With spring in full swing the Burns Lake Community Garden is looking forward to growing new plants and moving ahead with its new greenhouse and other projects.
Residents showed their support by booking up 24 out of 26 beds in both the garden and greenhouse.
“This year is all about setting up the greenhouse, soil improvement and general maintenance,” Jennifer MacIntyre, Burns Lake Community Garden Society chair told Lakes District News.
The greenhouse, located beside the regular garden on Nault Lane was built last fall with the help of donations from the Chinook and Burns Lake community forests.
LOOK BACK: Greenhouse for community garden
The metal frame was erected last August and the plastic put on in late September. Garden members are eager to start growing vegetables and other plants inside the greenhouse after the long winter.
“I intend to keep cucumber, tomatoes and peppers in there all summer,” said MacIntyre.
“The space is divided up into 22 sections and each section has two barrels, and every other plot has a straw bale in addition to the two barrels. Anyone can bring in whatever they like to grow. The layout is very experimental this year. We intend to implement lessons we learn this year into a more permanent setup next year, which we will need funding for.”
The garden society has applied to the Northern Health Imagine Grants for $770 so it can buy and make information labels for what it grows.
“The labels will have the type of plant and variety of seed on the label. It is to help members know what grows well and helps the curious identify plants and vegetables and varieties grown. We want to encourage people to grow food and help them by choosing varieties that are suited for our climate. It will add to the self-guided tour experience for people wandering through as well,” MacIntyre explained.
The spring also brings the garden’s new vegetable wash station consisting of sinks and tubs that still need to be connected to the water system.
Another feature of the garden is the educational courtyard that has space where other community groups can conduct events such as yoga sessions, art shows, basket weaving lessons and garden tours.
In May the garden will roll out its ‘Tuesdays in the Garden’ where members can learn from other green thumbs and contribute four hours of volunteer time.
Growing in the garden will start as soon as the snow is gone and the new soil and manure is delivered, which will probably be in mid- or late May.
The community garden plans set up a table at Starland’s Organic Gardening Day on April 27, and will hold a meeting for greenhouse participants on April 28 at 12 p.m.
Members wanting to book the two remaining ground garden beds can sign up at the Lakes Artisan Centre or at the April 27 event.
Those interested in booking space at the educational courtyard or in helping to repair garden beds can email the garden society at blcommunitygarden@outlook.com or through the Facebook page.
