Horizon’s Community Garden
Garden News
In October you can join one or more gardeners from 10am-11:30am on Saturdays. Bring your water bottle, gloves, and hat! Email communitygarden@horizonuu.org if you’d like information about group work days.
On October 21, 2023 we had 7 students from UTD join 3 of our regular garden volunteers. We harvested 20 pounds of okra, peppers, arugula, kale, baby choy, basil and radishes. Weeds and grass were pulled and mulch was placed between the beds. Great work!
Composting is Easy
We are collecting kitchen and yard waste. You can place your waste in the first box of the compost bin. Please see the Compost Guide for acceptable materials. Please do not leave compost materials inside the church building.
Gardening Tips
Water so that you apply an inch of water each time you water and then don't water again for a week. If it rains, do not water unless it was a light rain that did nothing but wet the top of the soil. Use your index finger to determine the level of soil moisture. It should be moist and cool an inch down.
Watch for signs of insects and disease as plants are growing. See links below for tips to deal with unwanted visitors and diseases. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the recommended method of dealing with insect pests in the garden. Tips for disease control .
Denton County Weather Facts
Spring average last frost date (50% probability of no more frost): March 18
Spring date of 90% probability no more frost: April 6
All of Denton County is within zone 8a on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature.
Sources:
Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension Service: Recommended Planting Dates for North Texas
Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension Service: Vegetable Planting Guide for North Texas
Denton County Master Gardeners Website
http://www.centraltexasgardening.com/
The National Gardening Assn-Calendar for Dallas/Denton
The Old Farmer’s Almanac: Gardening Tips for Jan for Carrollton
Come Grow With Us!
The 150’x 76’ garden has eleven individual garden beds that are 4’x20’ each. Seven more beds will complete phase one. An additional 18 beds will be added in a later phase.
Volunteer
There are many different jobs, tasks, and projects that help create the garden and provide ongoing support. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can help with publicity, building things, and connecting with volunteers. Helping in the garden is a great way for youth to gain volunteer experience, community service hours, or build a portfolio service project.
There are always weekly chores like watering beds, turning compost and pulling weeds. If you would like to help outside of a scheduled workday, let us know! If you have any specific talents or treasures you would like to contribute to the project, please contact us at communitygarden@horizonuu.org. We would be happy to answer any questions you have and help you get involved! Any individuals or businesses who would like to volunteer at the garden are welcome to contact us.
adopt a Plot
The garden is open to Horizon members and citizens of Carrollton and neighboring communities. Individual garden beds are 4’x20’ and can be farmed by one person, a family, or a team. Garden beds are rented annually for a nominal fee. Garden membership requirements include:
Gardeners donate 50% of their garden produce, based on either weight or count, to designated charitable organizations.
Garden members agree to spend an average of two hours per month working in the garden on activities outside of their own bed.
Garden members agree to sign up for and complete three harvests and/or deliveries during the year. Harvests are on Saturday mornings starting in spring through December.
If you are interested in adopting one of the garden beds, please fill out an application and send it to us.
Our goal is to provide sustainable community garden opportunities for the citizens of Carrollton and neighboring communities, without regard to demographic or socioeconomic status.
For more information
We would be happy to answer any questions you have and help you get involved.
Please contact us at communitygarden@horizonuu.org.