What's Growin' On Hollygrove?

Spurred by a comment from one of our customers last week, I decided to investigate what the growers at Hollygrove Market & Farm have planned for the upcoming spring planting season.  While the list isn’t comprehensive, it does give a good idea of what you can expect to see at the farm in the upcoming months.

Mentor Farmers

-Ronald Terry, a new mentor farmer, is getting his fields ready and should start planting soon. On his plot he will have blackberry bushes, trellised muscadine grapes, dwarf citrus trees, persimmons, and pomegranates. He will also intercrop veggies and beans between the trees to make the most of his space.

-Macon Fry, Garden Guy, will continue to grow his variety of lettuces, kale, arugula, and Swiss chard through the spring. He will also plant some tomatoes once the weather warms up a bit.

Community Gardeners

-Ramona Wallis plants edible flowers such as violas and nasturtiums, as well as a mix of herbs and veggies including icicle radishes, Swiss chard, dill, parsley, and carrots.

-Michael Beauchamp has a mix of greens and lettuces in one bed, with the second bed focused on growing flowers.

-Our new community garden plots, tended by Bernadette Green, Eddie Woods, and Andrea Moore, contain garlic, mustard greens, collards, and

lettuces, and some bean crops for the spring.

-Kevin Fitzwilliam has parsley, peas, and carrots planted, and his planning to put in some sweet pepper starts as well.

-The Master Gardeners of New Orleans, whose mission is to educate the public on seasonal gardening, tend the raised beds next to the front fence. The following list breaks down the plantings in each bed:

1st bed (nearest entrance) – Ten varieties of peppers

2nd bed (kids' bed) – Strawberries and beans until June and then peanuts
3rd bed – Five varieties of squashes
4th bed – Corn and Tomatoes
5th bed - currently planted with potatoes - will add in 4 different varieties of eggplant during the summer
6th bed – Herb Garden
square foot gardens – Eight different varieties of basil; experimental seeds from Italy & Spain

For more information on what to grow in your own backyard during the spring season, check out the LSU Ag. Ext. Vegetable Planting Guide.