My sister and I decided to try out a community plot at the church near her home. We had each started seedlings this year: tomato and bell pepper for me, lettuce and cilantro plus jalapeño and tomato for her boys.
It seemed like a great opportunity to teach the boys about planting and caring for a vegetable garden, especially since Meaghan may be moving and my home in suburbia has insufficient sunlight for anything except herbs.
The raised plots are 6×12 ft and filled with soil; water barrels/well water is provided. You bring the tools and seeds and a suggested donation of $25. The only rules are no commercial pesticides (as per the law in Ontario), no gardening during worship on Sunday mornings, and keep your area clean. They also recommend that “the only critters that came for a visit (and dinner) were racoons, who absolutely love corn on the cob! We recommend that you don’t try growing this.”
Last year the twenty plots sold out, so they added another ten for this season. The church also expanded a deer fence, added a seating area and are planning a welcome BBQ for the gardeners to get to know each other at the start of the growing season.
I am happy to share low impact weed and insect remedy that the organizers recommend. It’s easy to prepare and stored in a spray bottle:
- 4 cups (1 litre) white vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup (50 ml) salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid dish soap
Spray onto weeds or insects, but be careful not to spray on your plants!
