Civil Eats

There are those of us who may have the best of intentions, but wish we had a little more knowledge under our belt as the growing season kicks off. The number of urban garden neophytes seems to be off the charts this year, with the National Gardening Association reporting a 20% increase in first-time household food gardens.

Here in New York City, signs of spring are fast approaching, and with them a slew of workshops catering to the most challenged (space-wise) of growers—that of the rooftop, fire escape, and street tree bed-planting variety. Here is the round up of free classes in April and May to get you growing:

April 11: Edible Rooftop Gardening (Free)

Offered by the New York Permaculture Meetup Group

Where: Petri Space, 114 Forrest Street, Brooklyn NY
Time: 3:30PM

Their second Edible Rooftop Gardening workshop using Permaculture, they will use a hands-on approach as they go over how to mix lightweight soil for rooftops. They will also go over some early season crops and offer tips on planting.

Cost: Free

To register, visit: meetup.com/nycpermaculture

April 12: Imani Garden ‘Wild Design’ Exercise

Offered by the New York Permaculture Meetup Group

Where: The Imani Garden, Schenectady Ave. (Between Dean and Pacific Streets)
Time: 10AM

The Imani Garden kicks off its’ 2^nd season of planting with a workshop that is part presentation, part hands-on exercise. Through the ‘Wild Design’ exercise first created by Permaculture designer Jono Neiger, learn how to conduct a quick site design by choosing and mapping the locations of proposed new plants while learning about edible landscape design and gardening. At the end of the exercise, group designs will be presented and the best elements will be combined to use as the blueprint for the coming planting.

Cost: Sliding Scale, $5-15 Donation Requested

Registration by April 11^th is required. To learn more and/or register, visit:

http://www.meetup.com/nycpermaculture/calendar/10116869/

April 18: Edibles in Small Spaces: Growing Food on Roof, Windowsill or Stoop

Offered by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with Instructor Sandra McLean

Where: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn
Time: 10:30AM-1:30PM

Creating an edible container garden presents special challenges to the urban dweller. This class focuses on growing edibles in small spaces and helps you on the way to your first fall harvest! Students will learn all the basics: choosing the correct containers, selecting the best plants, making the perfect soil mix, starting seedlings, transplanting, fertilizing, simple irrigation systems, and home composting. Each student will leave this hands-on workshop with a container, seeds, seed plugs, and a soil-mix sample.

Cost: $49 for BBG members, $54 for non-members.

To register, visit: bbg.org/edu/registration.html

May 17: City Gardens High and Low

Offered by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with Instructor Linda Yang

Where: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn
Time: 11AM-12:30PM

This short course will provide you with the basic design skills needed to understand which plants will best fit your site—given the light, wind, privacy, space and budget considerations.

Cost: $21 for BBG members, $23 for non-members.

To register, visit: https://www.bbg.org/edu/registration.html

Photo: Cheerytomato

Cerise Mayo is the Program Director for the New Amsterdam Market Association, whose mission is to reinvent the indoor public market as a civic institution in the City of New York. She recently served as the Creating Leaders, Creating Change Program Manager at Slow Food Nation, as well as the Director of Special Projects for Slow Food USA from 2002-2007. She is currently starting (a yet to be named) urban kitchen garden design business, helping people grow their own food, no matter how small the plot of land.