Plant a Row for the Hungry - Lowell, MA

Extending your harvest

2010-10-25T01:00:00.001-04:00

How many of you extend your garden harvest by canning, freezing, or drying to use your garden produce in the winter? I've been doing this for years. Many people think it's too time consuming, but it doesn't have to be. This year I preserved tomato sauce, cucumbers, raspberries, blueberries, corn, herbs, pumpkin and didn't break a sweat.

Tomatoes - I stopped using the most time consuming method of blanching, peeling skins, squeezing out seeds, etc. years ago. I replaced it with two different methods and cook in large batches.

The quick way. After washing the tomatoes, I place them into a blender and liquify them. Sometimes I place a strainer over a crock pot to strain out the seeds, other times, it's not worth it. Put the crock pot on low. Let the sauce cook down for a few hours. Add any seasonings you wish. Let the sauce cool before pouring into a freezer container, then place into the freezer.

The lazy way. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Wash tomatoes, cut in half and place into a large roasting pan with any herbs, peppers, garlic, onion etc. that you want, or use none at all. As the vegetables roast the aroma fills the house. After a couple of hours the vegetables should be really soft. Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables into a sauce and let cool. Pour sauce into a freezer container, then freeze.

I preserve using a canning method only when I've run out of freezer containers or want to give away gifts.

Cucumbers - I have bought pre-packaged pickling mixes and I've also followed a recipe to make the mix. Wash the cucumbers, slice accordingly, spears, chips, etc.

Make the pickling mix according to the directions on the packet or the recipe. Place the sliced cucumbers into sterile canning jars, add the pickling mix, put jar on lid and process for the time specified by the recipe for the size jar you are using.

The quick way. Some mixes or recipes allow you to marinate your cucumbers for 3 weeks so you don't need to process at all. The longer your cucumbers soak in the pickle mix, the tastier they become, but you do need to eat them within the time frame because your are not preserving them.

Vegetables like green or yellow beans, peas, broccoli can be blanched and put into freezer bags. Take kernals off of locally grown corn-on-the-cob and place into freezer bags. These vegetables can all be processed using canning methods, but I've had success just freezing them for use later on.

Berries - Did you go berry picking this year? Local farmers will tell you how to freeze their berries for use later on. I always freeze strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries to eat during the winter. I grow my own raspberries and also put up sugar and sugar free jam to give away as gifts. The recipe is very straightforward and takes about 1 hour. No processing is required. There are also freezer jam recipes you can follow.

Vegetables, fruits and herbs can all be dehydrated using a low temp in the oven or using a dehydrater. The microwave can also be used for drying herbs or do it the old fashioned way by tying them in a bundle and hanging upside down to air dry. Herbs can be frozen in ice cube trays instead of drying. Fresh pestos are incredibly easy to make using blender, chopper, or food processor. They can be frozen, but will lose some of their taste.

Pumpkins. My favorite soup for the winter is pumpkin soup. I prefer to buy fresh, small pumpkins when in season. They store well in a cool dry place until ready to use. But sometimes cleaning and roasting the pumpkin might not be so convenient, so I've roasted pumpkins in the oven ahead of time, scooped out the pumpkin and placed in freezer bags so that I can make my soup whenever I want.

By spending a little extra time (not alot) you can preserve your garden harvest to eat during the winter months.

September Harvest

2010-10-18T13:33:00.003-04:00

From land to hand, not the can. It's PAR for the course! The summer harvest has ended, the Farmers' Markets are over, apples are being picked, and there's no pumpkin shortage this year! We've had a great PAR campaign because of the generosity of gardeners.

Over 600 pounds of produce donated!

If you're fall gardening and get a bumper crop of cole crops, peas, pumpkins, squashes, or apples, please Help Us...Help Others by donating locally grown, garden fresh produce to the Mobile Pantry.

If you're not gardening consider picking a peck of apples, a pumpkin, or purchasing a squash or two from a local farmer, a PYO farm or at a local farm stand. The Mobile Pantry's elderly and disabled clients will welcome these vegetables especially since most will keep until Thanksgiving.

Remember, a little literally goes a long way. The Mobile Pantry delivers food to 300 elderly and disabled low-income, greater-Lowell area residents who are physically unable to leave their homes due to frailty or illness.

