACG neighbors from Morrison Avenue commiserated with me last summer about the weedy area along Cherry Street. Now, we will be able to improve the appearance of that section of our lot by building more raised beds along Cherry Street. We can then move the strawberry patch to that section (so the neighborhood kids will have an easier time poaching ripe strawberries) and have space for a few additional gardeners. Our grant even includes funds to pay for delivery fees for additional compost and to further approve the appearance of the Garden by placing a rose bush on the sides of each gate.
We will also be building a raised garden bed at each of BTBO’s group homes so that its client residents can learn to grow their own food, improve their diets and reduce their own food bills like the rest of us.
Of course, we were not the only local community garden to benefit from the generosity of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation. It also funded 15 other community gardens and gardening projects, including the Good Seed Community Garden program of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in the northland area, the George’s Creek community garden and the North of Broad Community Vegetable Garden supported by Columbus Housing Partnership, the Sharing Garden of the Columbus Torah Academy, the Community Housing Network’s gardening education program, the Livingston Garden supported by the Crossroads Community Development Program, the Hilltop Highland Community Garden supported by the Hilltop Christian Community Development Corporation, the Pinecrest Community Garden-Park of the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio, the Otterbein College garden education program, the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church Garden at Mill Run, Urban Concern’s Hope Grows’ outreach program, Urbancrest Community Improvement Corporation’s community garden outreach program as well as the new Bexley Community Garden, the Growing Hearts and Hands Care Group Community Garden and the Southfield Community Garden Phase II Kingdom Business which were all supported by the amazing Four Seasons City Farm.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation also funds the Urban Garden Academy at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Grant recipients were encouraged to send a representative to each of the four two-hour community garden seminars, which started on February 10. Luckily for us, Rayna volunteered to represent the SAGC and has been taking copious notes to share with all of us (or at least me).
We are very blessed to have a generous benefactor in our community. Many community garden grants are focused almost exclusively on youth gardening programs and are not available for community gardens like ours. Of course, as excited as I am about our February blessing, if we have a lot more people sign up for the Garden in March, we will need to expand the garden more than currently contemplated and raise additional funding.
You can read more about the Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation on its website.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
If It Is Seed Catalog Season, Can Planting Season Be Far Behind?
This morning, The Dispatch ran an article about winter being the season when gardeners review garden catalogs and place their seed orders in order to prepare for the Spring planting season. It also listed a few websites for gardeners to review and order seeds.
Until 2008, my garden was so small that I relied almost entirely on seedlings which I purchased (mostly at Dill’s and DeMonye’s and Lowe’s) for tomatoes, herbs, and even flowers. However, when I joined the Moravian Church Community Garden in Dublin, it would have cost a small fortune to fill my 225 sf garden plot with seedlings (which generally cost at least $1/each). It is much more economical to start plants from seeds. (There are also plant seeds and seedlings which you cannot purchase locally). So, other than tomatoes, I started most of my plants from seeds beginning in 2008. Then, Alysha showed me how easy it was to grow tomatoes from seed and I haven’t looked back. Last year, I grew all of my tomatoes (i.e., cherry, roma, beefstake, celebrity, Ohio Belgian, etc.) from seed. In fact, I had so many seedlings (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and herbs) that I was able to share them with all of my neighbors, the SACG gardeners (other than one gardener who refused to share any seedlings), and the community plots at the SACG and the BCG. I didn’t have any sweet potato vines last year, which was the only request I wasn’t able to satisfy. Hopefully, I’ll find some this year to share and learn how to grow my own. (Suggestions are encouraged). Mary and I are also desparately hoping to grow some shelley beans this year, but need to be pointed in the right direction since every website seems to have a different definition and recommendation . . . . .
For those of us who want to save money, it makes sense to each contribute to a collective seed fund and vote on what seeds we each want to purchase out of the fund so that we can divide them among ourselves. Or we can just swap seedlings among ourselves in May . . . . Maybe SACG gardener Melissa will drive back from Pennsylvania and share some of her seedlings with us like she did last year. (Just kidding, Melissa). I've also spent a great deal of the Fall saving seeds I harvested from the Garden this summer (like tomatoes, arugula, eggplant, basil, and flowers). I've been able to put most of them in small seed envelopes (which I also labelled), but I've still got a bunch more to go that are still out in my garage.
