Rotary Community Garden and Food Forest of Coral Springs

Gardeners and volunteers gathered at the Sawgrass Nature Center classroom on Sunday for a sign making project. The garden committee wanted to label each of the 55 trees in the Food Forest so visitors would be able to identify each individual tree. A decision was made to make colorful, friendly signs that would be staked near the tree for easy identification. The painting project was attended by adults and youth, who produced the following beautiful signs. A huge thanks to all who participated!

Look for the signs in the weeks to come after we weatherize them and begin to install the signs throughout the garden.

Everyone loves sunflowers! They are colorful and cheery and are always a standout in the garden or a bouquet. There are many varieties, too! But there is more to a sunflower than meets the eye – there are other benefits to growing these eye catching blooms in your garden. Sunflowers are great at attracting pollinators. Bees love them! Research has shown that bees can see uv light and detect faint electrical fields around plants. Towering sunflowers are like a beacon drawing them in. The seeds produced by sunflowers are highly nutritious and the sunflower stalks can be used to support other plants. All good reasons to include sunflowers in your garden.

We were very fortunate to meet Lumberjack Jake who has generously donated hardwood mulch for the garden. We will be using this on our work day June 5th to prepare the garden and food forest for summer. As the temperature rises, the soil in our garden boxes can dry out in the hot sun. But there are many other great reasons why mulching is beneficial for your garden.

• It deters weeds
• Prevents soil erosion
• Helps to retain moisture
• Insulates the roots of plants from changing temperatures
• Feeds the beneficial organisms in the soil.

We will be ready with our wheelbarrows, pitchforks and shovels on June 5th. Hope to see you then!

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/coral-springs/sections/giving-back/articles/coral-springs-community-garden-members-look-for-help-in-building-new-pavilion

A beautiful spot has been created in the Helena Ramsey Memorial Garden which is part of the Rotary Coral Springs Community Garden and Food Forest. One of our gardeners, Debbie Wenger, saw an area that she believed would be an ideal spot for visitors to feel the peace of the garden. After discussing the idea with other members, she applied for and received grant money in May 2021. It was called the Pollinator Project and $1000 was used to purchase soil and plants which were all pollinator and wildlife compatible. An incredible amount of work was required to prepare the area, cleaning out bushes and weeds, adding the soil, and finally planting. Soon, the project began to grow and a moon arch was installed and benches purchased and painted. More flowering bushes and plants have been added and the work is ongoing. Volunteers weed and water daily and the once weedy spot has turned into a beautiful oasis for people, butterflies and birds. Thank you Debbie, Satya, Judy, Susan, Anne, Bez, Eric and many others who labored to make this special grove for the community. Here are a few before and after photos.

Before:

Dear Gardeners and Volunteers,

Please join us on Sunday, May 1st from 5 – 8 PM for our garden and food forest work day, There is a lot to do and your help and participation will be very much appreciated. We will have snacks and fun give aways! Don’t forget your garden gear – hats, gloves, work shoes, water and sunblock.

Garden Tasks

Move the tool shed, weed and mulch east fence, butterfly garden and mandala

Food Forest Tasks

Mulch the Grove, Ridge and Mango Tree. weed the gravel path, weed and mulch the flower beds, fertilize and water the fruit trees.

All gardeners should work to their skill and physical levels on the workday for the general good of the garden and food forest. There is always something each of us can do to maintain the beauty of our shared space. Remember, each gardener has committed to a minimum of 12 hours of volunteer service in 2021/2022 to contribute to the upkeep of the garden and food forest.

Join us at the Sawgrass Nature Nature Center on Saturday, April 23rd from 9:00 – 12:00 as we get close to our our natural surroundings and enjoy being outdoors. There will be many vendors present, plant and seed giveaways and a raffle. The Community Garden will have plants to share for a donation – flowers, herbs and a few vegetables. Come support the garden and celebrate the day!

We are proud to announce the installation of The Free Little Seed Libraray in front of the community garden. Just like Free Little Libraries, seed libraries are tiny places in the community where people can find free seeds. Inside, local members of the community share the extra seeds from packets they purchased or seeds gathered from plants in their own garden. By doing this, they are sharing their love of gardening and encouraging others in the community to grow beautiful and bountiful gardens.

Seeds that come from someone’s own garden are best, as they come from a plant that has already grown in your climate and very likely to grow successfully. Experienced gardeners can also share heirloom seeds that are more difficult to find in a Little Seed Library.

What are our gardeners harvesting? Besides tomatoes, peppers, and green beans, these two gardeners were seen harvesting cabbage and callaloo from their beds.

Wonderful job by the Rotary Club members who built and installed new shelves for our shade house! Thank you to Howard, Eric, Mickey, Steph and Becca for supporting the garden with this much needed improvement. The shade house is used to protect young plants that we grow throughout the year for many of our activities such as the upcoming Earthfest Celebration. These shelves are sturdy enough to last a long time and are much appreciated by our gardeners.