Exciting progress is underway at the Mount Hall Community Garden! After an unseasonably cold spring, the garden’s foundation is taking shape. Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) has installed a gravel base and two raised beds near the northeast corner of Mount Hall (shown in images below). An Ohio State landscape crew is scheduled to add soil to the beds in early June.
Project organizer Diego Villares plans to implement a “Hugelkultur system” to fill the raised beds—a sustainable method that promotes long-term soil health. Diego has also gathered a wide variety of planting suggestions from staff, ranging from herbs and vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, squash, and radishes, to fruits and perennials including strawberries, blackberries, elderberries, and even sunchokes.
Some contributors have also suggested planting trees such as pawpaw and walnut. While Diego is open to incorporating trees, expansion of the garden for this purpose would require approval from FOD and university leadership.
This grassroots project is entirely volunteer funded, and your support can help it thrive! Consider donating to the GoFundMe campaign to support materials and supplies. If you’d like to get involved hands-on, sign up to volunteer here. For questions or ideas, feel free to reach out to Diego directly.
Together, let’s keep growing!
