Gardening Time! – Student Edition

Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

On-campus gardening has arrived, and students will be in charge! Fifteen raised gardening beds have been installed behind Snell Library, allowing access to growing fruits and vegetables. Northeastern has contracted with Green City Growers to work with the students in their gardens and help educate them on all of the nuances of growing crops in the city.

Students expressed a desire to grow on campus, and Maria Cimilluca, Vice President for Facilities, responded. Maria pursued this gardening initiative and planted the seeds that are slowly but surely taking shape via this promising, on-campus endeavor. Steve Schneider, Director of Horticulture and Grounds, is spearheading this gardening initiative together with Maria. Their goal was to have everything prepared so that students could hit the ground planting this fall of 2021

Facilities Management has provided a well-established base of operations, allowing future gardening groups to be creative with their overall planning, logistics, and progress.

Gardening beds have been designed to withstand all types of weather conditions and provide a safe spot for growing plants. While student groups, with the help of Green City Growers, will be in charge of gardening and crop maintenance, Facilities Management at Northeastern will also be looking over those gardens providing essential materials, and maintaining the structural integrity of the grow boxes.

The possibility of urban hazards has not been neglected during the planning process. Rodents are one of the most significant urban hazards that could potentially affect student gardens if precautions are not taken. Steve and his team are paying close attention to this issue and have taken the necessary steps to mitigate the impact.

The presence of new vegetation will provide additional environmental diversity to Northeastern’s campus. New student gardens will also offer extra space for students and faculty to socialize and learn from each other. New ideas could sprout and eventually grow into something that could potentially change the world.

Written by Alex Gritsinin – October 5th, 2021