Weeders Welcome: Oceanport to Open Community Garden to Planters

We may be another week away from the official first day of spring, but the recent string of mild days has created the perfect backdrop for the grand opening of community garden on Saturday morning.

Tucked between and , the garden will enjoy its first full year of planting with some plots still available to residents.

The ceremony will take place on March 17 at 11 a.m. and the community is invited to attend.

The borough was recently awarded a $500 grant from the Garden Club of New Jersey, which will be used to build compost bins for the community garden, according to Councilwoman Ellynn Kahle. The GCNJ also donated some plants and trees -- like butterfly bushes and Japanese hollies -- that will be used around the garden and some spots in the borough.

Kahle, who serves as the organizer of the community garden, said that the borough was thankful that members of the Oceanport Public Works Department went on Presidents Day -- a borough holiday -- to pick up the donated plantings.

Community gardeners will have use of water spigots and hoses and soil that has been prepared by garden volunteers.

Applications for remaing 4-foot by 20-foot plots in the community garden can be found here.

The Oceanport Community Garden Committee meets the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at borough hall.