(512e) Analyzing Spinach Growth Using Vertical Garden Techniques and Local Water Sources for Urban Gardens

Purpose: This project seeks to identify guidelines for producing high-nutrient valued spinach using sustainable vertical farming techniques in Jefferson County, Alabama and across the United States to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for individuals living in food insecure areas. Based on the non-thesis report of University of Alabama at Birmingham graduate student (J. Ashlyn Manzella) using the 2010 census data, approximately 70 % of Birmingham, Alabama, ZIP codes are located in low-income, low-access areas (food deserts). Over 289,000 Birmingham residents are impacted by these conditions, and the area’s racial breakdown is 65% African-American, 30% white, and 5% other. Encouraging healthier eating habits and providing better access to fresh fruits and vegetables, such as through community gardens and farm stands, is an important way to reduce risks of chronic diseases due to poor diets in low-access areas. It is postulated that if local water sources, such as lake water, can be used with limited addition of fertilizers and pre-treatment chemicals, nutritious fruits and vegetables can be grown sustainably. This research activity seeks to reduce soil, water, and energy requirements for healthy food growth and to demonstrate that vertical gardening techniques using surface waters can produce as many quantitatively nutrient-equivalent plants per square foot as traditional gardening techniques.

Methods: The research design analyzes water quality and usage volume, vertical gardening techniques (Tower Gardens®, pyramid, and pallet gardens), yield, biomass, and plant health via chlorophyll analysis. Both lake and city collected waters will be analyzed for alkalinity, conductance, pH, and turbidity for the viability of the water sources using bench top chemistry methods. The soil will be analyzed using commercially available pH and soil moisture meters.

Results: At the time of this publication, preliminary data has been collected.

Of the 200 spinach planted in late September of 2018, only 26 plants survived until harvesting. Of those 26 plants, only 11 plants were healthy enough for harvesting. Of the 11 plants, the average wet weight of a single leave was 0.58 mg and dry weight of 0.04 mg. The average percent moisture content was found to be 94.13%. The chlorophyll fluorescent measurement average was 0.752, and anything greater than 0.7 is indicative of a healthy plant.

In early April 2019, 154 spinach plants were planted to be analyzed similarly to the fall of 2018 planting. Due to space requirements, less spinach plants were planted to allow for root growth. Eighty plants are located in Tower Gardens^®, thirty-eight plants are located in pallets, and thirty-six plants are located in the pyramid gardens. A secondary site in the greater Birmingham metropolitan area was selected to grow spinach which includes twenty plants in a Tower Garden® and twenty plants located in planters.

Discussion/Conclusions: The testing is currently on-going. It is hoped more data will be collected that is statistically significant during Spring 2019.