A Second Garden

We have a community garden plot!

I know it sounds absurd, because we are doing so much gardening at home, but we don't have as much space as we would like, and this is an excellent solution! It came about because I had griped to Matt about how we didn't have room for vegetables that take up space, like squash and corn (while we have a lot of garden space, there are few large expanses of growing area, mostly small beds). We have a few areas where we can grow larger amounts of space-taking veggies, and we prioritized garlic and potatoes- two major staples in our household. But green beans are one of my very favorite vegetables, and while we can grow a few pole beans against our fence, we really don't have room for any bush beans, and Matt also really wanted to grow corn. So he suggested we apply for a community garden plot. It hadn't even occurred to me as a possibility! I had always thought of community gardens as growing space for people who don't have room at home, or who live in apartments. All of which is definitely true, but why not have a smallish plot as supplemental garden space?

Around the same time we were realizing we should apply, Jessa and Elliot were granted a plot in a garden very near our house (convenient for Jessa because it's right on her way home from work). We hadn't even realized that this garden existed, but as soon as we saw it, we realized how amazing it would be to garden there. There were still free spaces, so we applied.

(Click on Photos to Enlarge)

The garden is only six blocks from our house, but somehow we had never explored that particular part of our neighborhood, and had no idea it was there. It's enormous, and adjacent to a big demonstration orchard, a massive park, a middle school, and a Master Gardener learning garden.

Last week we were granted a 200 square foot plot, and this weekend we went to check it out. It was a gorgeously sunny weekend, and we spent a couple hours yesterday tilling everything up and planning out our planting: green beans, heirloom corn, carrots, lettuce, peas, and squash.

So much potential!

Our plot is 10'x20', you can see the string outlining it. The nice brown plot right behind it (upper center of the photo) is Jessa & Elliot's- right next door! 

From the south

 Our plot already boasts comfrey (above) and fennel (below), as well as some calendula and a few poppies.

 Matt dropped me off another day to plant chamomile, yarrow, and marigold starts.

I am really excited to have the experience of a community garden, and the plot costs us only $43 for the entire year. It will really expand our growing space, and allow us to be much more self sufficient by growing more food than we have ever been able to. We get to garden right next to Jessa and Elliot, and hopefully lots of other cool people, and it's a very short walk or bike ride from home!