Okotoks Community Garden

Oct 11, 2011 by Chris

The Okotoks Community Garden had a good year.

Despite a late start, unseasonable summer rains and the inevitable gopher invasion, most gardeners seem to have had a successful gardening season with some ambitious plot owners achieving ripe tomatoes and other frost sensitive crops.

We began the year with a surplus of potential gardeners but as some dropped away and some others did not renew, we were able to accommodate almost everyone seeking plots.

Ernie Rezanoff and I spent a morning putting in a separate watering facility at the west end and this seems to have reduced the tangles and resultant hose damage that we used to experience around the central water taps.

Most plots have been well looked after although we continue to have difficulty getting some folks to weed their pathways.

A number of the treated timbers around the plots are beginning to rot and sometime next year these will have to be replaced.

And despite considerable effort and Peggy and I installing a wire mesh fence in the midst of a thick fog of mosquitoes around the north and east ends of the garden, the score in the on-going gopher war is gophers five, gardeners zero. I will try harder next year.

Another report prepared by Cathy Rutt

The Community Garden for 2011 can be deemed a success.

We had a total of 35 plots. 34 were allocated to individuals, and one was a communal herb garden for all to share.

Plots were allocated to those gardeners who had plots in 2010 first. The remainder of plots were then allocated from a wait list on a first come first served basis. The wait list was exhausted by early June, with a total of 16 persons being able to have new garden plots for the upcoming season. All plots were planted this season.

I have already been contacted by new prospective gardeners wishing to be placed on a wait list for 2012. I have advised them that the wait list will commence January 1, 2012 and anyone wishing a plot can contact myself, Cathy Rutt – FCSS Assistant with the Town of Okotoks. 403-995-2773 or by email crutt@okotoks.ca

Thank you,

Cathy Rutt
FCSS Assistant Town of Okotoks