Everyone has a different system for starting their seeds. For the last two years, I have purchased peat pods and put them in covered flats which I line up on top of my kitchen cabinets (and sometimes put heating pads under them). When the seedlings begin pushing the plastic covers, I set up a table in front of my west-facing window, string up some grow lights between the interior shutters and leave them there until I can put them out on the patio during the day. This year, I’m thinking about purchasing a small, portable greenhouse so that I don’t have to keep bringing them in at night while the temperatures are in the 40’s and 50’s. It would be nice to have a tidy kitchen this Spring and not have to explain the damp soil odor to each of my guests.
Anyway, the Dispatch listed a number of websites where gardeners can order seeds. I’ve also added a few of the places where I obtained seeds last year. Livingston Seeds donated a gazillion seeds to both the SACG and the BCG last year. However, they are only a wholesale seed company and apparently will not sell online to individual gardeners. That is a real pity because they have very lovely lettuces (especially romaine) and tomatoes. Look for their seeds at your favorite neighborhood garden center.
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, 1-866-653-7333, www.rareseeds.com
• Burpee, 1-800-333-5808 or www.burpee.com
• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, 860-567-6086 or www.kitchengardenseeds.com
• Johnny's Selected Seeds, 1-877-564-6697 or www.johnnyseeds.com If you follow the great Martha, you will know that Johnny’s Seeds also sells a lot of gardening supplies. One item M promoted on one of her shows (and her website) has piqued my interest: soil block makers. With these, you can stop buying soil pellets (often costing $.25/each) and make soil pellets from your own dirt or compost. You put the blocks in the covered flats and put the seeds in the soil blocks, moisten them, and watch your seeds grow. They come in different sizes, so you can put one block inside a larger block as the seedlings get bigger. The roots apparently stop when the soil stops. I added it to my Christmas list last year, but none of my Santa Clauses surprised me with one. Maybe next year . . . . .
• Natural Gardening Co, 707-766-9303 or www.naturalgardening.com
• The Cook's Garden,1-800-457-9703 or www.cooksgarden.com
• Tomato Growers Supply Company in Florida. www.tomatogrowers.com. This is where I got my seeds for cherry and bell peppers, Asian and Italian eggplant, and roma and cherry tomatoes. They threw in the Ohio Beglian heirloom and early wonder tomatoes for free. They sent me a seed catalog over a month ago. There’s nothing like a seed catalog to put you in the mood to start planning your garden . . . . . I don’t know how I’m going to choose between all of their offerings . . . .
• Bunton Seeds in Louisville. www.buntonseeds.com. I try to drive down every Spring to visit my friend Mary, who introduced me to Bunton Seeds. I couldn’t make it last year, but they will happily ship to anyone who can’t make the drive. This is where I get my famous arugula, as well as contender green beans, bibb lettuce, and corn.
• Cooper Seeds in Atlanta. www.cooperseeds.com. I found their prices to be a bit more competitive than Bunton last year.
• Hirt's Gardens. http://www.hirts.com. They also sell through Amazon.com. This is where I purchased my Organic Black Kabouli Bush Garbanzo Beans.
• Heirloom Seeds in Pennsylvania. http://www.heirloomseeds.com/. It’s a small family company and is where I purchased my black beans, pinto beans and kidney bean seeds last year. However, I waited until early March to place my internet order and they were so seriously overwhelmed with orders that I did not receive my seeds until around Memorial Day weekend. Luckily, that was just in the nick of time and I have no complaints about my dried bean crop.
Until 2008, my garden was so small that I relied almost entirely on seedlings which I purchased (mostly at Dill’s and DeMonye’s and Lowe’s) for tomatoes, herbs, and even flowers. However, when I joined the Moravian Church Community Garden in Dublin, it would have cost a small fortune to fill my 225 sf garden plot with seedlings (which generally cost at least $1/each). It is much more economical to start plants from seeds. (There are also plant seeds and seedlings which you cannot purchase locally). So, other than tomatoes, I started most of my plants from seeds beginning in 2008. Then, Alysha showed me how easy it was to grow tomatoes from seed and I haven’t looked back. Last year, I grew all of my tomatoes (i.e., cherry, roma, beefstake, celebrity, Ohio Belgian, etc.) from seed. In fact, I had so many seedlings (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and herbs) that I was able to share them with all of my neighbors, the SACG gardeners (other than one gardener who refused to share any seedlings), and the community plots at the SACG and the BCG. I didn’t have any sweet potato vines last year, which was the only request I wasn’t able to satisfy. Hopefully, I’ll find some this year to share and learn how to grow my own. (Suggestions are encouraged). Mary and I are also desparately hoping to grow some shelley beans this year, but need to be pointed in the right direction since every website seems to have a different definition and recommendation . . . . .
