The signs of spring are still a couple weeks away, but one Calgary organization says that now is the time to start growing seeds for 2018.
Grow Calgary hosted a seed planting party for Calgarians on Saturday, handing out seeds and supplies needed to help them sprout and provide food for hungry people this year.
The group aims to plant over 111,000 seeds this spring and it’s asking for people to help out in the process.
“We are doing early germination so people come and pick up seeds, soil and trays and they bring them home to grow the seeds. They bring them back to us when the plants are about seven to eight inches tall,” said Kalia Gjertsen, volunteer coordinator with Grow Calgary.
The seeds will produce items like zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, corn and squash.
All of the produce from Grow Calgary’s urban farm just west of Canada Olympic Park is donated to the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter and the Inn from the Cold.
Gjertsen says that with the harsh conditions of Calgary, seed events like this help to get as many seeds started as possible.
“We want to give plants a good start when they go into the soil so they have a strong fighting chance getting the food and getting it out there in the spring. The spring in Calgary is a little iffy so we want to have strong plants in the soil first so they can grow up and have a better chance at surviving.”
The early germination event was free to all Calgarians.
For more information on Grow Calgary and the group’s initiatives, visit the official website.
