Pitchforks (and hydrant wrenches) aloft!

Flower Power! We are neighbors who are interested in bringing some botanical beauty to the bike-lane
tree pits so we have persuaded the city to allow us to garden there unimpeded. Anyone is welcome to
join at any level of involvement. There are no dues and no formal meetings; Just a desire to keep
Chelsea tree-lined and flower-filled. Join us!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Pick Your Pit

I am thrilled that so many people have expressed an interest in helping plant and maintain the tree pits. I haven't been paying attention to exactly who has staked out which pit but I know some people are planning on doubling up and others just want to pitch in occasionally where help might be needed.

I've set up a list (the link is to the right) so people can sign up for a spot and coordinate with others in terms of work and supplies. I don't want to get overly involved in who is doing what but it would be nice to match people with pits either on the avenues or the side streets. That way we can more evenly distribute our neighborhood beautification.

If anyone has a better idea on this or knows how to set up a more interactive list on this blog, either comment below or email me.

Anyway, once we get Parks Dept on board, I'll turn to that. Plenty of time before Spring planting!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

First Meeting of the Chelsea Garden Club (CGC)

We held our first meeting January 8th to formally establish a collective of Chelsea residents who want to plant and maintain the tree pits in 8th and 9th Avenues without obstruction from the Department of Transportation, the Parks Department or Greenstreets. Additionally, we are hoping for some support from those agencies, in the form of training, and some very limited supplies and maintenance, namely mulch and water.

With the help of Sen. Tom Duane's office we will have that guaranteed in writing from Parks and Greenstreets before Spring planting.

I have set up this blog in order to inform  and coordinate everyone who might be interested in our urban gardening project. Hopefully we can share resources, labor and information and make these dog patches into lush oases that everyone will enjoy!

Right now, members have signed up to care for the tree pits along 9th Avenue at 25th & 26th Streets,  23rd, 22nd, 20th and both the north and south sides of the 19th Street intersection. We still need volunteers for 21st Street as well as most of 8th Avenue (8th and 22nd has been spoken for). Several members are also planning to upgrade some damaged tree pits on the side streets between 8th and 9th Avenues and are looking for additional volunteers.

On a defensive front, we discussed options for protecting these spaces from dogs and others using fencing or other deterrents. One  person emailed that the Flatiron District had lovely fencing protecting their trees and had paid for them with contributions from local businesses. Perhaps this is something to research discuss at the next meeting.

If you are interested in pitching in, have some great ideas or just want to come to one of our random meetings for coffee and snacks, please email me. The more the merrier. In the meantime I will let everyone know the outcome of the meeting with Sen. Duane and Parks once it finally takes place.
Keep your fingers crossed and your pitchforks ready.
Flower Power!