Community garden plan, first draft.
Yesterday I had some time to draw out my vegetable garden plans for 2008. Again, I will be gardening in the back yard and at the Bowmanville Community Organic (Ecology) Garden nearby. This year I will be sharing the community plot with a friend who recently moved into town.
On both plans, I have indicated only a couple of specific varieties…I want to wait until after Seedy Saturday to narrow down what exactly I am going to grow this year. I know that I am going to cut back on the tomatoes this year. Last year I was overwhelmed.
Here’s my rough plan for the community plot:
I want to keep an eye out at local yard sales, or on Freecycle for an arbour or archway to place at the entryway to our plot. It will make it a bit more formal, and provide some vertical space on which to grow cucumbers or morning glory. I also have an old half-barrel here at home that I’m going to bring over to the community garden, to use there, instead. I’ll divide the chives I have at home and bring some to plant in the barrel, along with some edible nasturtiums near the entry to our plot.
I’m planning to plant some ornamental and edible annual flowers in among the vegetable crops, sticking to (hopefully) tidy rows, and using straw for mulch. I thought it would be fun to bring in a birdhouse, too.
My friend Kelly has offered some blackberry canes, and I will need to buy a rhubarb plant unless I can get some from a friend or family member.
Some jobs that will need to be done early in the season:
Get on top of any weed issues that arise!
Amend the soil with compost.
Bring in straw to be used for mulch.
Find an archway or arbour.
Bring barrel over.
Divide up any plants or seedlings from the home garden to bring over to the community plot.
Edge along the fence, removing thick grass and weeds to maximize planting space.
Next up: plans for the back yard vegetable garden!
That sounds like a very exciting plan. I love sharing a garden with friends, don’t you? Good luck and keeps us posted.
Good for you for being so organized and having your plan put to paper ready to go. An arch would be a lovely idea and you would be able to grow beans or another vine over it.
Very organized. I share my greenhouse with a friend. It is so much fun to have a partner in gardening crime.
Your plans sound really great. I would love to have an arbour or arch of some type in my backyard, and I’m a big fan of the half barrel planters. I find that in my area the barrels really fit in well with the “western” feel of the community – lots of ranches, cowboys, and grasslands.