Earlier this summer we planted vegetables in as many places as we could, flower beds, along fences, in huge planters, for everyone to pick and eat. We used no weed killers, herbicides or any other chemical and everything came up lush and full. It's time for an update.
One morning in July Clayton's Mayor, Linda Goldstein, and city manager, Craig Owens, came and walked around to see what we've done and were excited by the results and gave us permission to create a community garden just outside the campus next year. We had two separate visits from Gateway Greening staff, working for an organization which encourages community gardening and green/organic techniques. They were excited by what they saw told us this was the first time they have ever heard of a campus using planting beds for vegetables and that we should patent the idea. Heh. They encouraged us to apply for one of their grants to help with the community garden.
We've discovered that vegetables are just as decorative as flowers and the combination of the two is fantastic.
The tomatoes and guards and zinnias were planted along the length of the soccer field fence and they have produced beyond even our hopeful expectations. Students, staff, faculty, neighborhood people have all been picking the ripe fruit. It has been hugely popular.
The bird house gourds have been doing well...except that they attract little boys.
Planters have herbs as well as flowers. We also have herbs closer to the dining hall.
Our pumpkins are doing great.
The peppers are separated into two beds, one containing varieties of hot peppers, the other sweet. Each pepper bed has bamboo tripods holding a variety of beans.
If you click to enlarge, you'll see our footlong beans which taste so good and some of the bell peppers.
Jalapenos and yellow banana peppers.
We planted spinach and mixed lettuce seeds last week for a fall crop and you can already see they've germinated and show green.
