The residents of Woodridge Park (Tukwila), Windsor Heights (SeaTac) and Arbor Heights (Burien) apartment complexes are growing groceries at their community gardens sponsored by New Futures and a grant from the Port of Seattle. The raised beds are maintained organically with volunteer help and is used as a teaching area for the students attending after school programming at the onsite Family Center. Produce grown at the site is made available to apartment residents.
One of the four beds at Woodridge Park is being grown in the THREE SISTERS method – a planting of three indigenous crops: winter squash, corn and climbing beans. This technique is known as companion planting and the three crops benefit each other. The corn provides structure for the beans, the beans provide nitrogen in the soil and the squash grows along the ground suppressing weed growth. Native Americans throughout North America are known for growing variations of Three Sisters gardens.
KCD helped organize volunteer efforts to build two large garden beds at Arbor Heights apartments. Since it was the first day of summer break for students living at the apartments, they joined in to help build the wood boxes, fill them with soil, spread play chips and plant the cucumbers, pumpkins, tomatoes, cilantro and beans that they will help care for over the summer.
For More Information/Schedule a Tour or Volunteer:
Lorna Velasco
206-279-0835
Have you had your soil tested? KCD offers 5 FREE soil tests to qualified King County residents 
