UGA Organic Gardening
 |
| UGArden |
UGArden is still largely run by students and volunteers at UGA, and with the community’s help they are producing fresh vegetables like peppers, ocra, kale, and tomatoes. During the summer months they grow a lot of fruit such as blueberries, blackberries, and watermelon. The current fall crops will likely be ready to harvest late this month or early October. After harvesting, the crops are rotated so as not to deplete the soil of its rich nutrients.
 |
| Crops that aren’t qualified to be consumed are recycled into compost that is used as a natural fertilizer for the soil. |
The soil is the most important element of the farm, and many factors go into keeping it healthy and natural. UGArden uses only organic pesticide and never any harmful chemicals. They also utilize a variety of cover crops, such as beans or sun hemp, to reduce the amount of weeds growing and to reduce the drying of the soil. Additionally, UGArden uses a drip irrigation system, a type of irrigation that minimizes evaporation with its direct deposit of water into the roots of the plant.
Their irrigation system distributes a gallon of
water per hour, and they only use sprinklers for the high tunnel, where plants
that need a more tropical environment are grown. The high tunnel has warmer
temperatures as well as increased humidity from the trapped sunlight. The greenhouses,
where plant seedlings are stored for 3-4 weeks until they are ready to be
planted, are also home to many research-based projects and experiments. Current
experiments taking place are the cultivation of vertically-growing watermelon
and the growing of many different types of peppers in order to find out which variety
grow best in the local climate and conditions. Most research projects are
funded by grants that the students and professors working at the garden earn, and
some courses offered at UGA can have classes there. UGArden also offers home
school classes, field trips for local elementary schools and internship
opportunities.
The Green Roof Garden also has many connections
to the local community. Though originally created to allow a stable temperature
for the labs and experiments going on underneath it in the Geography/Geology
building, it has since become yet another major part of how UGA is practicing
sustainability on campus. Green Roof Garden is home to many similar crops as UGArden,
and they even acquire some of their seedlings from UGArden’s greenhouses.
Tomatoes, squash, peppers, ocra, blueberries, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage and kale are all plants that have been harvested on the Roof. The produce that is currently growing, radishes, will be harvested in November for about 3-4 weeks. Along with the food that is donated to Campus Kitchen, Green Roof Garden is also the host of many colorful flowers that encourage pollinators to keep the area thriving with plant life.
Additionally, the garden also has a small herb section where
sage, chai, oregano, mint and thyme are grown. The garden uses only organic
pesticides and the weeds are taken out by hand, thanks to student volunteers.
Because the Green Roof Garden is much smaller than UGArden, they use organic
mulch instead of cover crops.
As far as realistically having an organic backyard garden of
your own, the Green Roof Garden is a more relatable scale. There is room for a
few different kinds of fresh produce for your family to enjoy, and minimal work
once you get it started. Taking care of the soil is key, and once you’ve
planned out the land and prepared the watering system that works best for you,
gardening is a lot easier than most people would think. It’s affordable, not
very time consuming, and definitely rewarding when you harvest those fresh
fruits and vegetables. There are limitless resources on the internet to guide
you through the process, and the final product is definitely worth it for a
healthy and environmentally-friendly alternative to buying mass-produced food. Many
people have begun growing their own organic produce and have seen the
advantages. With so many resources available, your very own organic garden is a real possibility,
and the rewards are endless!
Posted September 19, 2017
-Kaylyn Barnes