Saving Seeds

Seed-saving has been popping up in conversations in our area. Enough so that the Coalition of Community Gardens gathered some of the local seed savers to talk about what we can do, what we need to learn, and how we can spread the word.

Will Stone with the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County shared the following information with us:

Seed Saving – Gardening Solutions – University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (ufl.edu)

Seed Saving Basics – UF/IFAS Extension Orange County (ufl.edu)

Saving Seeds Dos and Don’ts — UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County (ufl.edu)

And, to celebrate the beginning of Community Gardens month, Seminole Heights Community Garden is hosting the first of 3 (and hopefully more!) seed and seedling swaps on April 1st. Join us!

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We would not *be* without our community of volunteers

We talk a lot about plants, but it’s our volunteers that feed our garden and help it grow. Here are just some of our wonderful gardeners:

Clockwise from top left: Snake visitor (we like him); Ellen both watering and talking; Yaakov, Thomas and Zach double-digging our future sweet potato bed; one of the pollinators in our pollinator garden; Maria wielding a rake; Cathy making perfectly straight rows for a future collard patch; Anita in a common weeding pose and Annie putting in a patch of Okinawa Spinach (center).

There’s a lot going on! Want to know more? We’re open to visitors and volunteers Saturdays 9am – 11am at 6114 River Terrace, Tampa, FL 33604.

Our New Garden Grove

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Join us next Sunday June 27, from 4 to 5 pm, when we will host a team of volunteers from IDEAS For Us supported by their partner One Tree Planted.  This visit is significant for us, because the group is coming out to deliver and plant a gift of fifteen tropical fruit trees on our garden property. 

Many hands make light work!

We’re pleased that IDEAS For Us chose the Seminole Heights Community Garden to receive these trees (and also their volunteer labor) in service to its mission advancing environment action worldwide.  As they state it…

IDEAS For Us is working to implement local solutions to global climate issues by mobilizing individuals in eco-action projects and educating them on the environmental movement. IDEAS frequently works with like-minded groups and organizations to include more people in the mission and to expand the impact. We are honored to be partnering with the Seminole Heights Community Garden in creating a local eco-action project as we plant 15 fruit trees throughout the garden in order to provide a fresh and local food source and improve ecological health.

Our sincere thanks to them! And to you for coming out to join the effort.  Please go to this Facebook link for more details.

Children in the Garden starts up again September 8th

Join us for Children in the Garden sessions starting again Saturday, September 8, 2018, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. at our Seminole Heights Community Gardens, located at 6114 River Terrace, Tampa, FL 33604.
Activities are most appropriate for ages 4 – 8.
Children will learn how to grow a garden, and participate in garden related crafts and games. A parent or guardian needs to attend with their child. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the garden where we grow communally; most people participate on Saturday mornings.
RSVP to carolynadler@rocketmail.com as spaces are limited.
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Mark your calendars! We will also meet on the following Saturdays:
Oct. 13, Nov. 3, Nov. 17, Dec. 1.
We look forward to seeing you in the garden.

Welcome (back) USF Student Volunteers!

Once again, the Seminole Heights Community Garden will benefit from a USF Morning of Service event. We’re expecting up to ten student volunteers to visit us this Saturday morning, arriving at 9:15-9:30 am and leaving 12:15-12:30 pm. That’s three hours of people power, and we need to show our appreciation with lots of members on hand to greet and guide them. Can you help?

 

What a fantastic day!

usfvolunteers1-2017

This past Saturday we hosted a group of USF student volunteers participating in their annual Stampede of Service.  The volunteers arrived bright and early, the weather cooperated, and we all got to work. We spent the morning pulling weeds all around the edges and down the rows, turned the compost and sifted dirt, watered the plants that needed it, and had many interesting conversations about growing organic food. Many of the students took home greens (kale, collards, mustard greens) as well as tomatoes and lemongrass which we were so happy to share.

Thank you to the garden members who came out and provided guidance for the students, and Denise for bringing the refreshing lemon water!