The garden continues to grow

Our Urban Agriculture course has come to a close but it is wonderful to see that the garden is still growing. It is now the moment to start harvesting the beautiful vegetables but it is also time to think about what crops to plant now for the end of the season. A garden is a continual cycle that must be nurtured and cared for throughout the year. The course may be over but we still have seeds to plant and care for.

One of the most gratifying outcomes of the class has been the formation of the BU Gastronomy Gardening Club. Mike Mennonno, the president of the Fenway Garden Society, has encouraged the group and given them space to grow. We are fortunate to be part of this vibrant garden community.

As for the course, we hope we can do it again next year. The first round was a lot of fun and we all learned a great deal. The smooth running of the course would not have been possible without the help of Mayling Chung, who acted as Graduate Assistant. Mayling helped with bibliographic research, course planning and hosting guest speakers. The course would not have been nearly as fun or organized without Mayling.

Thank you to everyone who made this a very special experience.

-Rachel Black

Harvesting and Seed Saving

So you have been working hard in your garden weeding and fending off the pests and it’s now time to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Here are a few tips for harvesting your bounty and saving your seeds.

Harvesting

The biggest question here is: “How do I know when to harvest?” Bigger is not always better: many vegetables taste better and are more tender when they are smaller. If this is your first time gardening, you may have trouble with this concept. It can be tempting to watch your vegetables get as big as they possibly can. If you take this road, be prepared for not only tough produce but also to share your crop with insects and other garden pests. To help you make that decision of when to harvest, check out this harvesting guide put together by the University of Indiana Extension. Cornell University also has a handy downloadable guide. As you gain experience, you will be able to tell when to harvest by inspecting your crop and sampling the vegetables as they mature.