On June 3, 2010, we requested to be put the waiting list for a plot at the Abbotsford Community Garden. It turned out that plot #100 had just come available that day so we quickly claimed it. The garden was full of weeds but had already been planted, although many of the vegetables were not doing well. We worked in mushroom manure in the bare places, found a spot to dig in the rhubarb roots, and added zucchinis and spaghetti squash. For a $20 investment and 6 community hours, it was a great beginning. Our 10′ x 20′ plot gave us chard, beets, a few peppers and lots of squash.
The rainiest, coldest spring in memory was in 2011. We couldn’t rototill until the end of May. We added lots of mushroom manure and again made do with less than ideal conditions. Jim was eager to frame and fence the plot. I wasn’t sure it was necessary, and couldn’t see how we could do it during the growing season. We were producing wonderful radishes, rhubarb,beets, spinach, kholrabi, rutabaga, zucchini and spaghetti squash, but the rabbits were abundant and ate all the carrots and bush beans down to the ground. It became apparent that we had to protect the garden.
All summer we had noticed that the plot next to us, although nicely framed with 2×10’s, was lying fallow, and blackberry brambles were taking hold. In August I put in a request to take over the plot if the current gardeners no longer wanted it. In other words, to move from plot #100 to plot #99. This request was granted. Now we had the perfect opportunity to plan and organize a garden that would really work for us, and so we began our Bush Grid Garden Project.
In August, 2011, garden plots are finally looking lush after a slow start. The cold, wet weather lasted well into June.