Village Condominium Association

Greenhouses at Wilson Farm
by J. F. Weiler

Where do all those beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables come from at Wilson Farm? The answer is the greenhouse! Behind the 19th-century post and beam farm stand on 10 Pleasant Street in Lexington are ultramodern greenhouses that are about three times the size of the farm stand!

At this time of year shamrocks for Saint Patrick's Day and lilies for Easter are being grown. Hundreds of potted hydrangea plants, blue, pink and white are growing. The flower color is determined by the pH of the soil; blue flowers need acid soil and pink need alkaline soil.

Each of the seven greenhouse bays can have separate climates. The temperature is controlled by the sun and hot water pipes. Computer-controlled thermostats determine when to open or close the roof windows to help maintain the best growing temperature. On cool nights, an inside sliding roof closes to prevent heat loss.

Computers and mechanized equipment, undreamed of by the Wilson family when they started the farm in 1884, are key to these modern greenhouses. There is a computer-controlled watering machine that, when it finishes spraying a fine mist of water, speaks in a voice like Hal from Stanley Kubrick's film 2001. A seeding machine is used to rapidly put seeds into multi-cell plant trays.

Locavores should be delighted by the sixty different vegetables offered at Wilson Farm. For hours phone 781-862-3900 or visit www.WilsonFarm.com.

Seeding machine	Ryan, greenhouse horticulturalist	Computerized watering machine
Photos by J.F. Weiler

The Boston Flower & Garden Show will be held March 16th through 20th at the Seaport World Trade Center. This year's theme will explore growing creative container gardens, which are perfect for Village gardeners. For more information visit the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at www.masshort.org or phone 617-933-4900.

The Waltham Garden Club has monthly meetings at the American Legion Post at 215 Waverley Oaks Road. For more information visit www.WalthamGardenClub.com.

Wellesley College Botanic Gardens are recommended as a winter getaway by Village resident Alice Wadden. For hours phone 781-283-3094 or visit www.Wellesley.edu/WCBG.

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Written for the Mar. 2011 Village Newsletter.