Like many gardeners, I love to look at seed catalogs, and the new and colorful varieties usually catch my eye. But there’s one favorite that I keep on using: the Contender Bush Bean. Developed in 1949 at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, the Contender bush bean had also been called the “Bluff Valentine.” The result was…
If you are new to WCG, let me tell you about one of the perks of joining our garden. We have two herb beds grown for common use. The herb beds are tended by members of The Herb Society of America- South Texas Unit together with a newly formed Herb Committee of WCG gardeners (which…
A new committee has been added to the maintenance working groups of Westbury Community Garden – Herbs! Westbury Community Garden has long had two garden plots (C2 and D2) dedicated to growing and learning about medicinal and culinary herbs. In a recent reorganization, the garden is making work on the Herb beds an eligible maintenance…
Have you ever wondered actually how much produce can be grown on a 100 square foot plot? WCG raised allotment gardens are roughly 4′ x 25′ – that’s a 100 square foot plot. This study was conducted on two such plots leased by yours truly, your WCG President, and my garden partners. THE CROPS In…
Westbury Community Garden held its first Plant Sale Fundraiser just in time for cool season planting on October 12. The sale was part of Bayou City Community Market located in the parking lot of Westbury Baptist Church, 10425 Hillcroft, near the corner of Willowbend Blvd. The market is held on the second and fourth Saturday mornings from…
On June 1, Westbury Community Garden held its 8th Annual Tomato Tasting. It seemed that tomatoes ripened earlier this year. Climate change? Though some tomato varieties were already spent for the season, 20 tomatoes were presented for the comparative taste test. About 45 people took part in the tasting and voting. The winner in the…
WCG was extremely fortunate to receive a sponsorship donation from Southwest Fertilizer, our favorite independent neighborhood garden center, located at 5828 Bissonnet. Southwest Fertilizer’s support covered the supplies and printing associated with the Tomato Tasting Festival – a huge boon to the garden. Southwest also donated two items to the Fishbowl Raffle fundraiser for the…
One of my first lessons as a gardener came 33 years ago when I spent the summer building a large vegetable garden in my backyard. I was off for the summer from my teaching job and my goal was to build 6 large garden beds and plant them while off for the summer. I tried…
In 2014, Bert Gonzalez, a Westbury Community Garden founding member, asked if there was a possibility of converting a raised bed that was one concrete block high to a garden where one could sit or stand to tend the plants. Bert’s wife, Diana, had trouble squatting and bending; they might have to give up gardening….
Did you plant one or more of the Urban Harvest Broccoli Rabe (pronounced raab) seedlings this fall and watch the broad, spike-edged leaves grow bigger and bigger, finally developing small broccoli buds along the main stem? If it’s flowering it must be mature, right? But how do you cook it? Here’s a simple recipe, fixed…