Mankato plots ready to plant

Located near the Jewell County Hospital is Mankato's Community Garden which was started in 2014 with six 20 foot by 10 foot plots. In 2015, the garden was expanded to 12 plots.

The garden is usually popular every year with community members renting 8 to 10 plots. The plots that aren't rented become donation plots by the Mankato Chamber of Commerce. The chamber donates the crops on these plots to the food bank and the senior center.

The Mankato Chamber of Commerce received a grant from the Jewell County Community Foundation to build the garden shed and to purchase two garden tillers.

Anyone in the community can rent a plot for a cost of $20, which covers the use of the plot, tools in the garden shed, and the water which is donated by the hospital. The hospital also donated the land the garden lies on. Plots can be rented now since the garden is ready for planting.

Renters are in charge of keeping their plots in good condition by weeding and watering. If a renter wants to use fertilizer, he is responsible for providing it. Renters are also responsible for removing the garden waste at the end of harvesting crops.

The most successful crop in the community garden is tomatoes. Other crops that are popular are sweet corn, sweet potatoes, okra, green beans, potatoes and cucumbers. One year, Brian Shulda planted popcorn. During that year, someone thought the garden was a free-pick what you want garden and picked the ears of popcorn. Brian wonders what the individual thought of the taste of the popcorn because it doesn't taste good at all when it is boiled like sweet corn. Brian believes the individual stopped taking crops because of the taste experience. Two years ago, Brian planted a plot of potatoes which yielded five, five gallon buckets of produce.

Maintaining a garden plot by weeding and watering it is generally a good way to get a good amount of produce. Even though critters haven't been much of a problem, some individuals sometimes fence their plot.

In the first couple of years, there was a problem with grass and weeds growing in the plots, but the more the ground was worked, there were less problems.

The garden seems to be successful. The community enjoys being able to rent a plot. Since people are only renting the plot for a year, they only want to plant annual vegetables and flowers.

Community members can rent more than one plot. The Mankato Chamber often discounts the price of the second or third plot if people decide on renting more than one. If interested in renting one or more plots, contact Brian Shulda at the State Exchange Bank.