Innovations Shine at Central Library Garden

With the help of its outstanding gardening team, Central Library has showcased several innovations this season. They upgraded the container area nearest the Library entrance with the gift of three new troughs, which are now spilling over with sweet potatoes. As the photo shows, harvesting the greens is imperative to keep them in check. The New Mexico and fish peppers provide a great backdrop behind them, and more peppers, mint, cucumbers, and marigolds grow along side.

A new fence enhances and protects the brick-walled raised area outside the auditorium. Despite some competition from root knot nematodes, the garden has already produced a robust crop of collards and cabbage. Now cow peas, tomatoes, sun flowers, and zinnias are enjoying the area. Nearer the whiteboard are more cow peas, delicata squash on a trellis, peppers (replacing a robust crop of Tuscan kale, successfully protected by a row cover until ready for harvest) and beds of beets, carrots, and chard.

The tennis court area also enjoys a new fence this year. Kale grew on the corner until foiled by harlequin bugs. Now tomatoes and peppers reign, plus beets, carrots, and some container crops. Towards the far end of the tennis court area are some yard-long beans happily producing on a trellis.  More delicata squash, cucumbers, and chard round out the garden’s abundance, accented by zinnias and cosmos.  The Central Library gardeners are looking forward to continuing harvest bounty.