This past weekend, La Plaza Cultural Community Garden and the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space came together to help restore the Sandy-wrecked gardens at La Plaza Cultural on Avenue C and East Ninth Street. (Read the background here.)
The folks from La Plaza provided some photos and a recap from Saturday's volunteer gathering.
Several dozen people showed up to move the 50 tons of soil around La Plaza and do a whole lot more. We cleared out the perimeter planting areas and covered them with clean soil, resoiled and reseeded the lawn area, filled in the newly reconstructed community plots, filled in individual plot holders' raised beds, cleared out 15 bags full of weeds and old plants, planted several new trees (with more to come), rebuilt the picnic table benches, and managed to eat 10 pizzas! And we used all of the soil..all 50 tons.
We had members, volunteers and friends from the neighborhood turn out to participate, and with a little cooperation from Mother Nature who provided a gorgeous day, I think that we all had a good time too.
We're very appreciative of everyone who came out and worked so hard! People started arriving at 7:30 am and we finally wrapped up at about 5 pm
2 comments:
The Citizens Committee for NYC has issued a few grants to purchase top soil for the gardens. I'm not sure how many applied, but I know Orchard Alley is scheduled to receive two truckloads this weekend.
Even without Sandy, this is something many of the gardens are in sore need of. The soil of the pre-garden lots wasn't good to begin with, and after years of depletion, many gardens are having a difficult time keeping the plants growing.
Great to see this community spirit! And for green space to boot!
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