With the arrival of spring comes, for many, the desire to get back outside and enjoy nature. Little do many students at UCSB know, there is a perfect opportunity available to all members of the UCSB community with green thumbs and an eco-friendly approach to gardening. It is called the UCSB Greenhouse and Garden Project, and its closer to home than many would expect.
The Greenhouse Garden Project gives students and faculty small divisions of land on which they are free to grow and maintain their own personal garden. Since most students live in apartments with no space for private gardens, this gives everyone at UCSB the chance to test out their gardening skills and to grow their own food as well. All of the gardening done in the Greenhouse Garden Project is organic; no pesticides or other harmful chemicals can be used.
The cost itself for this project is quite reasonable, a yearly fee of $20 plus a one time $10 refundable deposit. The only other cost is that of the seedlings you will want to buy to use in your garden. All the tools you need to grow your own garden are provided for you, including water, as well as plenty of free, all natural wood chippings, mulch, and even manure from the UCSB Campus Horse Boarders Association. All that you need to bring to the project is a few plants to start and a willingness to work the earth a bit.
Besides giving UCSB students and faculty a chance to grow a garden, this wonderful spot on campus is incredibly lush this time of year. The sunny, yet misty coastal weather leaves it with fresh, perfect growing conditions. Students can come and go as they see fit to tend to their gardens, creating a beautiful place to simply immerse yourself in for a while; a surprisingly fresh and vivid burst of nature in a fairly congested, cement covered area.
The Greenhouse Garden Project is located at the end of stadium parking lot #38 off of Mesa Rd. You can park your car and walk down a dirt road near the end of the parking lot. Also, if you’re ever out for a walk in Isla Vista, make a short trip down Los Carneros from El Colegio and you can spot the garden on your right, set back a ways from the road itself. Easy to get to and easy to care for, the garden is just a short bike ride away.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener looking for a plot for fresh produce or just interested in growing a few fresh herbs and spices or flowers, the UCSB Greenhouse and Garden Project is probably the cheapest organic option around. What could be more satisfying than whipping up a dish for friends and being able to proudly claim the ownership of those bright fresh veggies?
Anyone interested in utilizing the services of the Greenhouse Garden Project should visit The Bottom Line’s website at www.bottomlineucsb.com for further information.