Not many Long Islanders have backyards big enough for full-size gardens, but there’s a solution for people who live in a confined space and still want to grow tasty greens.
The Port Washington branch of Plant a Row For the Hungry, an organization that plants and encourages residents to grow vegetables to end community hunger, is hosting a workshop on Saturday on planting in small spaces.
The event, which will be held at the Port Washington Public Library from 2 to 4 p.m., is cosponsored by the library’s Earth Day Committee, and will feature Reese Michaels, a master gardener who has led seminars on gardening around Nassau and Suffolk Counties, teaching the importance of vegetable gardening.
“We focus on vegetable gardening to feed people who are hungry, as well as educating families and children on the gardening process,” said Marv Makofsky, chief vegetable garden executive for Plant a Row in Port Washington.
The Port Washington branch delivers the vegetables it collects from residents to Our Lady of Fatima Chuch, who them delivers them to a list of families in need.
Last year, over 800 families delivered fresh vegetables to the Bayles Garden Center, the organization’s headquarters for collections.
“Most of these families are getting non-perishable foods, but what they don’t get are fresh vegetables,” Makofsky said. “When I tell you how grateful they are for what we bring to them, it’s an understatement.”
The group also sends recipes with the vegetables, “because some foods may not be familiar to everyone we’re delivering to,” Makofsky said.
“We are trying to take care of every end,” Makofsky said. “We ask the church what does everyone eat and then we tell the community ‘this is what you need to grow.’’’
Makofsky said Plant a Row will be teaming up with representatives from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to continue teaching the importance of vegetable gardening at a young age.
“We’ll also be introducing people to self-watering systems, because people’s gardening failures are almost always from not watering correctly,” Makofsky said. “It’s either unevenly watering or someone goes away for a week and there is a heat wave. By having a self-watering system, you can grow two to three times the amount of veggies.”
Plant a Row began a program two years ago where it placed painted planters with vegetables throughout Port Washington, covering the steps of the Chamber of Commerce, lining them along Main Street and positioning them in front of the Children’s Center.
“Almost all of the churches and synagogues have purchased the painted pots, as well as Port businesses on Main Street and even in front of the Town of North Hempstead’s village hall,” Makofsky said. “They’re everywhere.”
The Art Guild of Port Washington and other artist groups decorate the planters and over 65 of them are scattered throughout Port.
Makofsky said Plant a Row has over 25 volunteers and focuses heavily on getting children and families involved, giving each kid who participates in a program a pot with soil and a starter plant.
“The kids bring them home and watch them grow and their parents become aware of the program,” Makofsky said. “We’ve had kids from 2 years and up and all of the kids love it.”
Plant a Row also participates in many community events, too, operating booths at Port Fest and Harbor Fest, as well as working with the Port Washington Children’s Center.