For those of us who want to save money, it makes sense to each contribute to a collective seed fund and vote on what seeds we each want to purchase out of the fund so that we can divide them among ourselves. Or we can just swap seedlings among ourselves in May . . . . Maybe SACG gardener Melissa will drive back from Pennsylvania and share some of her seedlings with us like she did last year. (Just kidding, Melissa). I've also spent a great deal of the Fall saving seeds I harvested from the Garden this summer (like tomatoes, arugula, eggplant, basil, and flowers). I've been able to put most of them in small seed envelopes (which I also labelled), but I've still got a bunch more to go that are still out in my garage.
Everyone has a different system for starting their seeds. For the last two years, I have purchased peat pods and put them in covered flats which I line up on top of my kitchen cabinets (and sometimes put heating pads under them). When the seedlings begin pushing the plastic covers, I set up a table in front of my west-facing window, string up some grow lights between the interior shutters and leave them there until I can put them out on the patio during the day. This year, I’m thinking about purchasing a small, portable greenhouse so that I don’t have to keep bringing them in at night while the temperatures are in the 40’s and 50’s. It would be nice to have a tidy kitchen this Spring and not have to explain the damp soil odor to each of my guests.
Anyway, the Dispatch listed a number of websites where gardeners can order seeds. I’ve also added a few of the places where I obtained seeds last year. Livingston Seeds donated a gazillion seeds to both the SACG and the BCG last year. However, they are only a wholesale seed company and apparently will not sell online to individual gardeners. That is a real pity because they have very lovely lettuces (especially romaine) and tomatoes. Look for their seeds at your favorite neighborhood garden center.
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, 1-866-653-7333, www.rareseeds.com
• Burpee, 1-800-333-5808 or www.burpee.com
• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, 860-567-6086 or www.kitchengardenseeds.com
• Johnny's Selected Seeds, 1-877-564-6697 or www.johnnyseeds.com If you follow the great Martha, you will know that Johnny’s Seeds also sells a lot of gardening supplies. One item M promoted on one of her shows (and her website) has piqued my interest: soil block makers. With these, you can stop buying soil pellets (often costing $.25/each) and make soil pellets from your own dirt or compost. You put the blocks in the covered flats and put the seeds in the soil blocks, moisten them, and watch your seeds grow. They come in different sizes, so you can put one block inside a larger block as the seedlings get bigger. The roots apparently stop when the soil stops. I added it to my Christmas list last year, but none of my Santa Clauses surprised me with one. Maybe next year . . . . .
• Natural Gardening Co, 707-766-9303 or www.naturalgardening.com
• The Cook's Garden,1-800-457-9703 or www.cooksgarden.com
• Tomato Growers Supply Company in Florida. www.tomatogrowers.com. This is where I got my seeds for cherry and bell peppers, Asian and Italian eggplant, and roma and cherry tomatoes. They threw in the Ohio Beglian heirloom and early wonder tomatoes for free. They sent me a seed catalog over a month ago. There’s nothing like a seed catalog to put you in the mood to start planning your garden . . . . . I don’t know how I’m going to choose between all of their offerings . . . .
• Bunton Seeds in Louisville. www.buntonseeds.com. I try to drive down every Spring to visit my friend Mary, who introduced me to Bunton Seeds. I couldn’t make it last year, but they will happily ship to anyone who can’t make the drive. This is where I get my famous arugula, as well as contender green beans, bibb lettuce, and corn.
• Cooper Seeds in Atlanta. www.cooperseeds.com. I found their prices to be a bit more competitive than Bunton last year.
• Hirt's Gardens. http://www.hirts.com. They also sell through Amazon.com. This is where I purchased my Organic Black Kabouli Bush Garbanzo Beans.
