Kyle Community Garden plans September opening

KYLE — Flowers, like many other aspects in nature, often encourage individuals to pause and “smell the roses,” forcing them to let the world around them still and enjoy the moment. This serenity, along with a sense of community, is what the City of Kyle Community Garden at Post Oak aims to create.

The garden, located at 193 Goddard, was created by the city and after a year of planning and building and held its soft opening on June 22. According to at-large Community Gardens Committee member Leigh’Ann Andrews, the garden provides an opportunity for those that live in an apartment, are unfamiliar with the activity and want to learn or need more accessibility to a garden.

There are several plots that are available to rent: 4x8 ADA garden tables, 4x8x1 garden plots and 8x12x1 garden plots.

“When you join, you’ll go through orientation and you’ll learn about all the tools that are on site in the shed and available to you; you’ll learn how to use the green house and then, there’s different implements that you can add to your soil to help your plants thrive,” explained Andrews.

The garden has also installed ollas to avoid using an irrigation system. Ollas, according to Andrews, are an ancient method used to save water by using soil moisture tension to slowly release water for the plants to use through tiny holes.

Other resources include tools, soil, a composting system and greenhouse.

Although the soft opening was in June, Andrews stated that it “felt unfair” to have a resident’s first experience with gardening to be in the Texas heat, so the garden will officially begin in September. Community members are required to bring their own seeds for the fruit and vegetables they want to grow. The following are options for the fall season, but is not an exhaustive list:

• Green beans

• Beets

• Broccoli

• Brussel sprouts

• Cauliflower

• Cabbage

• Carrots

• Salad greens

• Tomatoes

• Onions

• Radishes

• Turnips

Applications will open on Aug. 7 and can be found at bit.ly/4d1BHe9.

“I imagine it will be popular and that people will want to join," said Andrews. “While I was in Seattle, I had a community garden plot and I had to wait two years to get one.”

In hopes to curb this possibility, she continued, the committee is looking to open more in the future. According to Andrews, there is already another in progress.

“One thing that I really firmly believe is that communities are built around food. I think it’s really, well scientifically it's true, that gardening is really good for mental health. So, I think any place in a community where you can build something that is a space for people to gather is really valuable,” said the committee member.

This also includes the ability for schools and community groups to participate, as there will be nonprofit plots for education.

“When you start growing food, you’ll find that you often have extra that forces you to give it away and to make friends, to build your community. I always found that really special,” concluded Andrews.

For more information, visit bit.ly/4d1BHe9 or email [email protected].