2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Food insecurity is a real problem all across Mississippi and the interest in local/home grown food is increasing. Mississippi State University personnel have been promoting a couple of growing strategies to address these needs, especially focusing on garden accessibility. EarthBoxes are a sub-irrigated growing system that has been used with great success by new gardeners growing their first garden to Master Gardeners. They are easily placed on tables, stands and benches to effectively raise the level of the garden to those with accessibility problems. Homeowner John Monroe is making a difference in his garden which contains 128 EarthBoxes, all of which are on raised benches. He has relied on MSU Extension for ideas and advice to help him grow various produce throughout the year according to season. Each year about 95% is donated to the local community, especially the elderly to which gardening has become too hard. Looking for a way to enable individuals with disabilities that may not allow them to participate in ‘traditional’ gardening, the Pine Belt Master Gardeners developed a raised shallow table that would allow gardeners with limited mobility to enjoy gardening from a wheelchair or walker. Five years and over 700 raised ‘salad tables’ later, these master gardeners continue to supply tables, at a small fee, to garden enthusiasts across South Mississippi. Money earned through these sales allows the Pine Belt Master Gardeners to donate a large percentage of the tables they construct to veteran groups, hospitals, universities, public schools, and scout troops. These salad tables have been used for vegetable and ornamental demonstrations at multiple Mississippi State University research locations across the state with excellent results. In addition to the accessibility quality these tables possess, anecdotal evidence from hundreds of users suggest that they may offer benefits which include reduced pest and weed pressure facilitated by the raised design. Recent modifications, based on user feedback, include options for varying leg heights (supporting specific needs of handicapped users), trellis supports for taller vegetable varieties and deeper tables allowing production of root crops and larger crops benefiting from an increased depth of soil.