• Heirloom Seeds in Pennsylvania. http://www.heirloomseeds.com/. It’s a small family company and is where I purchased my black beans, pinto beans and kidney bean seeds last year. However, I waited until early March to place my internet order and they were so seriously overwhelmed with orders that I did not receive my seeds until around Memorial Day weekend. Luckily, that was just in the nick of time and I have no complaints about my dried bean crop.
If It Is Seed Catalog Season, Can Planting Season Be Far Behind?
This morning, The Dispatch ran an article about winter being the season when gardeners review garden catalogs and place their seed orders in order to prepare for the Spring planting season. It also listed a few websites for gardeners to review and order seeds.
Until 2008, my garden was so small that I relied almost entirely on seedlings which I purchased (mostly at Dill’s and DeMonye’s and Lowe’s) for tomatoes, herbs, and even flowers. However, when I joined the Moravian Church Community Garden in Dublin, it would have cost a small fortune to fill my 225 sf garden plot with seedlings (which generally cost at least $1/each). It is much more economical to start plants from seeds. (There are also plant seeds and seedlings which you cannot purchase locally). So, other than tomatoes, I started most of my plants from seeds beginning in 2008. Then, Alysha showed me how easy it was to grow tomatoes from seed and I haven’t looked back. Last year, I grew all of my tomatoes (i.e., cherry, roma, beefstake, celebrity, Ohio Belgian, etc.) from seed. In fact, I had so many seedlings (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and herbs) that I was able to share them with all of my neighbors, the SACG gardeners (other than one gardener who refused to share any seedlings), and the community plots at the SACG and the BCG. I didn’t have any sweet potato vines last year, which was the only request I wasn’t able to satisfy. Hopefully, I’ll find some this year to share and learn how to grow my own. (Suggestions are encouraged). Mary and I are also desparately hoping to grow some shelley beans this year, but need to be pointed in the right direction since every website seems to have a different definition and recommendation . . . . .
For those of us who want to save money, it makes sense to each contribute to a collective seed fund and vote on what seeds we each want to purchase out of the fund so that we can divide them among ourselves. Or we can just swap seedlings among ourselves in May . . . . Maybe SACG gardener Melissa will drive back from Pennsylvania and share some of her seedlings with us like she did last year. (Just kidding, Melissa). I've also spent a great deal of the Fall saving seeds I harvested from the Garden this summer (like tomatoes, arugula, eggplant, basil, and flowers). I've been able to put most of them in small seed envelopes (which I also labelled), but I've still got a bunch more to go that are still out in my garage.
Everyone has a different system for starting their seeds. For the last two years, I have purchased peat pods and put them in covered flats which I line up on top of my kitchen cabinets (and sometimes put heating pads under them). When the seedlings begin pushing the plastic covers, I set up a table in front of my west-facing window, string up some grow lights between the interior shutters and leave them there until I can put them out on the patio during the day. This year, I’m thinking about purchasing a small, portable greenhouse so that I don’t have to keep bringing them in at night while the temperatures are in the 40’s and 50’s. It would be nice to have a tidy kitchen this Spring and not have to explain the damp soil odor to each of my guests.
Anyway, the Dispatch listed a number of websites where gardeners can order seeds. I’ve also added a few of the places where I obtained seeds last year. Livingston Seeds donated a gazillion seeds to both the SACG and the BCG last year. However, they are only a wholesale seed company and apparently will not sell online to individual gardeners. That is a real pity because they have very lovely lettuces (especially romaine) and tomatoes. Look for their seeds at your favorite neighborhood garden center.
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, 1-866-653-7333, www.rareseeds.com
• Burpee, 1-800-333-5808 or www.burpee.com
• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, 860-567-6086 or www.kitchengardenseeds.com
• Johnny's Selected Seeds, 1-877-564-6697 or www.johnnyseeds.com If you follow the great Martha, you will know that Johnny’s Seeds also sells a lot of gardening supplies. One item M promoted on one of her shows (and her website) has piqued my interest: soil block makers. With these, you can stop buying soil pellets (often costing $.25/each) and make soil pellets from your own dirt or compost. You put the blocks in the covered flats and put the seeds in the soil blocks, moisten them, and watch your seeds grow. They come in different sizes, so you can put one block inside a larger block as the seedlings get bigger. The roots apparently stop when the soil stops. I added it to my Christmas list last year, but none of my Santa Clauses surprised me with one. Maybe next year . . . . .
