Community Gardens

TEAM Volunteers Prepare Garden for Season

TEAM volunteers, including students from Charlotte High School, prepare the History Park Community Garden for the growing season. All plots are currently rented and we have a waiting list of gardeners anxious for a spot in the garden. Click on photos below to see a larger view of the picture.

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History Park Community Garden Weathers the Storm

The Punta Gorda History Park Community Garden was in great shape prior to the arrival of Hurricane Ian. The garden plots were ready for planting, thanks to help from CJ Lawn Maintenance, Mike Trzandel and Steve Catalino. When the storm roared through on September 28 the garden took a huge hit.

Trees from the adjacent History Park came down on the garden fence making it unsafe to walk around. We lost our storage shed and sustained other damage to materials and supplies.

Volunteers hit the ground soon after the event.  A small group got the ball rolling by chain sawing all the branches hanging over the fence as well as cleaning up the big tree in the center of the garden. Safety issues were resolved thanks to the hard work done by Lisa and Bill Sowell, Mike Trznadel, Bill and Jan Pappadake, Sally and Jim Katica, and Kathy and Jay Seeger.  All the tree limbs hanging over the fence were removed.

Once the area was safe, 18 gardeners came together on October 14 to clean up the garden. The results are astonishing. The HPCG is now ready for another successful season.

 

 

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The seventh season of the History Park Community Garden is underway!

Operated by a committee of avid organic gardeners, this 92-plot garden is a singular treasure. TEAM Board President, Sandy Dressler, reports that it would not have been possible without some very hard -working and generous people.

For their efforts through the hot summer, we are grateful to Steve Catalino who did the necessary bed repairs and Mike Trzandel for supervising all the summer work. Once again CJ Lawn Maintenance did a wonderful job maintaining the garden throughout the summer. They also did all the hard work to open the garden which included removing all the solarizing plastic and bricks, adding potting mix to the beds, and adding mulch to the garden.

The garden continues to be in demand as all plots are filled and a lengthy waiting list exists.

If you are interested in getting on the waiting list or volunteering at the garden contact TEAM Punta Gorda via email or by phone.

To view the Organic Garden Orientation videos given by Master Gardener, Fred Browning, click HERE.

The goal of the community gardens program is to establish gardens that allow citizens to grow their own vegetables.  The gardens are located throughout greater Punta Gorda.  The committee continues to provide consultation and support for previously built gardens at South County Regional Park and the Public Safety Building in Punta Gorda. Our largest garden is at the History Park.  This committee works collaboratively with the city of Punta Gorda and the Master Gardeners. 

The success of this project is a reflection of the dedication and enthusiasm our volunteers have displayed throughout the builds. Because the History Park Garden is an organic garden, all gardeners are required to attend an orientation on organic gardening prior to planting.  The first orientation was held in May of 2016 and was conducted by nationally recognized Worden Farm.  Additional orientations have been ongoing with master gardeners in Punta Gorda.

Contact TEAM@TEAMPUNTAGORDA.ORG or call 941-637-8326 for more information or to be added to the waiting list. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In February of 2018, volunteers built 10 additional beds for the Community Garden at the History Park. This gave us 20 more plots for our third season.        

For more details click HERE.               
To view photos of the build click HERE then click the first picture.