Lincoln Community Garden prepares for end of season and looks to next ear's gardening season

Lincoln Community Garden Prepares for End of Season and Looks to Next Year's Gardening Season

October is the month the Lincoln Community Garden begins winding down and winterizing, but members are already looking forward to next year's season.

On the list of things to get done at the garden before the colder months set in include removing the shade cloth from the greenhouse, clearing member's outside plots and preparing them with soil, compost and other amendments for healthy plants in 2021, as well as preparing the water lines and pump for winter.

As with many of the organizations in Lincoln, the garden was not able to perform their annual fundraisers due to COVID-19 and are looking for ways to fund the improvements. Some of the improvements they need to make to the garden in the coming year include replacing plot borders outside with fresh lumber, laying new plastic between the outdoor plots and covering it with wood chips, and obtaining gravel for the entry and fire pit. The Lincoln Community Garden is looking to obtain lumber, wood chips, and gravel at a reasonable cost, or for donations of those items.

In the coming year, members will be formalizing a board, obtaining non-profit status and applying for various grants to help with the upkeep and repairs at the garden. They also hope to secure another grant to help them purchase another greenhouse that will allow more participation in the garden.

Additionally in 2021, the Community Garden is planning to host classes on gardening, composting, and seed saving and swaps. Classes will be free to paid garden members, and offered to the public for a fee.

Garden members have the opportunity to help care for and have access to the community plots, with items such as strawberries, rhubarb, lettuce, kale and several herbs for harvesting throughout the season. The fenced area is secure so that wildlife is not able to get to the plots.

The cost for an indoor plot is $50, for and indoor with an outdoor plot is $65 per year. Outdoor plots only are $15. There will be a limited number of greenhouse plots as well as several outdoor plots available for 2021. Plots can be obtained on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To be a member of the Lincoln Community Garden, plots must be paid for in advance, a garden contract that agrees to participation in monthly garden work days assigned and attendance at garden meetings, which are scheduled to occur every other month from April through September.

As they wrap things up for the year, members would like to extend their thanks to Carburetor Tater for his help in getting the water started and clearing the lines at the end of the season each year; to members Lori & Bob Dormady for their help all year with mowing and weed-eating; to Nyle Howsmon for his help in mowing and spraying for weeds; and to all of the volunteers and donors who helped get the new pump installed and up and working, including Libby Davis, Rick Dolson, Kathy & Tony Tams, Fred Rowley, Mark Smith, Jason & Elijah Valler and Ernie & Renee Lundberg.

As you may recall, the garden got off to a rough start this year with the need for a new water pump, which delayed some gardening efforts early in the season.

For more information, to schedule a tour of the garden, or to reserve/purchase your plots for the coming year, please contact Tammy at 633-0073.