Spring Planting Day Success!

What an incredible turnout for our Spring Planting Day! Over 50 community members joined us this past Saturday to prepare our garden beds for the 2024 growing season. The energy was absolutely contagious as neighbors worked side by side, sharing stories, techniques, and plenty of laughter.

The Day in Numbers

• 52 volunteers participated
• 48 garden plots prepared and amended with compost
• 200+ seedlings transplanted (tomatoes, peppers, and herbs)
• 6 new members signed up for plots
• 3 workshops held simultaneously throughout the day

Highlights from the Day

Seedling Swap Bonanza

Our annual seedling swap was a huge hit! Members brought extra starts from their home gardens, creating an incredible variety exchange. We saw everything from purple Cherokee tomatoes to lemon basil, and even some exotic pepper varieties courtesy of Rosa Martinez, who's been saving seeds for over 20 years.

Kid's Garden Magic

The children's area was buzzing with activity. Eight young gardeners, ages 5-12, planted their discovery garden with fast-growing radishes and lettuce. Watching 7-year-old Emma carefully place each radish seed exactly 2 inches apart (she counted!) reminded us why we love involving families in our community garden.

New Herb Spiral Addition

Thanks to the hard work of our weekend warriors, we completed the expansion of our herb spiral! The new section features Mediterranean herbs that thrive in our sunny location. Special thanks to David Park for donating the beautiful flagstone and to Jennifer Kim for designing the permaculture layout.

Workshop Success Stories

"Companion Planting 101" with Rosa Martinez

Rosa shared her grandmother's traditional Mexican companion planting wisdom, demonstrating the three sisters method (corn, beans, and squash) and explaining how marigolds protect tomatoes from harmful pests. Her infectious enthusiasm had everyone taking detailed notes!

"Composting Basics" with Tom Bradley

Our master composter Tom walked newcomers through our three-bin system, explaining the perfect carbon-to-nitrogen ratio using kitchen scraps and fallen leaves. By the end, we had three new volunteers signed up for our compost management rotation.

"Seed Starting Workshop" with Sarah Chen

In our mini-greenhouse, participants learned hands-on seed starting techniques, from proper soil depth to creating optimal growing conditions. Everyone went home with trays of lettuce and herb seedlings for their own gardens.

Looking Ahead

With our beds prepared and planted, we're excited for what this growing season will bring. Our next community gathering will be the Monthly Garden Walk on May 11th at 10 AM, where we'll check on our seedlings' progress and address any early-season questions.

Upcoming Events:

• May 11: Monthly Garden Walk (10 AM)
• May 18: Irrigation System Workshop (2 PM)
• June 1: Pest Management Workshop (10 AM)
• June 15: Midsummer Potluck & Plot Tours (5 PM)

Thank You to Our Volunteers

Special recognition goes to our setup crew who arrived at 7 AM to organize tools and materials, and to our cleanup crew who stayed until sunset making sure everything was properly stored. Community gardens thrive because of dedicated volunteers like these!

We're also grateful to Green Thumb Nursery for donating potting soil and City Hardware for providing tool maintenance supplies.

Join Us Next Time!

Missed Spring Planting Day? No worries! There are plenty of ways to get involved throughout the growing season. We hold volunteer work sessions every Saturday morning from 9-11 AM, and newcomers are always welcome.

Ready to join our gardening family? Stop by during our open hours (Saturdays 9 AM-2 PM, Wednesday evenings 5-7 PM) or email us at hello@metrogardens.community.

Here's to another bountiful season of growing food, community, and friendships! 🌱

Photos from the event are available on our community bulletin board, and digital copies can be found in our shared online album.