As the new community garden gets off the ground, one of the first tasks needed to be started before breaking ground is the planning of the garden beds. At the most recent meeting for the community garden, a group of students collaborated to do this. The first step was to generate a list of various vegetables, herbs, and fruits that we want to see growing in the garden. Then, using the most prioritized plants as a basis and keeping in mind square footage and companion planting, we began to lay out several garden beds on paper. We planned each garden bed to be four by eight feet, and utilizing a square foot planting guide we strived to maximize the productivity of the garden beds. Additionally, companion planting was important to consider. Each plant has a different set of other plants that it grows well with, so we combined these “plant friends” in our garden bed layouts. This method of companion planting will hopefully increase plant growth, dissuade pests, and enhance flavors. With the commencement of the planning stages, the first “seeds” have been “planted” in the community garden. It is only a matter of time until our preliminary work is rewarded with a thriving garden.
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