Ketchikan Community Gardens are Growing!

Ketchikan Wellness Coalition aims to build a network of gardens available to residents and organizations, and which will be host to an array of education workshops

(KETCHIKAN, AK, April 5, 2021) – How can I grow anything in this wet rainforest!? This may be the common refrain we hear, but there is a solution! The Building a Healthy Community Task Force, under the umbrella of Ketchikan Wellness Coalition (KWC), is launching a network of Community Gardens and educational resources around Ketchikan. Two sites are being launched this spring: The Commons Community Garden at ADDRESS and Clover Pass Community Garden at ADDRESS. Additionally, the Seed Vault providing a diversity of seeds viable for the Southeast Alaska climate is now available in The Commons building next to the Commons Community Garden. Additional gardening resources will be added to this space as the Community Gardens project grows. The gardens and resources are community and volunteer led and have the goal of increasing food security, improving knowledge on how to grow in the Ketchikan climate, and building community connections. 

Ketchikan residents can sign up for their own plot in one of the community gardens. Applications are open and will be assigned at the end of April. Plots are approximately 4’ x 12’, with options for smaller pots and climbing plots. All plots will be “ready to plant” with soil prepared for growing. 

Space for the Commons Community Garden is provided by Tongass Federal Credit Union. The materials for the garden beds, shed, and other expenses have been funded by a grant from the Ketchikan Community Foundation. This location is perfect for container gardening and showcasing what can be grown in a half sunny/half shady spot – which we all know is typical of most spaces in Ketchikan!

Clover Pass Community Church has also partnered with KWC to provide space forthe second Community Garden. Funding for the building of this garden site came from a PeaceHealth Medical Center Community Grant. This grant will also fund improvements to the Rendezvous Senior Services garden, making it more accessible for seniors and those with disabilities, increasing plot numbers, and improving land layout. 

There are two upcoming “garden build” days – May 1 at Clover Pass and May 8 at The Commons. If you are interested in getting involved, you can reach out the Ketchikan Wellness Coalition. Applications for plots and additional garden information can be found at www.ktnkwc.org/community-gardens or by joining the Facebook group @ktngardens, which also has lots of avid gardeners sharing their secrets to growing in Ketchikan! 

Education workshops will be happening throughout the growing season! If you are an avid gardener and want to share your knowledge, get involved! If you are a new gardener who needs to learn everything, there will be opportunities to learn how to compost, grow fruits and vegetables, understand soil, and more. Keep your eyes peeled for these exciting opportunities! 

The Ketchikan Wellness Coalition (KWC) is 501c3 non-profit, structured as an umbrella organization that focuses on the eight dimensions of wellness and exploring the intersections of health and wellness between each. The KWC concentrates on prevention and aims to build health, resilience, and wellness across the Ketchikan community. KWC employs and sees value in the coalition model and currently has seven ‘Task Forces’ that address various social determinants of health and focus on enhancing protective factors.