Fun Facts Friday

Did you know: Not only is the red root edible- but the greens are as well! They are slightly more mild flavored than the root and make great additions to salads or scrambled eggs.

Thinning the herd: for the new gardener this is one of the toughest tasks. We want all the sprouts we plant to take hold and grow into delicious vegetables. However- if we want large, luscious yields we have to remove weaker seedlings from overcrowded sections. This allows more air flow and supply of water and nutrients to the remaining plants. But not all is lost!! Many of those little seedlings are edible- the baby radishes, carrots, beets, and more! So they are not going to waste- they are simply being repurposed.

I’m kind of a big “dill”: Planting dill can attract beneficial insects that help to control populations of the “bad bugs”. And double bonus- you will have dill to go along with cucumbers for pickling!! Woohoo!

You’ve got a friend in me: community gardens help fight loneliness and are a natural way to help improve mental health! Here at ICG we have wonderful assortment of people coming to work together in the gardens. We get to share our lives with people we may not have ever met- and it has huge heartwarming effects on us all.

Let’s get dirty: In addition to the community aspect- there has also been research showing the physical and mental health benefits of working in a garden, playing in the dirt (for adults and children). Gardening is great for everyone!