Even if they live in an apartment with no yard at all, Ironton residents can enjoy raising flowers and vegetables in their own garden this spring.

Final plans for the completion of a Community Garden at the corner of Seventh and Adams streets were presented at Tuesday evening’s Ironton in Bloom meeting by Diva Justice, director of Healthy Community Initiatives at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital.

Construction will begin in February and be completed by spring.  There will be 24 four by eight foot individual raised beds available for a rental of $20 each per growing season with a sliding scale plot fee if needed.  The plots will be handicap accessible.

Detailed information and applications will be available at a Community Gardens Seminar Tuesday Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Ohio University Southern Ironton Campus in the Rotunda of Riffe Center.

Special speaker will be Melissa Stewart, a South Point resident, who has completed several degrees in horticulture and environmental science and is currently serving as the agriculture and natural resources specialist at West Virginia State University Extension Service.  Her presentation will cover what a community garden is and the benefits it affords to both the participants and the community.

Topics will also include general growing practices for both vegetables and flowers, information that will be of interest to anyone with a home garden of any size.

All local residents are invited and admission is free.

The Ironton Port Authority, Ironton Lawrence County Community Action Organization, and Ironton in Bloom are lending their support to Bellefonte’s garden project.  The February seminar is made possible by a partnership among Appalachian Ohio Weed Control Partnership, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio University Southern, and Ironton in Bloom.

If further information is needed, contact Diva Justice at 606-833-3106, email: Diva_Justice@bshsi.org, or Carol Allen at 740-532-4495.