SAN ANTONIO – A Community Vegetable Gardens presentation will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place in San Antonio.
The program is sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, the botanical garden, Bexar County Master Gardeners and San Antonio Parks and Recreation. David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture for Bexar County, will present the program.
“This program will teach people how to make their home or community vegetable garden more productive,” Rodriguez said. “We will tour participants around the very successful Children’s Vegetable Garden Program at the wonderful San Antonio Botanical Garden and discuss what, when and how to plant and harvest garden vegetables.”
Rodriguez said area environmental improvement organizations and others have been invited to participate, and that any other organization or individual interested in establishing a community garden or home garden will benefit from the program.
“We’ve been working in conjunction with organizations such as the Green Spaces Alliance to promote community gardening as a means of social involvement and to help fill a desire for people to reconnect with nature and grow their own fresh produce,” he said.
According to their website, the Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to keeping South Texas green through preserving large parcels of land, fostering community gardens and educating the public.
Rodriguez said home and community gardens are growing in popularity statewide, and that urban gardening is a growing national trend.
“With concerns about food safety and the desire for safe, productive outdoor activities, home and community gardening provide a great way for people to get what they need and feel good about what they’re doing,” he said. “Home and community gardens are popping up everywhere, especially in urban areas, and we want to help people get the most out of their gardening efforts.”
Rodriguez said the Community Vegetable Gardens presentation will guide participants not only through fall gardening, but also on successful production throughout the winter and into the spring.
“You’ll want to bring a notebook to jot down gardening ideas and suggestions,” he said, “and there will be time for questions and answers throughout the program.”
Program registration is $20, and seating is limited to 20, so attendees must register by noon on Nov. 4. To register, send an email to programregistrar@sabot.org or contact Sasha Kodet at 210-207-3270 or sasha.kodet@sanantonio.gov. Make checks payable to Bexar County Master Gardeners.