Thank you for your generosity and in helping this year's campaign a success.

Summer's End

2010-10-01T17:15:00.003-04:00

Summer is over! My vegetable garden is dying out. I started cleaning up the beds and composting the vegetation. I heard from a few PAR gardeners about this year’s ups and down. It was definitely a hot, dry summer and like many of you, my gardens had their ups and downs.

I used natural cedar mulch for the first time in my sunny flower beds. Generally, I leave it to the leaves of the various plants to act as the mulch, but it was getting so hot at the beginning of the season that I figured a good watering followed by mulching would probably be best. It worked out well for water retention. Then I noticed holes scattered here and there in the garden. At first, I thought it was mice or voles, but the holes were only mulch deep. Then I thought squirrels...what are they up to now? I got a shock when a little eyeball was peering at me from inside the hole when I was on my hands and knees pulling weeds. Toads! I did have a few in my garden, but never caught one at home so to speak. These little creatures are a welcomed because they eat slugs, snails, and mosquitoes. I just wish they’d eat the read lily leaf beetle.

Speaking of that horrid little beetle. I tried again all this year to keep ahead of it. I picked, squished, smashed, and drowned to try to save my lilies and I failed again! I don’t want to use chemicals in my garden, but I thought about it.

Hawk Moth pollinating phlox

A wonderful surprise to my garden was the hummingbird hawk moth. It was the very first time that I saw one in flight, flitting about the tall pink phlox when it caught my eye. At first I thought “what now”. It was too big for a bee. Looking closer, I thought, a baby hummingbird? Sure looks small. I did a bit of hummingbird research at the Mass Audubon site. It wasn’t a hummingbird, but I learned that Mass Audubon was collecting data on backyard sightings for the Bird Breeding Atlas.

I happened to be speaking with a photographer at the Western Ave. Studios who clued me in....a hummingbird hawk moth. Sure enough. Another little pollinator. Check out this hummingbird hawk moth video to get a good idea of what it looks like and compare it to the size of the hummingbird in this PBS trailer.

Begonia

Another oddity for my garden this year was powdery mildew on some of my begonias. I have a large shade garden and have been wintering over begonias for years to save money. I never had this problem, but this year four plants were infected. Two of the plants responded well to a mixture of water, dish soap and baking soda, the other two didn’t. To add insult to injury, three hanging baskets broke, breaking the plants when they fell to the ground. Oh well, sometimes you just can’t win.

In the vegetable & herb garden, there were many ups and downs. Seeds from the same package fared well in either the garden or in a container, but not both. The lettuce and spinach did well in the spring, but I couldn’t get a crop of lettuce to grow during the summer. The peas were phenomenal. Beets, radishes and Swiss chard just didn’t cooperate at all. I grew two new types of eggplants (Ghost & Calliope) which did OK. I was disappointed in the yield from my butternut squash, but hey, they were supposed to be cucumbers. The plants were incorrectly marked.

Speaking of cucumbers, I tried growing lunch box cukes. I was really looking forward to eating these throughout the season. I buy them often. I should have known from the beginning. The packet of seeds was expensive. There were only four seeds in the packet, not all the plants germinated and the yield was pitiful. I guess it wasn't meant to be. Luckily my old standby cucumbers grew and I was able to can bread & butter pickles and dill pickles for gifts and the winter.

I tried growing two new types of summer squash (Cocozelle squash & Cucuzzie Caravazzi) and a new type pumpkin (Hooligan F1 Hybrid) suitable to a container---new to me---got lots of flowers on all the plants, no fruit. The two crops of yellow and green beans did exceptionally well and I gave a lot away to the Mobile Pantry and family.

For the first time, I grew Amish Paste tomatoes, an heirloom variety, along with the old stand-by Roma. Both did well. I’ll grow the Amish Paste again next year. I had tasty little, grape tomatoes, but my brother had a harvest of grape tomatoes that beat me 10 times over. I mistook his grape tomatoes for Roma. The Sun Gold's did fine, the beefsteaks failed. I thought I had Black Prince heirloom volunteer tomatoes growing in a container, but they turned out to be cherry tomato volunteers. All in all I was happy with the tomato crop and have been harvesting tomatoes and putting up sauce for the winter.

