Please Help My Community Garden Project Win Tools

See this empty lot?  It's not going to be empty much longer.  We're turning it into a community garden - huzzah!

NeighborWorks Provo owns the lot, and we are working together to create this garden. If all goes well, we'll be expanding it to other lots.

The plan currently is to create 15-20 plots.  We can do more if the trees are removed.  I will see if the local university will consider donating the time of their tree crew to come knock them down.  That would also let in more sunlight.

At least half of the plots will be available for kids free of charge.  I am going to contact the local 4H groups as well as the Boys and Girls Club to see who would like to participate.Additionally, I will be using some of the plots myself to grow produce for the local food bank.  I've been wanting to do a community garden for so long just so I could do that.

We're currently in the running on Facebook for a tool grant from Corona Tools.  They rock!.  If you could help us out by voting, I would be grateful.

Just go here:  http://www.facebook.com/coronatools/posts/127572350642177

• Like Corona Tools
• Like the post specifically for "Neighborworks Provo Community Garden"
• Comment

Each one is a separate vote.  This goes for one week only.  Thanks so much for all your help!

Now Available - I Garden: Urban Style

When I was at Borders the other day picking up an online order, I just had to check out the gardening section to see if they had gotten in "I Garden: Urban Style" yet.  This book was written by Reggie Solomon and Michael Nolan of UrbanGardenCasual.com, a blog that I also helped write.  In fact, I contributed to this book!

I was so excited to find the book there.  It still seems weird (in a good way of course) to me that there's a book out there with my writing in it.  My next goal is to write a book myself.  I have some ideas in mind, so I will have to start pitching them to publishing houses.  I might consider doing it as an e-book too.  I also want to write magazine articles.

I know I'm a bit biased, but I truly believe this is a great resource for urban gardeners.  No matter where you live, there's a way to grow SOMETHING, even if it's one small plant on a windowsill.  This book will help you learn how to work around limited space and experience the joy of growing your own food.

Have you read "I Garden: Urban Style" yet?  What did you think?

My Winter Project: Planting Alpine Strawberry Seeds

Ah, it's been a long summer and fall.  A lot of my plans fell through.  First we had weird weather, with too much rain that drowned my potatoes.  The remaining plant was pounded by a hailstorm later.

I also had some problems with the community garden - finding someone who could do the plumbing.  I also had emergency gallbladder surgery in June, so that further threw plans out of whack.  It's back on track for next year, though.  I am working on applications for grants and funds like the Pepsi Refresh project.

I was sitting in my bed working online, and I decided that I needed more plant life in my room.  I have an Earthbox I need to test out, so I rummaged through the seeds that I need to review.  I came across some Mignonette Alpine strawberry seeds from Renee's Garden, and I knew this was the project for me.  I recently wrote a blog post for About.com about wild strawberries, and I've never tried growing strawberries from seeds (I always just buy the plants).

Alpine strawberries are often found wild in Europe.  They are conical and smaller than the strawberry we are used to in supermarkets.  It's supposed to have a smashing flavor, so I can't wait to finally try them.

It sounds like I'll have to be patient with these seeds - it can take 3-4 weeks to germinate.  Whew!  I'll probably start some other seeds too, but that is yet to be determined.

Here's a video about seeding alpine strawberries.  It's part of a whole series about growing alpine strawberries.

What's your winter gardening project?