Updated: If You Want to Have a Garden This Summer, Plant Your Seeds This Spring
Image credit: Lyndsay Dunn, NOISE
By Kietryn Zychal
update: A number of readers reached out to NOISe with gardening tips. We will be updating this article to include an easy to read planting calendar from the big garden that lists what seeds you can plant from february through august. In the meantime, check out Omaha Permaculture’s field guide
This week’s warm weather may have inspired you to think about planting a garden. North Omaha is particularly blessed to have a number of urban gardening nonprofits and community gardens willing to teach amateurs how to grow their own food.
Many seeds have to be planted indoors in the spring and transplanted later. Check back soon. We’ll be adding an easy to read planting calendar from The Big Garden that lists when you should plant your seeds from February to August. In the meantime, Omaha Permaculture has an extensive field guide for Omaha that covers January through December.
NOISE has compiled a sample of local organizations that can teach you how to be part of the miracle of watching a seed turn into a vegetable. (If your organization wants to be added to this list, send us your info.)
The Big Garden
5602 Read St.
402-898-9862
info@BigGarden.org
The Big Garden has an online gardening education page on their website with dozens of videos which might be a good first stop for aspiring gardeners. There’s also a planting calendar that lists when you should plant seeds from February through August. The Big Garden has a 10-week free Grow Your Own program for ages 2 - 18 in partnership with schools, day care centers, and other nonprofits that work with children from low-income backgrounds and teach classes at those sites. There are also many opportunities to volunteer.
Big Muddy Urban Farm
In Gifford Park at 3322 Burt St.
(402)-213-9646
info@bigmuddyurbanfarm.org
Big Muddy offers an aspiring farmer residency (you can apply for next year), farm tours and Saturday morning garden education for youth. They even have a tool lending program if you don’t have your own tools.
City Sprouts
4002 Seward St.
402-504-1910
info@omahasprouts.org
City Sprouts has a workshop series for folks of all ages. They offer four-seasons of hands-on workshops and virtual webinars. According to the website, “Topics include gardening, urban farming, cooking, and food preservation. All workshops are low-cost and accessible, for all-ages, and no one will be turned away for inability to pay.”
Omaha permaculture
4101 Grant St.
(402) 689- 5509
info@omahapermaculture.org
Omaha Permaculture has put together an Omaha-specific field manual. It includes month-by-month instructions for preparing the ground, deciding which crops to plant at what time and even building a rain barrel. If you don’t have space to grow your own garden, you can volunteer to help with one of OP’s community gardens and learn from experienced gardeners. You’ll receive a portion of each harvest. Teenagers who are 14 years and older can earn community service credits for school.
No MOre empty pots
8501 North 30th St.
402-933-3588
info@nmepomaha.org
While No More Empty Pots (NMEP) isn’t specifically an urban farm or community garden, they have a gardening basics page where you can sign up to learn about community education activities. NMEP’s mission is dedicated to improving food security and access to proper nutrition. Their programs promote local foods, training, jobs and entrepreneurship. NMEP has an extensive resource hub on their website that contains a wealth of information about how to eat healthy and find food resources in Omaha. There are recipes, classes and opportunities for food entrepreneurs.
If you have a gardening program and would like to be included in this list, send us your info.