I had a small crop of strawberries this year, but next year's crop should be more plentiful. At least that seems to be the pattern. The raspberry crop was great in both the spring and summer. Besides harvesting plenty to eat, I made a raspberry vodka aperitif and the late summer/fall crop is earmarked for different types of jams. I heard from several gardeners that the grape harvest was the best. I've also visited wineries along the New Hampshire Wine Trail and heard the same.

Each year I grow plenty of herbs instead of purchasing them. Chervil and lovage are two that I've added to my garden. Chervil is anise flavored and lovage tastes a bit like celery. Most of my herbs fared well in containers this year with the exception of the perennial Greek oregano, lemon balm, and mint.

Several years ago I planted mint without knowing that it was invasive, but I've got it somewhat under control now. I also grow anise hyssop because I love adding the flower to salads, or munching on them for a snack. The lime, Thai, and lemon basil are really taking off now and are a great addition to beverages and stir-fry. I think I'll add some of the lime basil to the raspberry vodka. The sweet basil has been performing consistently and I've been making pesto. I'm sure many of you know to save your herbs through freezing or drying.

I thought I’d start a fall crop of greens and peas. Since I was disgusted with the various types lettuce not growing so well so I intentionally dumped the remains of the packets into the garden at different locations. Nothing! I unintentionally dropped the packet of bok choy seeds in the garden. Have you ever heard of micro-greens? I think every seed germinated! It looks like I’ll be harvesting a small crop of spinach, some fantastic peas and, you guessed it, bok choy.

I hope my trials and tribulations give PAR gardeners a sense that they shouldn't get too bummed out when the crop doesn't do well. All you can do is try again next year. I would have liked to have donated much more to PAR, but not all my crops did well, so I donated what I could squash, beans, and cucumber. The 2010 PAR donations did well this year. The campaign hasn't ended so donate from your fall garden if you can. PAR will take pumpkins and squashes.

Summer Harvest

2010-09-03T11:46:00.001-04:00

From land to hand, not the can. It's PAR for the course! The summer harvest is coming to an end. Labor Day is here! The Farmers' Markets have been busy. Apple and peach season started a bit earlier than usual this year....and the plant a row donations are coming in! Our August donations exceeded the July donations. A heartfealt thank you to all who've contributed!

The Mobile Pantry clients have welcomed the fresh fruit and vegetables. As we enter the fall harvest season, please continue to Help Us...Help Others by donating native or locally grown, garden fresh produce to the Mobile Pantry. A little literally goes a long way. The Mobile Pantry delivers food to 300 elderly and disabled low-income, greater-Lowell area residents who are physically unable to leave their homes due to frailty or illness.

During the growing season we've been reaching out to gardeners to donate surplus from their upcoming harvest. If you don't have a green thumb, donate surplus from your CSA, pick a little extra at the PYO farms, or purchase a little extra at the local Farmers' Market, from your local farmer or at a local farm stand.

The PAR campaign not only appeals to gardeners to donate excess produce, it promotes gardening. The PAR campaign provided seeds and plants to organizations, such as the House of Hope and Lowell Transitional Living Center, to supplement their gardens. Each has enjoyed a bountiful harvest this year for the first time. The Community Gardens Greenhouse participates in PAR campaigns by gardening with community organizations, such as Pathfinders, who grew some of their own produce this year. So don't be left out! Plant a Row is open to anyone, any age, individuals, families, youth, businesses, organizations. No experience is required!

If you don't live in the Lowell area, check to see if your local pantry is registered on Ample Harvest. If listed, the pantry coordinators have arranged to accept fresh produce. Email us to include your donations in the Middlesex County Plant a Row for the Hungry Campaign or to obtain more information on PAR.

Gardeners can make a difference!

2010-07-28T14:11:00.000-04:00

It doesn't take a lot to make a real contribution. A handful of beans, a squash or two, a few tomatoes, a couple of peaches, a half pound of blueberries may not seem like much, but when combined with donations from other gardeners, it adds up to feeding several clients of the Mobile Pantry.

Donate any extra produce from your summer harvest to the Mobile Pantry. The Mobile Pantry is a community-based program providing food and nutrition to 300 home-bound, elderly, or disabled low-income individuals in the Greater-Lowell area who cannot travel due to frailty or health issues.

