June in the Garden: Growth Takes Root

June is always an exciting month at the Maxwell Street Community Garden. After months of planning, registration, and preparation, the garden truly comes to life as every plot begins to fill with vegetables, flowers, and eager gardeners.

June marked the transition from the vibrant colors of spring to the promise of summer harvests. Throughout the garden, daffodils, tulips, peonies, and countless other spring blooms put on a spectacular display, reminding us that the garden is as much about beauty and biodiversity as it is about growing food. See our spring flower collage below!

By our June 15th planting deadline, all 60 garden plots were planted and growing. Early-season crops such as kale, lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard, beans, and beets were already thriving, with many gardeners looking forward to their first harvests of the season.

One of the biggest successes this year has been the incredible interest from new gardeners. Entering the season, we anticipated having nearly 20 plots available due to gardener turnover. Thanks to overwhelming community interest, we welcomed 30 new gardeners into the Maxwell Street Community Garden family. As a result, 54 of our 60 plots are now individually maintained by gardeners, leaving just six community plots—the lowest number we are permitted per our agreement with CHA. In previous seasons, we maintained a larger number of community plots simply because we didn't have enough gardeners to fill every space.

To ensure we continue providing fresh produce for the community while maximizing opportunities for individual gardeners, we introduced four new large community growing bins throughout the garden. These dedicated spaces allow us to continue growing food for community use while keeping nearly every traditional plot in the hands of an active gardener.

June also marked the return of some of our favorite community programming. Our first outdoor Movie Night was unfortunately rained out, we were excited to partner with SISTAMoms to host a special Juneteenth Movie Night featuring Michael. SISTAMoms also launched their Friday evening community gatherings in the garden, creating another opportunity for neighbors to connect and enjoy this shared green space together.

Behind the scenes, volunteers and board members have been hard at work preparing the garden for the busy summer season. Community plots were planted, rain barrels were placed and filled, and countless hours were spent weeding and maintaining the perimeter gardens to keep the entire space welcoming and healthy.

As we head into July, the garden is lush, vibrant, and full of promise. We can't wait to watch these early plantings mature, celebrate our new gardeners, and continue building community through gardening, education, and shared experiences. Here's to a season of abundant harvests and growing connections!