• Natural Gardening Co, 707-766-9303 or www.naturalgardening.com
• The Cook's Garden,1-800-457-9703 or www.cooksgarden.com
• Tomato Growers Supply Company in Florida. www.tomatogrowers.com. This is where I got my seeds for cherry and bell peppers, Asian and Italian eggplant, and roma and cherry tomatoes. They threw in the Ohio Beglian heirloom and early wonder tomatoes for free. They sent me a seed catalog over a month ago. There’s nothing like a seed catalog to put you in the mood to start planning your garden . . . . . I don’t know how I’m going to choose between all of their offerings . . . .
• Bunton Seeds in Louisville. www.buntonseeds.com. I try to drive down every Spring to visit my friend Mary, who introduced me to Bunton Seeds. I couldn’t make it last year, but they will happily ship to anyone who can’t make the drive. This is where I get my famous arugula, as well as contender green beans, bibb lettuce, and corn.
• Cooper Seeds in Atlanta. www.cooperseeds.com. I found their prices to be a bit more competitive than Bunton last year.
• Hirt's Gardens. http://www.hirts.com. They also sell through Amazon.com. This is where I purchased my Organic Black Kabouli Bush Garbanzo Beans.
• Heirloom Seeds in Pennsylvania. http://www.heirloomseeds.com/. It’s a small family company and is where I purchased my black beans, pinto beans and kidney bean seeds last year. However, I waited until early March to place my internet order and they were so seriously overwhelmed with orders that I did not receive my seeds until around Memorial Day weekend. Luckily, that was just in the nick of time and I have no complaints about my dried bean crop.
Until 2008, my garden was so small that I relied almost entirely on seedlings which I purchased (mostly at Dill’s and DeMonye’s and Lowe’s) for tomatoes, herbs, and even flowers. However, when I joined the Moravian Church Community Garden in Dublin, it would have cost a small fortune to fill my 225 sf garden plot with seedlings (which generally cost at least $1/each). It is much more economical to start plants from seeds. (There are also plant seeds and seedlings which you cannot purchase locally). So, other than tomatoes, I started most of my plants from seeds beginning in 2008. Then, Alysha showed me how easy it was to grow tomatoes from seed and I haven’t looked back. Last year, I grew all of my tomatoes (i.e., cherry, roma, beefstake, celebrity, Ohio Belgian, etc.) from seed. In fact, I had so many seedlings (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and herbs) that I was able to share them with all of my neighbors, the SACG gardeners (other than one gardener who refused to share any seedlings), and the community plots at the SACG and the BCG. I didn’t have any sweet potato vines last year, which was the only request I wasn’t able to satisfy. Hopefully, I’ll find some this year to share and learn how to grow my own. (Suggestions are encouraged). Mary and I are also desparately hoping to grow some shelley beans this year, but need to be pointed in the right direction since every website seems to have a different definition and recommendation . . . . .
For those of us who want to save money, it makes sense to each contribute to a collective seed fund and vote on what seeds we each want to purchase out of the fund so that we can divide them among ourselves. Or we can just swap seedlings among ourselves in May . . . . Maybe SACG gardener Melissa will drive back from Pennsylvania and share some of her seedlings with us like she did last year. (Just kidding, Melissa). I've also spent a great deal of the Fall saving seeds I harvested from the Garden this summer (like tomatoes, arugula, eggplant, basil, and flowers). I've been able to put most of them in small seed envelopes (which I also labelled), but I've still got a bunch more to go that are still out in my garage.
Everyone has a different system for starting their seeds. For the last two years, I have purchased peat pods and put them in covered flats which I line up on top of my kitchen cabinets (and sometimes put heating pads under them). When the seedlings begin pushing the plastic covers, I set up a table in front of my west-facing window, string up some grow lights between the interior shutters and leave them there until I can put them out on the patio during the day. This year, I’m thinking about purchasing a small, portable greenhouse so that I don’t have to keep bringing them in at night while the temperatures are in the 40’s and 50’s. It would be nice to have a tidy kitchen this Spring and not have to explain the damp soil odor to each of my guests.