If you're not a gardener, consider purchasing a little extra at the Farmers' Market, or from a local farm stand to donate. Or, visit a local U-Pick farm and pick a little extra to donate.

A little goes a long way. Help us Help Others....Plant a Row for the Hungry

Tower Hill's Annual Plant Sale is June 5th!

2010-06-04T13:31:00.000-04:00

Gardeners & Neighborhood Associations are you looking for something different for your garden? Take the family on a roadtrip to Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Saturday, June 5, 2010, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. It's not that far away from Lowell!

A great selection of perennials, herbs & everlastings, shrubs & trees, native plants, houseplants, annuals, and vegetables, will be for sale. Several plant societys will offer their specialties as well as valuable tips and how-to-grow information. Two silent auctions. Refreshments available. Gift shop and Twigs Cafe open. Tour Tower Hill's 132 acres of gardens and natural beauty. Free admission. $1 Parking Fee per vehicle.

Afraid it will rain? You'll be one of the few. I worked this event in the pouring rain a couple of years ago and it was jammed packed! I'll be working at the New England Daylily kiosk, visiting with friends at the hosta society, and scoping out the Epimediums.

I went to Tower Hill's open house in April. It was wonderful! I'll be interested in seeing how the vegetable garden is coming along and what's in bloom in the formal gardens.

As always, remember to plant a row for the hungry.

Strawberry season is here!

2010-06-01T13:22:00.002-04:00

The strawberries in my garden are bearing green fruit. It won't be long now before our native strawberries are available for picking.

I pick strawberries often during the season, both June berries and ever bearing. Ever bearing strawberries come out at the end of summer and are smaller than the June berry. I freeze berries that I've picked at my local PYO farm for use in winter. For me that's Parlee Farms in Tyngsborough, then I know where they came from and how they were grown. If it is a good year, I'll even dry some so that I can have for snacks or put in my oatmeal in the fall or winter.

If picking strawberries is not for you, then buy them at the farm stand. I was at Brox Farm this past Friday looking for Tumbling Tom tomatoes, their fresh picked strawberries were on the counter for sale.

I think most people go for the strawberry shortcake. I don't care for it. I prefer eating them as is, adding them to plain Greek yogurt for breakfast, or making an occasional smoothie. One of my favorite meals is a salad of garden fresh baby spinach & strawberries, slivered almonds, crumbled goat cheese, drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette and sprinkled with poppy seeds. It just so happens that my spinach crop is coming along very nicely this year. What's your favorite strawberry dish?

Pick a little extra this year and donate to the Mobile Pantry's Plant a Row for the Hungry. A little goes a long way. The Mobile Food Pantry services about 300 home-bound, elderly or disabled individuals living in the greater Lowell area.

MassHort and Society Row Plant Sale

2010-05-24T13:02:00.004-04:00

What a wonderful day I had this past Saturday at the MassHort and Society Row Plant Sale hosted at Elm Bank in Wellesley! The weather couldn’t have been nicer, the people were friendly, and there were blue herons flying overhead! I made a couple of new flower discoveries that I added to my garden wish list. I found a yellow Baptisia, (False Indigo), growing in Weezie's Garden for Children. I grow the blue Baptisia Australis. The other plant was a very dark, leafed heuchera growing in the Bressingham Garden.

I'm a member of the New England Day Lily Society (NEDS) and was fortunate to work the day with two experienced and talented gardeners, both of whom have been members of NEDS for years and have in-depth knowledge on daylilies. Both are daylily judges, one has an AHS, (American Hemerocallis Society), display garden with over 1300 daylilies, is a photographer, and a master gardener with MassHort. The other has a selling garden with a few hundred daylilies and the knack for picking daylilies to sell at these events which satisfy everyone from the average gardener to the high end collector and hybridizer.
So what are these events all about and why go? First, they are generally fundraisers for a non-profit. This sale was open to the public; a $5 donation was asked for parking. MassHort volunteers ferried gardeners with their purchases to and fro the parking lot via golf carts. Various plant societies (people who belong to an organization that focus and specialize in a particular type of plant) were invited to sell plants, promote membership and their respective events.

