Hello again! The season has finally decided to pick up and the communities in the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association are getting growing. Residents at all 8 properties have been coming together to plant seeds, transplant starts, and get new gardens built. Enjoy a few pictures and brief stories:
Residents at one property have been historically resistant to the idea of having on-site veggie gardens or growing their own food. But one woman (who insists that everyone she meets call her Grandma) requested a windowsill herb garden for her cooking. We set up a window box for her about a month or so ago and planted chives, basil, and cilantro. I checked in on her this week and the herbs are amazing! I showed her how to pick and tend the herbs and talked to her about drying them in order to save them for later. Also, she told me that other residents have noticed her herb garden and are now saying they'd like one too!
Residents at another property, as of this week, have their very first container garden. I recycled some wood from another project and brought it over during my Garden Club meeting for the week. Working with about 7 kids aged 3 to 7, we managed to put together an L-shaped container in the spot designated by the residents. Many of the parents looked on as their kids helped me hold boards sturdy and hammer in nails.
There is a property that has been historically difficult. They have 10 on-site container beds at the end of the driveway, but very little interest in gardening or growing food. I have a standing date every Wednesday with one woman to spend a few hours on necessary garden projects. We created a brand new strawberry patch, installed trellises near the street and trained rose bushes up them, and have been getting the planters on her porch growing.
This week, another resident expressed interest in having a large herb garden outside her living room window. So, this past Wednesday we all worked to move some soil from the garden area down to her apartment.
4 pepper plants recently transplanted with some red plastic mulch to trap heat in the soil.
One of the properties has a great group of active gardeners. This is just one of the approximately 20 large containers in which they are growing edibles and ornamentals. In this box alone there is lettuce, radish, and broccoli growing strong. There are also peas, I believe, and corn was planted but the residents believe a raccoon was rooting around in the dirt and are worried the corn will not grow.
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