Four new community gardens taking registrations
This year, vegetable gardeners in Spokane will have another option for growing their own food. Four new community gardens are opening or under construction and accepting registration for beds.
•The East Central Community Garden at Ray Street and Hartson Avenue has beds in several sizes available for between $15 and $25 depending on size for the growing season.
Registration forms and garden rules are available online at http://ecccspokane.org/ community%20garden/ community_ garden.htm or in person at the East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone St., (509) 625-6699 during business hours. It serves the East Central area.
•The Pumphouse Community Garden, is at Hoffman Avenue and Crestline Street in northeast Spokane. Beds are either 4 feet by 20 feet or 4 by 10 feet and will run $10 to $20 for the season. Registration information is available during business hours at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook St., (509) 487-1603. This garden will serve the northeast Spokane area.
•The Commons Community Garden is under construction at 33rd Avenue and Lamonte Street on the South Hill and it is expected to be available by early May for gardeners. Four by 10-foot raised beds will be $25 for the growing season. Registration can be made by e-mailing dlmonly@yahoo.com or calling (509) 475-7874. The garden committee is holding a garage sale March 13 at 3905 S. Skyview Drive to raise funds for the garden. The garden will serve the Cannon Hill and Manito neighborhoods.
•The Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Community Garden will be holding free beginning gardening classes, March 17 right after the weekly dinner. The church address is 1832 W. Dean Ave. Raised beds are available but help is needed to build more. Information about the garden is available by calling (509) 477-2173 or e-mailing pmunts@ spokanecounty.org.
Interested in starting a community garden in your neighborhood? Gather a few like minded dedicated friends, neighbors and local community groups and then look for a sunny, level spot with access to water. A helpful list of things to consider when putting in a garden is available at the Spokane Regional Health District’s Web page http://www.srhd.org/ documents/PA_N/ CommunityGarden.pdf.
•Another sign of spring is the reopening of the WSU Spokane County Master Gardeners Plant Clinic at the Extension Office, 222 N. Havana St. The clinic opened Monday and will be open until Oct. 31. Hours are Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The clinic will be staffed with experienced gardeners who, if they can’t answer your question right away, will refer it on to the vast resources of Washington State University. Bring samples of your plant problem and/or several photographs to illustrate the problem
•If you are just looking for Inland Northwest gardening information, much of the Master Gardeners’ basic gardening information is also available at http://www.spokane- county.wsu.edu/Spokane/ eastside/ including free fact sheets on a variety of garden topics. They also have an extensive collection of locally focused publications available for a nominal price available at the clinic through a link on the Web site. Questions and photos can be e-mailed to them through a link in the top right corner of the page.