Purchasing from a plant society is a smart thing to do largely because you get such a deal on plants. Societies offer plants that may not be available at your local nursery. You get to meet and speak directly with the people who have taken risks on planting, hybridizing, and caring for plants in our growing area. That means if it doesn’t grow well in their gardens, they don’t sell it. You can gain in-depth knowledge on planting, care, disease, etc. from these specialists.

Additionally, you get to tour the grounds of the venue to see how plants were used in gardens designed and planted by members of these societies using plants donated by their membership, as well as seeing how some of the plants are performing in our climate.

I learned so much this weekend, not only from my fellow NEDS members, but from other exhibitors. I met a member of the New England Rose Society and found out that there are actually roses that grow in the shade! I’ve a large shade garden, with varying intensities of shade, but never considered roses. Like NEDS members, rosarians, take the risks and figure out the types of roses that flourish in our growing zone. Did you know that the miniature roses purchased in supermarkets are several plants with a very immature root system? These roses are used as bouquets in Europe and thrown out after blooming—they’re not meant to plant and keep. Doesn’t mean you can't try, but if the plant doesn’t take you know why.

I spoke with a member of the Clivia Society because I bought one of these plants years ago in a local nursery. It is a houseplant in our growing zone that can be taken outside during the summer and brought in before frost. It’s a low light level plant, or shade plant. I’ve never taken my plant outside, but it keeps getting bigger and bigger, sometimes blooming in February, sometimes August. I didn’t know that this is normal. I learned that I don’t have to keep splitting the plant, it likes crowded roots and I should be watering it every 6-8 weeks. I also found out that it needs to be kept in a cool place. I didn’t realize that by keeping the heat so low in my house to save money was actually really good for this plant.

Since I can tomato sauce for winter, I purchased Amish paste heirloom tomatoes, in lieu of San Marzano, from The Warren Farm and Sugar House. Last year I grew a number of heirloom tomatoes and started Roma and San Marzano tomatoes at the CGG. This year, I didn’t have access to a greenhouse, nor did I have the opportunity to purchase heirlooms from UTEC.

Farmer Dale, proprietor of the Warren Farm, was also selling tomatillo. Those of you who participated in PAR last year know that this was a give-away that I grew in the greenhouse, a plant that I never grew and new little about. Tomatillo is native to Mexico. It is used in making salsas and salsa verde. Like tomatoes and peppers, they are a member of the nightshade family and are very deep rooted. Beware, if they are not staked and fall to the ground, they easily root. At least that was my experience. I learned from the farmer that tomatillos reseed themselves and unlike tomatoes, the new plants are not wimps! A tomatillo is ripe when it breaks through the husk and has a bit of white halo. Even if it falls off the plant, it still might take up to two weeks to become fully ripe. It’s perfectly normal for them to remain sticky after taking them out of the husk and washing them. I wish I knew all of this last year.

If you're interested in heirloom tomatoes and up for a drive to Worcester County, the Warren Farm and Sugar House is having their Tomato Plant Sale Memorial Day Weekend.

If you missed this event, then come to Tower Hill's 25th Annual Plant Sale on June 5th.

Free seed giveaway continues

2010-05-14T22:39:00.004-04:00

This Saturday, May 15, the free seed giveaway continues at the Community Gardens Greenhouse's Annual Spring Fling Plant Sale. PAR will be at the greenhouse from 10AM-12PM. Get seeds while they last.

The Community Gardens Greenhouse is located at the Lowell National Historic Park Maintenance Facility, 115 Aiken Street, Lowell, MA. Plenty of free parking. The plant sale is from 10AM-3PM.

Thank you to those who took the GroGood pledge this past Wednesday!

Making lasagna (in the garden?)

2010-05-13T09:00:00.001-04:00

Lasagna gardening is the alternate layering of brown & green matter such as leaves, grass clippings (no pesticides or herbicides), shredded white paper, newspapers, coffee grinds, hay, kitchen waste, leaf humus, peat, sawdust, ash, manure, worm castings, compost etc.

Water each layer to speed up decomposition. Put materials containing weeds or seeds on the bottom layers so that the seeds do not get light and germinate. As the layers decompose, the growing medium shrinks. You may not want to plant immediately until the bed is filled to your liking. However, if you do plant right away, make sure that the top most layers is compost or soil so that seeds and plants can obtain nutrients while the remaining layers are breaking down.

