OxGrow Oxford's Edible Community Garden

After last week’s epic bed expansion, this week ‘s session called for much needed consolidation. Between the mypex, the second huge triangular bed in the far right of the plot, another sizeable raised bed to the near left, and a couple of other new acquisitions, we had a lot of ground to cover. In short, we set our eager volunteers to preparing the ground for a shed load of planting and tilling.

Into the mypex (the huge, black, weed-suppressing ground-cover courtesy of local mentor John Letts) we continued planting squashes, courgettes, and cucumbers – varieties especially suited to the mypex, given their tendency to spread wide while only needing one relatively small point of contact with the soil.

Into the second of our triangle beds on the far right we planted the much anticipated red-kernelled variety of corn called ‘Bloody Butcher’! This was far and away the most labour intensive job of the day, but no match for Sunday’s work crew, who tilled the compact ground and planted the corn into neat (and I might add, exceedingly neat) rows.

The near left bed we have now devoted to alliums (onions, garlic, leeks, etc.) after a previous crop in that bed had sadly failed to show. We also had a kind donation this week from one regular volunteer, May: a couple of tomato plants, already started off and ready to plant. Our only foe this week was the wind which – apart from incessantly tousling our hair! – can also provide a real danger to newly planted seedlings. Along with the tomatoes we also took care to find sheltered spots for some chilli seedlings along the near side of the site.

Finally. it is again our pleasure to reflect not only on the sustained energy and devotion of the Oxgrow team but also on its increasing diversity. This week ages ranged from 6 to 60 (mentioning no names!) bringing Oxgrow ever closer to realising its community-wide aim – a garden for and by the people! Here’s hoping to see yet more of you down next week!

Chris