The Oktibbeha County Master Gardeners are finding ways to make gardening easier. For the past month, members have been constructing elevated “salad tables,” which are going on sale this week to the general public for $135. The project is part of a campaign to fund several horticulture scholarships at Mississippi State.
The tables are raised-bed gardens, which offer a way for people with limited mobility to grow their own produce. They are designed specifically for salad greens and other shallow rooted plants, such as green onions, cabbages, kale, Swiss chard and radishes. They are also ideal for herbs and many flowers.
The tables are constructed from cypress, which is rot and insect resistant, attributable to its natural oils.
“It weathers to a silver gray over time if left unfinished,” said Charles Morgan, a master gardener who allowed members to construct the tables in his shop. He was able to find a source for the wood at pre-pandemic prices which enabled the master gardeners to sell to the public at an affordable price.
The tables measure 36 inches wide by 72 inches long and approximately 6 inches deep. They also sell a wheelchair version, which is 32 feet high. The tables can be delivered locally for an additional $15.
Several members of the organization have already purchased the tables, and they say it makes planting and tending the garden so much easier on knees and backs. To place an order, contact the Oktibbeha County Extension Service at 662-323-5916.
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