[Community_garden] Shade Structures in Community Gardens

[DAN-TAMMY BOWDEN]

I highly encourage the use of shade structures to create a more varied garden experience.
 
I'm brand new to the CG experience, but my own personal experience with gardening involves a site on my land with varied sun exposure due to the surrounding oak and pine forest.  One corner of my garden is almost always shaded, so I just plan on the shade being there and incorporate it into my garden.  It's a great way to extend cold weather crops like lettuce and radishes into the warmer months by keeping them shady and cool.  The peas in the sunny areas of the garden have almost all dried up, but the ones under the trees are still strong and producing more flowers - despite our 95F weather (sometimes over 100F).
 
I like to use biomimicry to decide what to plant where.  Cold weather crops do better in summer shade.  Drought resistant plants (rosemary, sage, lavender, etc.) will flourish in areas that get less water.  Blueberries are forest natives, so they can do well in a shady spot, etc. etc.  If you look at your garden as a collection of miniature biozones you'll start seeing how you can use each unique area to your advantage.  If your garden is homogenous, then you can create biozones with plantings and buildings.
 
On the regulatory side, you might want to have an area of the garden designated for shade structures to be installed by individual gardeners if they so choose, with the understanding that other areas of the garden may not have shade structures installed.  Or don't allow individuals to erect shade structures at all, and leave it to the garden committee to determine what to erect and where.
 
Just my $0.02.  Best of luck!
 
DanCREATION SPEAKS
Inviting man to the heart of God through the biblical mandate to care for creation
www.creationspeaks.org
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On Jul 21, 2008, at 11:58 PM, KBR wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with community gardens installing shade structures in their gardens? I'd like to hear the pros and cons.
Kate, Wisconsin"If at first the idea is not absurd, there is no hope for it." ~Albert Einstein~
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