Self-Watering Garden Boxes Spur Surge in Group Gardening

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Feb 26, 2014, 10:15 ET

SCRANTON, Pa., Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Schools and community groups are turning roofs, parking lots, playgrounds, and other unlikely spots into fertile patches of green, thanks to the innovative technology behind self-watering garden boxes (www.earthbox.com/earthbox-systems.html ).

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140226/NY72045 )

Self-watering garden boxes make it easy for many groups -- from school children to senior center members -- to grow fresh produce virtually anywhere. These students at Dunmore Elementary School in Dunmore, PA grow enough lettuce to feed the entire school on World Food Day each year. The annual project started in 2011, when fifth graders won a science award, and used their prize money to purchase EarthBox garden boxes. (PRNewsFoto/EarthBox) (PRNewsFoto/EARTHBOX)

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Gardening clubs once consisted almost exclusively of volunteers devoted to neighborhood beautification projects. Today, widespread interest in locally grown produce, combined with advances in growing methods, have spurred a surge in gardening by groups of school children, seniors, and everyone in between.

Interest is so strong that one garden box manufacturer, EarthBox®, has an entire division devoted to school gardens, community gardens, and gardens for seniors. As EarthBox Education Director Molly Philbin notes, "Gardening can teach everything from science to nutrition, while being fun and rewarding at the same time. And since our EarthBox system provides ideal growing conditions without the need to dig or weed, groups find that they can enjoy great yields with very little effort."

Among the youngest EarthBox users are the members of the Nutrition and Dietetic Club at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida, which includes a group of 3- to 5-year-olds. They've designed a sensory herb garden, and enjoy a weekly "smelling party". The children tend their garden daily, pick the herbs, display them on a table, identify, smell and taste them. Club President Tony Law, who supervises the young gardeners, notes, "They have a blast with this weekly activity!"

Other organizations that use EarthBoxes include the Boy Scouts, who grow in garden boxes to earn their Eagle badges and Girl Scouts to earn Gold Awards and Harvest Badges.

At the other end of the spectrum are senior groups that use garden boxes. Not only is container gardening less physically demanding than in-ground gardening, but because boxes can be raised, they're easy to use for those with mobility issues.

The accessibility of garden boxes inspired Robert Brotherton of Brotherton Engineering to design an EarthBox garden for wheelchair-bound seniors in Indian Shores, Florida. "It offers them a place where they can grow fresh vegetables, socialize, and relax," remarks Brotherton. "Not only does it benefit the gardeners, but it beautifies the entire community."

Young and old alike are coming together to discover the joys of gardening. Thanks to today's gardening boxes, it's never been simpler.

About EarthBox
The patented EarthBox was introduced in 1994 after a decade of research by commercial farmers looking for a maintenance-free way to grow in ideal conditions. Since then, the EarthBox has been used in home gardens, commercial farms, schools and restaurants around the world. More information is available at www.earthbox.com.

Contact:
Frank DiPaolo, General Manager
[email protected]
800-821-8838

SOURCE EarthBox