Anyway, the Dispatch listed a number of websites where gardeners can order seeds. I’ve also added a few of the places where I obtained seeds last year. Livingston Seeds donated a gazillion seeds to both the SACG and the BCG last year. However, they are only a wholesale seed company and apparently will not sell online to individual gardeners. That is a real pity because they have very lovely lettuces (especially romaine) and tomatoes. Look for their seeds at your favorite neighborhood garden center.
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, 1-866-653-7333, www.rareseeds.com
• Burpee, 1-800-333-5808 or www.burpee.com
• John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, 860-567-6086 or www.kitchengardenseeds.com
• Johnny's Selected Seeds, 1-877-564-6697 or www.johnnyseeds.com If you follow the great Martha, you will know that Johnny’s Seeds also sells a lot of gardening supplies. One item M promoted on one of her shows (and her website) has piqued my interest: soil block makers. With these, you can stop buying soil pellets (often costing $.25/each) and make soil pellets from your own dirt or compost. You put the blocks in the covered flats and put the seeds in the soil blocks, moisten them, and watch your seeds grow. They come in different sizes, so you can put one block inside a larger block as the seedlings get bigger. The roots apparently stop when the soil stops. I added it to my Christmas list last year, but none of my Santa Clauses surprised me with one. Maybe next year . . . . .
• Natural Gardening Co, 707-766-9303 or www.naturalgardening.com
• The Cook's Garden,1-800-457-9703 or www.cooksgarden.com
• Tomato Growers Supply Company in Florida. www.tomatogrowers.com. This is where I got my seeds for cherry and bell peppers, Asian and Italian eggplant, and roma and cherry tomatoes. They threw in the Ohio Beglian heirloom and early wonder tomatoes for free. They sent me a seed catalog over a month ago. There’s nothing like a seed catalog to put you in the mood to start planning your garden . . . . . I don’t know how I’m going to choose between all of their offerings . . . .
• Bunton Seeds in Louisville. www.buntonseeds.com. I try to drive down every Spring to visit my friend Mary, who introduced me to Bunton Seeds. I couldn’t make it last year, but they will happily ship to anyone who can’t make the drive. This is where I get my famous arugula, as well as contender green beans, bibb lettuce, and corn.
• Cooper Seeds in Atlanta. www.cooperseeds.com. I found their prices to be a bit more competitive than Bunton last year.
• Hirt's Gardens. http://www.hirts.com. They also sell through Amazon.com. This is where I purchased my Organic Black Kabouli Bush Garbanzo Beans.
• Heirloom Seeds in Pennsylvania. http://www.heirloomseeds.com/. It’s a small family company and is where I purchased my black beans, pinto beans and kidney bean seeds last year. However, I waited until early March to place my internet order and they were so seriously overwhelmed with orders that I did not receive my seeds until around Memorial Day weekend. Luckily, that was just in the nick of time and I have no complaints about my dried bean crop.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Corporate Community Gardens Can Improve Morale, Health and Reputations
The Society of Human Resources Management website contains an interesting article about how employer-sponsored community gardens can benefit a workplace in a number of ways. First, it creates teamwork as the employees volunteer to work together on the garden (which is generally less stressful than regular work projects). Second, it exposes employees to healthy food (which could reduce employer health costs in the long run when the employees learn to eat healthier food). Some employers harvest food from their gardens, bring it into the employee break rooms and let employees take home as much of the produce as they want for free. The thought is that they will eat fresher and healthier food and appreciate a break on their food bill. Preference is usually given to employees who worked in the garden, but not always. Finally, the garden can contribute to the greater community when produce is donated to area homeless shelters, soup kitchins and food banks (like through the Plant a Row program).
The article highlighted that start-up costs were reasonable and decreased after the first year. Some employers actually hire and pay part-time Garden Managers to maintain the garden when the employees lose interest (like during the hot summer months). Another alternative could be to partner with another community garden to develop a win-win solution. The non-profit community garden could help with the employer's garden in return for financial support from the employer.
[Editor's Note: The May 5, 2011 edition of Columbus Alive highlighted a new local business which will help any company create a gardening program (even in containers) and coach your employees into helping. Check out Green Thumb Revolution if you want more information.
