Signs of spring are in the air and ProAct in Shakopee is prepping for a bountiful garden harvest with mini-greenhouses inside and plans for garden beds and the full outdoor greenhouse in April.
“It’s important to learn how to grow something and watch it bloom,” said direct service professional Lisa Svihel, who leads gardening activiites and the plant sale in May. The wide effort engages about three-quarters of ProAct’s onsite participants and three to four volunteers.
Four miniature greenhouses inside are covering the four to eight weeks needed for seedling growth. These have metal stands and plastic over them to boost temperatures. When freezing temperatures outside cease, two new garden beds are ready for regular plant care and watering.
“Last year, we did carrots, green onions and radishes,” said Svihel. The group also plants tomatoes and peppers. These are started inside, with sweet and hot peppers and six different tomato varieties.
Additionally, Shakopee is prepping for a shipment of petunias and geraniums to transplant into hanging pots. Family members of participants donate perennial plants from their gardens for ProAct to grow and sell.
Svihel is managing a long and successful program established by master gardener and retired DSP Connie Straub. “Those are some big shoes to fill. It’s fun,” said Svihel.
The plant and vegetable sale is schedule for May 5 to 7 and May 19 to 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at ProAct’s Shakopee location, 792 Canterbury Road South #132.