How to Start a Corporate Garden

The best way to develop a social gathering around the office is by feeding the troops...let's take it one step further and let them grow it first.

Our first corporate garden was established in Long Beach CA., with the generous support of Seeds of Change www.seedsofchange.com and their master gardener, Terry.

The purpose of the Corporate garden is to promote the benefits of an organic garden and give the employee's  a complete, healthy experience at work; promoting teamwork and a healthy life style.

We were faced with some challenges:

1. Planning the location of the garden.

We had to decide where we were going to plant our seedlings outside. The garden site should have adequate sunlight, ready access to water and soil with good drainage. A minimum of 6 hours of direct sun needed, and preferably morning light. We had to make sure there was not too much shade from trees or buildings. Once we determined the best location for the garden we worked with the management company to allow us the use of the land. They were happy to promote organic gardening and company pride. A few employees started by preparing the allocated area by digging down and loosening the soil to a depth of 12 inches. This provides good drainage and allow the roots to grow deep.

2. What to Plant? From Seeds to Seedlings.

Once we established where the garden was going to go we had to decide what to plant. This was a great way to see all the employees excited about what to plant. Food always has a way of triggering memories from your past. Each employee had the opportunity to pick what was being planted.

Seeds of Change(SoC) donated seeds and seedlings http://www.seedsofchange.com Seed to seedling starter sets are available through this website or use your local nurseries.

To start seedlings you can use recycled egg cartons or any small containers. Use a good organic potting soil, poke a hole at the bottom of the container and fill it with the potting soil. (Note: you can presoak the seeds the night before to start the germination process.)

Moisten the soil then make a hole twice the size of the seed. Place 2 seeds into the hole.

Once all the seeds are planted the containers should be placed in a 2" deep tray with water up to 1/2 inch from the top.

Finally, place the tray on a window sill that gets plenty of sunlight, ideally facing East or South. If the sunlight is too intense, move the tray in the afternoon, or pull down a shade. Your growing seedlings should be getting 12-16 hours of sunlight per day.

Now that you've planted your seeds Mother Nature will take over, with a little help from you. Every few days be sure to check the water level in the tray. Add more if it gets down past the half way mark.

The best watering comes from the bottom, so only add water to the tray, not the soil. Water will be drawn up from the tray to the plant as needed. Make sure that the water in the tray never dries up completely, because that could damage the new roots.

In about 6-10 days. the germinated sprouts, called seedlings will come up. You will have one or two seedlings in your container (if neither of them have sprouted by now, don't worry. Simply take another two seeds from the package and try again).

After 30-40 days, when the seedlings are 4-6 inches high, they are ready to transplant outdoors.

The best time to transplant outdoors is when the danger of frost at night has passed and there are no longer big temperature swings from day to day. The day-time temperature should remain above 70 degrees F (http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/CA/Los%20Angeles).

TIP: Don't start your seeds more than 50 days before this 'safe date,' or your seedlings will be ready before Mother Nature is. If the weather doesn't warm up on schedule, the seedlings can stay in the container up to 10 more days.

3. Your Seedlings Goes Out Into The World!

When the time is right, take the tray containing your seedlings outside. In the evening or a cloudy day is best; avoid planting in the heat of the day.

What ever size your container is, make a hole 3 inches deep, 2 inches wider than your container and 6 inches longer on both sides.

Remove the seedlingfrom the container and gently place them in. Smooth out the soil and make a small depression in the soil around the seedling, compacting the soil around the seedling. After planting, water immediately so that the roots are thoroughly moist.

4. Working with Mother Nature

Watering your plants

The most common vegetable planted is the tomato, which is quite finicky. However they are easy to grow once you figure out the watering system. Tomato plants prefer soil that is moist but not wet.

For all plants, it is just as important to avoid over-watering as it is to avoid under-watering. Dig down below the soil surface to determine the soil moisture. Grab a handful of soil and squeeze. If you can squeeze water out, the soil is too wet. If the soil is dusty and falls apart, it is too dry. If it is moist and crumbles into small pieces, it is just right.

Water small amounts more frequently when plants are young, water deeply and less frequently for older plants.

Feeding your plants

We suggest you stay away from synthetic fertilizers. This is important if you want your crops to be truly organic (you started with organic seeds, so why not have organic vegetables?).

Compost from your household and natural fertilizers from your local garden center are better, because they're free of chemicals.

Dealing with bugs and diseases

The best way to minimize insect and disease problems is to grow healthy plants. Providing the proper amount of sun, water and nutrients will greatly reduce problems. Insect pests can be controlled in numerous ways, including:

1) Picking off the bugs.

2) Protecting your plants with row covers.

3) Spraying with a hose.

4) Using soap or oil sprays

5) Using Bt or diatomaceous earth,

6) Or using organic/biodegradable pesticides.

They are all available at your local garden center.

The most effective ways to control disease:

1) Don't let plants sit in standing water.

2) Control disease-spreading insects.

3) Don't crowd plants when planting, allow space between each plant. 

4) Don't reuse potting soil. Throw it in the trash for the land fills.

5) Disinfect contaminated tools that are used on diseased plants.

You can search online for help with a particular problems. This part of gardening is a journey in trial-and-error. Don't be discouraged! Remember - each garden location is different, and any mistakes or problems are simply a learning experience.

Keeping the weeds at bay

Weeds rob valuable nutrients, water, sun and space from your plants. Fortunately, transplanting your seedlings when they're already 4-6" tall gives them a head start. Hand pluck or hoe weeds when they're young for best control. Mulching your plants with several inches of straw or leaves will prevent more weeds from germinating, and also conserves moisture, moderates soil temperature and adds organic mater.

5. Harvest Time

One of the great rewards of a garden is being able to harvest and enjoy vegetables at their peak of flavor, freshness and nutritive value. Vegetables can be picked when they are fully ripe on the vine, about 100-130 days after planting in the garden. It's best to pick frequently, meaning a few vegetables each time as they become ripe. Do not allow the crop to become over-mature, as the overripe vegetables will pull much needed nutrients away from those still not yet ripe.

6. Getting Ready for Next Season

After you have harvested your vegetables, it's time to put your garden to rest for the winter. Spread a thick layer of mulch such as straw or leaves on the garden soil. This allows for more activity of soil-dwelling insects, earthworms, bacteria and fungi, which improves soil quality for the next growing season.

7. Where Can I get help?

You are probably going to have lots of questions. Your local extension service (find it here: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/) will have answers about your local growing conditions, insects and plant diseases. They are a great resource!

Joulia