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Concerns about food safety and the popularity of organic products are leading to a resurgence of community gardens and at-home vegetable gardens in the Piedmont Triad.

"When I first started 20 years ago, we couldn't get anybody to attend a class on how to garden," said Karen Neill, a Guilford County cooperative extension agent specializing in urban horticulture.

Now, classes are filling up. Residents want to learn how to design and maintain their own vegetable or fruit gardens, Neill said. "The nice thing about the South is that we can grow three full seasons in vegetables," Neill said. "You're really talking maybe only a month or two when people can't have or wouldn't have fresh produce coming in through their own garden." And you don't need a yard to garden.

Community gardens are popping up all across the Piedmont Triad. At the Glenwood Community Garden in Steelman Park residents can rent 20-foot by 4-foot plots, which they maintain. Neill is working with the members of the Highland Mills community in High Point to help them create a community garden.

The concept is also popular in assisted living or retirement communities because it gives residents a chance to get outside and do something they enjoyed in the past, Neill said.

What to Plant

Spring: lettuce, carrots, radishes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Irish potatoes and English peas

Summer: Tomatoes, green beans, squash, cucumbers, peppers, cantaloupes, watermelon, okra and sweet potatoes

Fall: onions and garlic (which are harvested in the summer) and collards
Tips for Planning a Garden

* Plan everything out on paper first. Figure out how to get the most out of your garden plot. Pick the right plant for the right location, not the other way around.

* Prepare the soil. The stronger the root system the stronger the plant. Check the soil’s pH and add any nutrients it might be missing. Use lots of organic material, such as compost.

* Water. The garden needs one inch of water per week. Vegetables need a that much water to produce well. During summer droughts try using rain barrels — 50 to 65 gallon barrels that attach to your downspout and collect rain water. They can be purchased at the Guilford County extension service office.

* Pest Management. It’s all about diligence and scouting. Walk through your garden and keep an eye out for bugs and critters on a regular basis. If you’re going pesticide free, squish the bugs that you find or try organic pesticides.
Community Gardens

* Glenwood Community Garden at Steelman Park in Greensboro

* Mixed Greens at N.C. Cooperative Extension Guilford County Center at 3309 Burlington Road in Greesnsboro

* Well Springs Retirement Community at 4100 Well Spring Drive Greensboro

* The Carillon at 4512 Lawndale Drive Greensboro

* The Servant Center Inc. at 1312 Lexington Ave. Greensboro
Want to learn more?

Go to http://www.guilfordgardenanswers.org