THE AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE : Plots Thicken at Community Gardens

If your back yard is too cluttered for you to grow a crop, there are still a few places left where you can try out your green thumb. Several cities have established community gardens, small plots of land residents can lease to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs and other plants.

Most charge a small fee to cover the cost of water, usually $10-20 a year, but they do have long waiting lists. The following is a partial list of community gardens:

Buena Park:

One of the largest community gardens in the county is on 10 acres of land leased by the city from Southern California Edison Co.

The land is divided into 168 plots, with 15-by-20-foot plots renting for $15 a year and 20-by-30-foot plots going for $20.

The garden is on Thelma Avenue west of Knott Avenue. Registration is held in September. Preference is given to returning gardeners and about 75% return each year.

The gardeners grow a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs, as well as some flowers.

For more information, call the city’s Recreation Department at (714) 562-3844.

Newport Beach:

The Oasis Senior Center Community Gardens was established to give senior citizens exercise and improved nutrition. The center has 58 plots, each 15-by-15 feet, including three plots with raised beds for gardeners in wheelchairs.

To participate, gardeners pay $15 a year. According to membership director Betty Moses, most of the gardeners grow vegetables, fruit and herbs, but a few plots are used for flowers.

The center is also participating in a program to compost waste from the gardens into fertilizer to be used by the gardeners. The garden is at the Oasis Senior Center, at Marguerite Avenue and 5th Avenue in Corona del Mar.

Dana Point:

Named for a former parks and recreation board member, The Harry Otsuba Community Gardens has 48 plots, including two that are handicap-accessible.

Plots come in two sizes: 10-by-20-foot plots are leased for $15 a year and 20-by-20-foot plots are $20.

The garden is off Street of the Golden Lantern near Stonehill Drive. Registration is held in December, and there is a waiting list with 85 names. For more information or to be placed on the waiting list, call the Parks and Recreation Department at (714) 496-4251.

Huntington Beach:

Organic gardening is practiced at Golden West College’s community garden. The 55 10-by-20-foot plots rent for about $50 a year, with gardeners ranging from college students to senior citizens. Gardeners are not allowed to use chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

For more information, call the college’s Community Services Department at (714) 891-3991.

Other community gardens are offered through the University of California Cooperative Extension, (714) 708-1606, and the Fullerton Arboretum, (714) 773-3579.

Top Crops Orange County agriculture produced 17 crops in 1992 that were each valued in excess of $1 million.

Crop Value Acreage Nursery stock/cut flowers $131,395,900 -- Strawberries 40,356,700 1,731 Tomatoes 17,354,200 1,242 Valencia oranges 15,532,300 3,021 Peppers (bell and misc.) 9,474,700 686 Green beans 7,399,400 1,658 Avocados 6,318,300 1,620 Celery 4,461,700 690 Lemons 3,550,300 355 Cabbage 2,464,200 952 Squash 2,156,600 405 Beef cattle 1,842,100 -- Cucumbers 1,498,300 401 Cauliflower 1,391,200 590 Lettuce 1,292,500 720 Corn 1,184,100 740 Grapefruit 1,025,800 350

Source: Orange County Agricultural Commissioner