Garden update: April 2024
The park has been cleared!
It doesn’t look like much now, but it’s a sight better than what was there before.
The garbage is gone. The dumpsters have been removed. The considerable mound of dirt was hauled away. The miscellaneous barrels and rotting wood structures were all moved in preparation for the upcoming construction. I am grateful to the Saint Paul Parks Department for preparing this site for the garden.
We now have a blank canvas on which the garden will be built. This is a big deal, and I hope you share my excitement in this significant step in preparing the site for the garden.
Since our last meeting, there have been many developments for the Mounds Park Community Garden, both on-site and behind the scenes. We’ve signed our official lease with the Parks Department. Bids for a water line and garden fence have been approved with dates set for construction. It is exciting (and a little emotional) to see this project come together.
There is a lot in store for the coming months. So let’s get down to the first priority: upcoming events you don’t want to miss.
Upcoming events
Mark your calendar for some important upcoming events:
Next board meeting
When: Monday, April 22, 5:30
Location: Fraternal Order of Eagles, 287 Maria Ave, St Paul, MN 55106
Who’s invited: members and friends of the garden
Itinerary: Upcoming spring construction and planting schedule
Spring construction event
When: Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.
Alternative date (depending on weather conditions for the April 27th date): Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m.
Location: Mounds Park Community Garden, 277 N Cypress St. Saint Paul, MN 55106
What will we be doing at the volunteer event?
There is much to do before we begin clean-up and construction on April 27th (or, in the chance of bad weather, May 4th). We’ll need to measure and stake out plots, order and deliver soil, compost, and wood, rent a sod cutter, and buy and deliver our shed.
Once we’ve done all that, we’ll be ready for our spring clean-up and construction event. Here’s what you can expect for our event:
Cutting and removing sod for individual plots
Hauling fresh dirt and compost to plots
Clearing fence line of brush and branches
Building garden boxes*
Building shed
Adding and arranging tools in shed
Setting up community board in shed
*A note about wood for raised beds
Initially, we hoped to provide wood for members who wanted raised beds. However, the contracts needed to construct a water line and fencing were more expensive than predicted. Because of our very tight budget, we cannot provide wood to build everyone’s raised beds.
The exception to this rule is the 4x8x2’ ADA raised beds. We remain firmly committed to providing accessible options in the garden. For those who prefer ADA-raised beds, we can provide wood and volunteers to help build your garden box.
Ramsey County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale
Looking for some starts for your garden plot? This is a great place to start. Not only can you find some incredible starts, but you can meet and speak with Master Gardeners.
When: Saturday, May 18, 2024, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Aldrich Ice Arena 1850 White Bear Ave, Maplewood, MN 55109. Click this link for map.
Per the Ramsey County Master Gardener website:
The Annual Plant Sale offers a vibrant array of perennials, annuals, herbs and vegetables grown by Master Gardener volunteers and select local wholesale growers. They are neonicotinoid-free (no systemic insecticides) and grown in a sterile potting medium to prevent the spread of jumping worms. Proceeds from this annual event support gardening projects in Ramsey County.
The soil results are in
With advice for treatment and fertilizer
In our previous blog, we noted the extensive process of soil testing conducted by the U of M. Samples were taken from almost thirty locations of the garden, mixed together and tested.
Click here if you want to download the full report. Here is a quick snapshot of the results:
Most notable is the low level of lead in the soil, 26 parts per million (ppm). The U of M notes, “Generally, it has been considered safe to use garden produce grown in soils with total lead levels less than 300 ppm.”
In our team of volunteers, we’re lucky to have Andrea Troiano, a Geotechnical Engineer who reviewed the samples. Andrea noted the soil has plenty of key nutrients that we would need to otherwise source from fertilizer. Gardeners would want to add a little nitrogen to their gardens. The U of M suggest adding .15 Lbs per 100 square feet. Additionally, Andrea noted it’s a benefit the garden has coarse-grained soil because it won't hold on to too much water and can easily leach out salt deposits.
One key takeaway of the soil tests is a high content of salts. Salts can burn roots and make plants yellow and stunt their growth. Andrea suggests soaking the soil of individual plots to leech the salt from the soil.
If you have further questions regarding the soil in your plot, please reach out to Andrea Troiano for more information.
Membership drive
Maybe you’ve seen some of these fliers around the neighborhood? That’s because memberships are now open! Many people have submitted requests for plots so far.
Do you want to join the Mounds Park Community Garden for the 2024 growing season? Click the button below to the membership page where you can view an initial design of the garden, different plot sizes available, and pricing options.
