Garden challenges from the 2024 growing season | The Homepage

How we will address them and make other improvements in 2025

By Valerie Testa

Smiles lit up the faces of Arts Excursions Unlimited members as they made arrangements from cut flowers grown at the Hazelwood Community Garden on Aug. 19. Photo by Valerie Testa

October is here! While I will miss the long and warm days of summer and peak growing season, look forward to cooler temperatures, shorter days and the slowing down that the season’s end encourages. While there is still plenty to do, I’m reflecting on the past and thinking ahead to next year.

A few challenges plagued the Hazelwood Community Garden in the spring and continue to do so. One of them is the relentless munching of plants from the groundhogs. I do believe there is a robust crew living under the tool shed as well as entry points around the fence that haven’t been discovered yet. Another thorn in the side comes from the thornless blackberries. Over the years, it seems that thistle, poison ivy and porcelain vine have been able to thoroughly establish themselves among the fruiting canes. These plants have merit and benefit for wildlife and should be respected — but having them dispersed in a patch of fruit is problematic and, in the case of the poison ivy, dangerous.

We have been able to secure a grant from Grow Pittsburgh to start addressing these ongoing issues. The raspberry patch will be moved, creating a new row along the fence on Monongahela Street. This will allow passers-by a chance to pluck berries from the plants and make it easier to maintain them. The grant is supplying materials for us to further secure the perimeter of the fence and hopefully keep the groundhogs out of the garden.

There will also be improvements made to the beds themselves, with wood chips going in to keep tall grasses from growing.

Everybody’s Garden on Lytle Street will also benefit from some infrastructure improvements. We will be adding native perennials, more benches and mulched paths, and rebuilding beds. These are a few of the plans for improving the passive park that everyone is welcome to enjoy and be a part of.

The only other improvement I’d like to add to this list for both gardens is for more neighbors to be involved! I would love to hear your ideas, work alongside you, answer questions and continue to create a space that is driven by all of our likes and desires. In 2025, a food donation garden tops the list of things I would like to do, and the main thing keeping that from happening is having enough helping hands to maintain and harvest the plants. No experience is necessary to participate in these spaces. I am happy to teach, and if you have the desire to do it you will be able to!

I would love to see you at these upcoming events at the Hazelwood Community Garden. Please consider stopping by!

• Oct. 12, 1 - 4 p.m.: Laying mulch and reinforcing the fence

• Oct. 19, 1 - 4 p.m.: Compost and fall cleanup of the garden

I will continue to be at the Hazelwood Community Garden every Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. until the end of October. If you’re able, please stop by!

Valerie Testa lives in Hazelwood and manages community garden spaces for Hazelwood Initiative. Email your questions to gardens@hazelwoodinitiative.org.