West End garden showing off its colors

A portion of the butterfly garden at the West End Community Garden shows an explosion of color. Photo by Darrell Blackwelder

Shelly Moore, a student intern with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County, ties up tomatoes in the West End Community Park. Photo by Darrell Blackwelder

The West End Community Park is now a showcase of color, with bedding plants and other plantings, including a great crop of pigweed and nutsedge.

Located near the railroad tracks on Brenner Avenue, the garden is part of the city of Salisbury Parks and Recreation, but maintained by Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers.

The name West End Community Park often confuses many people who think the gardens are maintained by area residents. The garden is actually a series of ongoing urban horticulture demonstrations for home gardeners.

A major demonstration this season for beginner gardeners is the raised bed gardens. Master Gardener volunteers have a vegetable planting in raised planters of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, etc.

Other demonstrations include: drip irrigation, composting, grape trellising, shade gardens, an insect and butterfly habitat, an asparagus demonstration plot, an enabling garden for the physically challenged and a newly planted turf variety trial plot.

Friday mornings, weather permitting, Master Gardener volunteers congregate at the garden planting, weeding, pruning and other general gardening chores. Under the shelter, the group takes a break around 10 a.m. not only for needed refreshments but also for educational conversation and discussions about various topics in the demonstration garden. The educational session gives both Master Gardener volunteers and the general public a chance to share their gardening experiences and information.

Saturday, June 14, from 9-11 a.m., Cooperative Extension and Master Gardener volunteers are hosting a Demonstration Field Day at the West End Community Park.

This is an excellent opportunity to ask Master Gardener volunteers and the agent about ongoing demonstrations and vegetable gardening problems. The field day is free and open to the general public.

Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. For archived garden columns or other information, visit the Rowan County Master Gardener Web site at www.rowanmastergardener.com; e-mail Darrell_Blackwelder@ncsu.edu; or call 704-216-8970.

http://www.rowanmaster gardener.com

http://rowan.ces.ncsu.edu

http://rowanhorticulture. blogspot.com/