You can read the article for yourself at SHRM's website.
The article highlighted that start-up costs were reasonable and decreased after the first year. Some employers actually hire and pay part-time Garden Managers to maintain the garden when the employees lose interest (like during the hot summer months). Another alternative could be to partner with another community garden to develop a win-win solution. The non-profit community garden could help with the employer's garden in return for financial support from the employer.
[Editor's Note: The May 5, 2011 edition of Columbus Alive highlighted a new local business which will help any company create a gardening program (even in containers) and coach your employees into helping. Check out Green Thumb Revolution if you want more information.
You can read the article for yourself at SHRM's website.
Corporate Community Gardens Can Improve Morale, Health and Reputations
The Society of Human Resources Management website contains an interesting article about how employer-sponsored community gardens can benefit a workplace in a number of ways. First, it creates teamwork as the employees volunteer to work together on the garden (which is generally less stressful than regular work projects). Second, it exposes employees to healthy food (which could reduce employer health costs in the long run when the employees learn to eat healthier food). Some employers harvest food from their gardens, bring it into the employee break rooms and let employees take home as much of the produce as they want for free. The thought is that they will eat fresher and healthier food and appreciate a break on their food bill. Preference is usually given to employees who worked in the garden, but not always. Finally, the garden can contribute to the greater community when produce is donated to area homeless shelters, soup kitchins and food banks (like through the Plant a Row program).
The article highlighted that start-up costs were reasonable and decreased after the first year. Some employers actually hire and pay part-time Garden Managers to maintain the garden when the employees lose interest (like during the hot summer months). Another alternative could be to partner with another community garden to develop a win-win solution. The non-profit community garden could help with the employer's garden in return for financial support from the employer.
[Editor's Note: The May 5, 2011 edition of Columbus Alive highlighted a new local business which will help any company create a gardening program (even in containers) and coach your employees into helping. Check out Green Thumb Revolution if you want more information.
You can read the article for yourself at SHRM's website.
The article highlighted that start-up costs were reasonable and decreased after the first year. Some employers actually hire and pay part-time Garden Managers to maintain the garden when the employees lose interest (like during the hot summer months). Another alternative could be to partner with another community garden to develop a win-win solution. The non-profit community garden could help with the employer's garden in return for financial support from the employer.
[Editor's Note: The May 5, 2011 edition of Columbus Alive highlighted a new local business which will help any company create a gardening program (even in containers) and coach your employees into helping. Check out Green Thumb Revolution if you want more information.
You can read the article for yourself at SHRM's website.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Another Sunny Day: Packed Up for the Season
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This morning, the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden volunteers cleaned up and packed up for the season. Mitch, Rayna, Beth, Betty, Dwain, Jeannie, Maxine & her daughter, Barb and Frank came and we got a lot done:
- Cleaned the remaining folliage out of the plots;
- Picked up the litter;
- Planted tulips and daffodils;
- Spread 11 cubic yards of compost over the plots, the flower beds and the raspberry bushes;
- Leveled out two of the compost bins;
- Stacked up the stakes;
- Packed up the scarecrows;
- Dug out even more construction debris;
- Took down the signs and gates; and
- Emptied and stored the rain barrels.
I brought some donuts, apple cider, apples, water and tea and Rayna brought some walnuts to keep our blood sugar up. We all chuckled when Florida-boy Mitch admitted that he had never tasted apple cider before. (Welcome to Ohio!) :) We loaded up Frank's truck and Mitch's car and transported our items to winter storage. Hopefully, the fence will survive in place.
We all marvelled at Rayna's beautiful lettuce and rosemary. We thought we might make a salad to celebrate the end of the season, but we were a little tired and dirty to be cooking at that moment. (We're also a little curious how much longer the lettuce will thrive in November). Maxcine and her daughter harvested bags and bags of mustard greens to serve on Thanksgiving in a few weeks. (Greens can be frozen in bags after you have fried them up). Another elderly neighbor stopped by with her dog as we started our work to share in our final gleaning of the year and, surprisingly, asked for the extra chili and jalapeno peppers.
