May 2008
Over 3 years ago, two new friends of mine were alloted a community garden plot here in Eugene. I think my eyes popped out of my head a bit when I first met them and shared with them my interest in gardening.
Garden plots in town are hard to come by. Rather then having a long waiting list, the city of Eugene enters those interested in a plot into a lottery every spring. However, if you currently have a plot, you can keep it as long as you like. So I offered to help them get there garden started and before long they even let me take a small corner to call my own. I felt so lucky! For years I have been living in rentals that would freak at the thought of me digging up the lawn and growing edibles, how un-sightly that would be!
So for the last three years, Whitney, Melissa and I have grown an impressive jungle of food that we enjoy and share with others.
The Plot
Measures approximatly 12' x 40'
Our plot was a recent addition to the garden, we were the first to set shovel in the ground. This should translate as painful news!
We started by trying to double dig the soil, which resulted in us digging huge river rocks out of the ground. I would call us extreme hardcore garden ladies! Dedicated to providing our veggies with nutrient rich, rock free soil.
Yards of Soil
We decided to bring in some soil to supplement our hard work. We brought in two yards to help raise our beds above the hard clay. Amended with store bought compost and chicken manure.
Leaf Mulch
Thankfully the city brings in leaves collected from residential leaf piles, and bark chips in masses for the community to use. In the early spring the piles loom over the garden like mountains, by the end of the summer they are completely gone.
We have become religious leaf mulchers, adding as much as we can to our beds. Free organic matter, seems to be all our soil needs.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee is our other religion. Which also benefits our garden. We sprinkle the spent coffee grounds through out the year around all of our plants to add a slow releasing nitrogen to the soil. Also I have read they repel some pests, such as ants and even deter cats? Although this doesn't seem to be the case at our garden.
