Hot take: community gardens are overrated for actual plant learning

I volunteered at the Oak Street garden in Portland for 6 months. Everyone there just wants to grow tomatoes and kale. Walked in with 5 questions about native ferns and got blank stares. The city literally gave them $12,000 for pollinator plants and they bought more tomato cages. Real plant knowledge comes from hiking with an old forester, not pulling weeds next to someone who calls every weed a weed. Anyone else ditch their local garden group for better info?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancyg1414d ago

Well now, I have to push back a little here since my experience has been the opposite. The community garden I joined in Nashville might not have native fern experts around every corner, but the older members taught me more about soil health and pest control than any hiking trip ever could. @brianreed's neighbor had the right idea bringing in black walnut seedlings, but maybe the real lesson is that community gardens work best as a starting point, not the end of your learning journey.

brianreed15d ago

My neighbor tried the community garden thing here in town. Brought in some black walnut seedlings to discuss and they told him to stick to the designated plot plants.

val_bailey6615d ago

Kept mine small with just herbs and tomatoes first year.