Natick is serious about providing plenty of garden-related opportunities to encourage residents’ interest in going green. Whether it’s the popular weekly Farmers Market on Natick Common, an upcoming lecture series, the seed saving program at the Bacon Free Library, or the chance to rent a plot at one of four community gardens in town, there’s a way for everyone to take up a soil-based interest.

Natick Community Gardens Lecture Series

Are you interested in growing a backyard garden or participating in Natick’s Community Gardens Program? You are invited to participate in Natick’s Community Gardens Lecture Series. Hosted in collaboration with the Morse Institute Library and Bacon Free Library, two monthly, public, no-cost lectures will be held through September.

All presentations are related to gardening, with a specific focus on organic vegetable gardening for raised bed containers. Topics will include: “Tomato Growing”, “Lifecycle of Seeds”, “Soil Preparation”, “Companion Planting and Design”, “Organic Gardening”, and more. Lectures are happening both virtually and in-person. Speaker organizations include Massachusetts Master Gardeners, Backyard Growers, and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Residents are invited to sign up for the programs they are interested in.

Thursday, April 7, 6:30pm Companion Planting & Design (virtual event))

Thursday, April 21, 6:30pm TBO (Try to Be Organic) Gardening (virtual event)

More dates here.

The lecture series is made possible by a $2,500 community giving grant the Town of Natick received from Needham Bank. In fact, Natick Report is made possible in part by Needham Bank’s sponsorship. Please join them in helping to bring local news to the community.

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Natick Seed Library program

The Natick Seed Library is now available at the Bacon Free Library (BFL). Here’s how it works: come into the library and select seeds to borrow (limit: two packets per patron); start your seeds indoors or wait until the ground warms up to plant them outside; during the spring and summer, enjoy the bounty of your garden; at the end of the season, allow 1-2 of your plants to go to seed; harvest those seeds and return them to the BFL in a labeled envelope. More details are available at the library.

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Apply for a community garden space

Natick has four community gardens—The J.J. Lane Park Gardens at 185 Speen Street; the Eric Markman Interfaith Community Gardens near A Place to Turn at 99 Hartford Street; Navy Yard Park Community Gardens at 56-48 Washington Avenue; and the Erica Ball Community Gardens, behind the Housing Authority offices at 72 South Main Street.

Natick Community Gardens — Registration information here.

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Natick Report loves to visit gardens

Do you have an interesting garden, or know of one that we should profile? Or maybe you grow champion tomatoes or have created a cool hell strip (if you know what that is, you know what that is—help us educate others). Dig us up at natickreport@gmail.com. When things are really popping, we’d love to come out, take some pics, and interview the gardener(s). A little concerned about that weedy patch in one corner of the yard, or the pile of debris in that area over there? No worries, we know how to crop photos judiciously. You don’t have to be ready for Fine and Falutin’ High Horticulture Magazine. It’s just good ol’ Natick Report here.