Picardo P-Patch

Great Great Pea Patch. All you could ask for

Historically, the Picardo P-​Patch was Seattle’s first p-​patch and it was from this garden where the p-​patch program grew out of. Prior to the p-​patch program, the field itself was one of the city’s few urban farms. So the soil at Picardo has always been fertile and well drained.
I joined Picardo three years ago hoping to grow an absinthe garden complete with wormwood hedges, hyssop, and hops. Well that never came to fruition but I live in an apartment without a backyard, front yard, or even a stretch of easement to grow my own food. So the Picardo farm (and P-​patch program in general) has adequately met my needs.
As for getting a plot, there’s an application fee that is $ 35. I waited 1 year on a waiting list before getting an assignment at Picardo, but there is also an option to take any assignment at any garden for anyone that wants to avoid a waiting list. Once you’re assigned a plot (typically 100 – 200 square feet), you’re supposed to contribute 8 hours of volunteer service to keep your plot. There are all kinds of volunteer garden work parties, activities, and committees you can join to put in your 8 hours. At Picardo, there’s a community herb garden, mushroom garden, food bank beds, children’s garden, and even a honeybee yard run by WSU students. Every summer there’s a Paella dinner fundraiser in the garden and nearby urban wineries sponsor a booth for tasting. If you can get a plot here, you will absolutely not be disappointed.

I live really close to this P-​Patch and while I don’t garden there, I absolutely LOVE wandering around when it’s warm. Sometimes it’s nice to see people working on their plots, but mostly I just love it because it’s so peaceful and it just feels so GOOD here.
I also remember seeing beautiful big sunflowers here in September :)

This is the oldest and biggest P-​Patch in Seattle and it still has a very reasonable wait list to get a plot. In fact, if you’re lucky you might even get one right away. This is such a lovely place in the summer and fall and spring is very exciting to gardeners around here. There’s a beautiful statue of a pregnant goddess and she must be smiling on the place because I’m told it’s some of the most fertile soil around.