Framing Raised Beds

2010-05-12T09:00:00.003-04:00

A number of products can be used to frame a raised bed and compliment just about any type of landscape. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to prep the site, layout and build the hardscape when using natural products such as stonework and bricks.

If using wood, use a hard wood that is durable enough to last a few years, such as cedar, cypress, or redwood to frame a bed. Do not use any chemically treated woods. Home centers may sell wood pre-cut, or can cut to your specifications. Fasten the corners using nails or screws. Longer beds may require support stakes at midpoint.

A number of products now exist that are created from man-made or recycled products. These products are easy to install, can be attractive, are safe to use, and will last for some time. Check out Gardener's Supply or Gardening with Kids.

The height of a raised bed will be 6” to 18” high depending upon your personal preference and the soil test results. In urban areas with extremely poor soil it may be best to raise the bed 18" to accommodate deep rooted vegetables such as tomatoes or cucumbers. If the soil test shows high levels of contaminates such as lead, it will be necessary to raise the bed 18".

Consider raising the bed 2-3 feet if you have a physical limitation, are wheelchair bound, gardening with young children, or gardening for privacy.

Another design option is to create a bed within a bed, whereby the inner bed is higher than the outer bed. The inner bed may be designed in such a way as to segment the outer bed, creating distinct areas for planting.

Place the raised bed frames in their designated location making sure they are level. Soil and water may run out of beds that are not leveled. Prepare to fill the beds with a growing medium.

If the beds are placed on top of grass, lay newspapers to smother the grass, wet them to keep them from blowing or place a layer of wire mesh or chicken wire on top of them. The wire prevents wildlife from tunneling up into the bed. If the soil is contaminated, use a landscape fabric to seal the bed.

Fill the bed with a good potting soil which can be purchased. Or, use the lasagna gardening technique.

May 12 - Merrimack Valley Food Bank launches the 2010 Plant a Row for the Hungry Campaign

2010-05-11T13:35:00.000-04:00

The Merrimack Valley Food Bank is launching the 2010 Plant a Row for the Hungry Campaign on Wednesday, May 12, from 4PM - 6PM, 735 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA. Rain or shine!

Gardeners are generous! That’s why we are reaching out to you. Free starter kits of gloves, seeds, and row markers will be given, to those who take the "GroGood Pledge” by planting an extra row of seeds and donating the produce to the Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry Program.

The Mobile Pantry delivers food to low-income elderly and disabled residents who are physically unable to leave their homes. Don't have a green thumb? Not a problem. Become a Middlesex County Garden Angel. There are several ways to participate. Plant a Row is open to anyone, any age, individuals, families, youth, businesses, or organizations. No experience is required.

Come by and chat with us. Enjoy some light refreshments and find out more about Plant a Row.

Our goal this year is to reach 2,000 pounds of produce.

Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) is a people-helping-people program, designed to assist in feeding the hungry in communities around the country, as well as helping to promote gardening. Launched in 1995, this national service program was developed by the Garden Writers Association of America (GWAA) to encourage gardeners everywhere to grow a little extra and donate the produce to local agencies that serve people in need.

The Mobile Pantry is a program of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc.; one of four food banks in Massachusetts that provides food and supplies to food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens and day and residential programs in 29 communities throughout northeastern MA and southern NH.

To till, or not to till? It's your choice.

2010-05-11T12:46:00.002-04:00

If you’re not framing the garden beds, outline the area for the bed using a hose, or garden stakes and string, spray paint, anything that will give you the ability to envision the form and shape of the bed.

If you don’t own a tiller, consider layered gardening. Use the layered gardening technique if the soil beneath the grass is in fairly good shape. Places newspapers or cardboard within the defined boundaries of the bed, water down, then place about 6 inches of mulch on top. In about 3 weeks, the lower layers will begin to breakdown and decompose.

Otherwise, till within the confines of the mapped out area. The grass can be turned under. It will decompose. Realize that there are many rocks in our soil, so dress appropriately and follow the manufacturer’s instructions in using the tiller. Amend the soil with peat, compost, and manure.

