By Naomi Shea The season has officially kicked off at Watertown Community Gardens, bringing excitement and potential for new growth—both in the garden and within our community. This season, we're thrilled to have partnered with Waltham Fields Community Farm (WFCF), which graciously opened its greenhouse to support our efforts in planting our donation plots. Arsenal Park Community Gardens (APCG) captains, Marilyn and Susan, carefully prepared trays of seedlings at home before transporting them to the greenhouse. These trays included a variety of crops such as lettuces, mixed greens, leeks, onions, tomatoes, kale, chives, parsley, and more!
By Lori Shapiro Spring has, finally and gloriously, burst. The warmer, longer days are driving the emergence of stunning spring flowers. The delightful weather and colorful blooms may motivate you to finally buy those seeds you have been thinking about. But summer is fast approaching, and you have so many demands on your time, and the easiest and fastest way to buy some seeds is with a couple quick clicks on Amazon. What could possibly go wrong? These very relatable sentiments were expressed by a colleague as she excitedly showed me a package of sweet pea seeds she had recently ordered on Amazon , as visions of delicious homegrown spring peas delighted her imagination.
Fostering Community Through Sustainable Food Practices
WCG wants to help gardeners in the community grow the best plants for pollinators and diversity of local wildlife! Now is the time to be planning our gardens, and planting native plant seeds! Turning gallon jugs into mini-greenhouses is a great way to grow your own plants, a method called “winter seed sowing”. We have instructions for this method here: Winter Seed Sowing Basics - WCG.pdf Seeds that require 30 days or fewer of cold stratification (exposing seeds to cold, moist conditions to break dormancy). Even though snow is melting, seeds can still be stratified in temperatures between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
This WCG workshop was held on February 2, 2026.
This was our fourth annual winter sowing workshop held on January 31, 2026. --- Learn to grow your own plants from seed with a mini greenhouse crafted from an empty milk or water jug! Grow perennial flowers to support our local pollinators, birds, and biodiversity. (Best time to plant is December - February) This workshop will give you the tools you need to start or expand your own pollinator garden. Soil, native seeds, and one empty one-gallon jug will be provided. Participants under 18 are allowed, if accompanied by a parent or guardian. This is an in-person, hands-on, free event with instruction from Watertown Community Gardens members. --- Download the workshop handout and slides, and try it out yourself!