Registration for next season will begin next February or March and we plan to break ground again for early planting the weekend after Easter in April (weather permitting). We discussed trying to get some blueberry bushes donated this Fall to plant along the north fence so that we and the neighbor children might have blueberries to harvest each Spring.
Another Sunny Day: Packed Up for the Season
This morning, the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden volunteers cleaned up and packed up for the season. Mitch, Rayna, Beth, Betty, Dwain, Jeannie, Maxine & her daughter, Barb and Frank came and we got a lot done:
- Cleaned the remaining folliage out of the plots;
- Picked up the litter;
- Planted tulips and daffodils;
- Spread 11 cubic yards of compost over the plots, the flower beds and the raspberry bushes;
- Leveled out two of the compost bins;
- Stacked up the stakes;
- Packed up the scarecrows;
- Dug out even more construction debris;
- Took down the signs and gates; and
- Emptied and stored the rain barrels.
I brought some donuts, apple cider, apples, water and tea and Rayna brought some walnuts to keep our blood sugar up. We all chuckled when Florida-boy Mitch admitted that he had never tasted apple cider before. (Welcome to Ohio!) :) We loaded up Frank's truck and Mitch's car and transported our items to winter storage. Hopefully, the fence will survive in place.
We all marvelled at Rayna's beautiful lettuce and rosemary. We thought we might make a salad to celebrate the end of the season, but we were a little tired and dirty to be cooking at that moment. (We're also a little curious how much longer the lettuce will thrive in November). Maxcine and her daughter harvested bags and bags of mustard greens to serve on Thanksgiving in a few weeks. (Greens can be frozen in bags after you have fried them up). Another elderly neighbor stopped by with her dog as we started our work to share in our final gleaning of the year and, surprisingly, asked for the extra chili and jalapeno peppers.
Registration for next season will begin next February or March and we plan to break ground again for early planting the weekend after Easter in April (weather permitting). We discussed trying to get some blueberry bushes donated this Fall to plant along the north fence so that we and the neighbor children might have blueberries to harvest each Spring.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
So This Is What 10 Cubic Yards Looks Like
In anticipation of the winter, we are preparing to add some more compost to the Garden so that we will still have super soil next Spring. This morning, Shane Yokum of Grove City delivered 10 cubic yards of Com-Til Plus compost from the City's facility on Jackson Pike. The City gave us this compost for free and Yokum Trucking gave us a 33% discount off his normal delivery fee.
This afternoon, Build the Bridge of Ohio, Org generously gave me a check to cover the morning's delivery fee. Isn't life grand? (I'll be helping BTBO with a pilot gardening project for its new Moms on the Move program (for single mothers and their children) next Spring).
Now, this is what 10 cubic yards of compost looks like. And we get the joy of spreading this on Saturday morning, beginning at 9:00 a.m. We will need as many wheelbarrows, shovels and garden rakes as can be mustered. Unlike last Spring, we will not also be spreading mulch and only have half as much compost to distribute.
I will also have lots of apple cider, hot tea, donuts and apples to keep up the blood sugar level of our volunteers. We will have lots of sun and -- unlike last April -- it will NOT be hot and we won't get sunburned. Everyone should feel free to come and pitch in.
So This Is What 10 Cubic Yards Looks Like
In anticipation of the winter, we are preparing to add some more compost to the Garden so that we will still have super soil next Spring. This morning, Shane Yokum of Grove City delivered 10 cubic yards of Com-Til Plus compost from the City's facility on Jackson Pike. The City gave us this compost for free and Yokum Trucking gave us a 33% discount off his normal delivery fee.
This afternoon, Build the Bridge of Ohio, Org generously gave me a check to cover the morning's delivery fee. Isn't life grand? (I'll be helping BTBO with a pilot gardening project for its new Moms on the Move program (for single mothers and their children) next Spring).
Now, this is what 10 cubic yards of compost looks like. And we get the joy of spreading this on Saturday morning, beginning at 9:00 a.m. We will need as many wheelbarrows, shovels and garden rakes as can be mustered. Unlike last Spring, we will not also be spreading mulch and only have half as much compost to distribute.
I will also have lots of apple cider, hot tea, donuts and apples to keep up the blood sugar level of our volunteers. We will have lots of sun and -- unlike last April -- it will NOT be hot and we won't get sunburned. Everyone should feel free to come and pitch in.
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