Edge the bed to prevent the grass from growing into the bed. Use a decorative or functional barrier if you desire.

Planning a garden? Be realistic, start small

2010-05-10T14:15:00.000-04:00

If you're a novice gardener, planning a garden could be daunting. Be realistic, start small. Starting small ensures manageability while keeping your initial investment of time and money low. Plan to add to your garden over time as you become more comfortable.

Ask yourself a few questions during the planning and design process. Are you gardening with someone else? Will you share the same garden space or have separate areas? Will you be gardening with kids? Do you have pets? Do you have any physical limitations? How do you want your garden beds to fit into your overall landscape? How much time do you plan to spend in the garden?

Answering those questions may influence how you build and layout each bed, the number of beds you create, and the size of each bed.

Raised beds are easy to build. Usually the bed is 3-4 feet wide for ease in planting and weeding. They can be any length that you find manageable and suitable to your landscape, or any geometric shape: rectangular, triangular, square, hexagon.

Raised beds can be framed with natural materials such as wood, stone, bricks, or made with man-made or recycled goods that look like wood or stone. They can also be biodegradable, made of burlap and straw, hay bales, grow bags, or just plain dirt heaped in a pile.

The path in-between the beds may vary, generally, 4 feet is wide enough to accommodate a lawn mower, wheel barrow, or wheelchair. Paths can be made of grass, mulch, stonework, gravel or stones.

Decide if you will frame the beds, dig or till the soil, or use a layered or lasagna gardening technique.

Get Ready, Get Set, Grow!

2010-04-26T15:51:00.005-04:00

Gardening is the #1 hobby in the United States. Gardeners are generous! That’s why we are reaching out to you.

The Merrimack Valley Food Bank will host the launch of the 2010 Plant a Row for the Hungry Campaign on Wednesday, May 12, from 4PM - 6PM, 735 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA. We'll be giving away starter kits of seeds, gloves, and row markers to those who take the GroGood Pledge and plant an extra row of produce to donate to the food bank.

Donated produce will be used by the Mobile Food Pantry for Elderly and/or Disabled Persons. This pantry delivers food to low-income elderly and disabled residents who are physically unable to leave their homes.

Wish you had a green thumb, but don’t? No worries! Become a Garden Angel. There are several ways to participate.

Plant a Row is open to anyone, any age, individuals, families, youth, businesses, organizations. No experience is required.

Our goal this year is to reach 2,000 pounds of produce.

Starting a garden is as easy as 1, 2, 3

2010-04-25T13:04:00.001-04:00

But what is 1, 2, 3? I say sun, water, safety.

Sun -Vegetables need at least 6-8 hours of full sun to produce.

Water - A convenient water source is a must! Otherwise, you won't feel like hauling hoses or buckets of water to the garden and the plants will die.

Safety - Dig Safe and soil test! Avoid an accident by knowing the location of underground pipes and utilities. If you are just planting a raised bed of vegetables, you may not dig down deep enough to affect the underground utilities, but what if you plant a tree? Will the roots of the tree eventually interfere with anything underground as the tree matures?

Another consideration, are you willing to relocate your garden bed if there is a need to access the pipes or utilities or to tie into the city or town services from your home? This may be a moot point for most, but for others it's now a reality.

If you have a watering system, note where the sprinkler heads and watering lines are to either incorporate into your garden bed or to avoid breakage and the need to repair.

Soil testing. It's so important to get your soil tested to ensure that there isn't a harmful amount of heavy metals in your soil, such as lead, before you start growing. It's easy to do and inexpensive. You'll also receive information on how to ammend your soil to balance it.

If you are gardening in a raised bed, I would still recommend a soil test. Even if you take care to raise the beds at least 18 inches and seal the bottom of a bed with landscaping fabric you can still pick up harmful agents if you are kneeling down on the ground to weed or plant.

Don't plant your bed too close to the street. The obvious reason is so you don't get hit by a car. But consider what will be deposited in your garden from the snow plowing, run off from heavy rainstorms, wear and tear of tires.

Garden safely and Plant a Row for the Hungry.

Additional resources: Cambridge Community Development, Safer Soil Brochure, Lead Contamination in Gardens, University of Massachusetts Extension Soil Testing Program