Help us celebrate our grant, Eagle Scouts, and our fall harvest this Saturday, October 12, from 9 am until 11 am. Come see our new owl house, bee house, bulletin board, little library, butterfly house, and demonstration table. Plants, seeds, and fun for all!
It was a great day at the garden! Thanks to the many folks who made it out, including two new faces!
The heat is cooling off soon, but we still need to water often! Even if we get a little bit of rain, it won’t be enough to sustain your crops, so water slow and deep, and help your neighbors. Please also water community areas when you are able!
We’re in a time of transition. If your summer crops are looking happy and healthy, keep them as we move into fall; you may get another harvest or two! But pull up and replace any weak or sickly plants. It’s time to remove your “cover crops” (like black-eyed peas or basil) to make room for our fall crops. Now is the time to plant MANY fall/winter crops. Examples include beans, broccoli, garlic, beets, kale, and radishes.
When replacing crops, take a moment to fill your soil, even if it is just one square foot. This helps avoid pests and disease and is a best practice. It’s also time to add compost and slow-release fertilizer. You should have soil up to the top inch of your planter box. If you have more space, you need compost! Luckily we have a big pile of great compost just outside the garden; add some to your plot!
We harvested many crops today and had a lot to donate. Coming in to September, we donated 1,101 pounds to local food banks! We donated a lot today, too, but don’t yet have an updated count. Remember, keep helping your neighbors harvest okra! It grows too fast to keep up with, and Al says we have 101 okra plants in our garden. Wow!
The 4H club is selling flats of pansies, $22 for 18 plants. Reach out on our Facebook group if you are interested in supporting these young gardeners!
Thanks for coming out! Our next workday will be Saturday, October 12, from 9-11! (Back to our normal time as we expect some cooler weather!)
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Temperatures are finally starting to moderate…but the vote is in, It’s still too hot. We are starting our workday at 8:00 am this Saturday (September 14th) to beat the heat. We will have garlic and other fall crops to plant, seed swap, and more. Be cool..
Who says August can’t be a great time to harvest?! The Grow & Share gardeners best the heat and the odds and harvested 100 pounds of produce to donate — in one workday!
A big crowd turned out for an earlier/slightly less hot workday, and we accomplished so much! We even welcomed a new gardener, so all of our plots are full. Well done!
Ty showed off his new watering technique. DO keep watching regularly, but please be sure turn off the water when you leave! Even when it rains, we need to keep our plants watered if we’re going to get a fall crop.
Now is the time to think of fall! You must plant now in order to have a harvest when it is cooler. You can directly seed many crops like Pole or bush beans, kohlrabi, swiss chard, carrots, and “greens” like mustard, collard, and spinach. Winter, summer, or pan squash can be planted from seed or transplants. The “cole crops”: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower are best from transplants.
Keep helping your neighbors harvest okra! All okra must be harvested every day– if you see okra longer than 2 inches, harvest it!
Make room in your bed by pulling up dead, diseased, or damaged plants, or those that are underproducing. Do not put diseased plants in the compost; use the trash can instead to avoid spreading disease.
Every time you add a plant or pull up a plant, add compost! Now is also the time to add some slow-release fertilizer to help give your crops a boost. And remember, keep watering!
Thanks to all who made it out! Our next workday will be 9-11 a.m., Saturday, September 14! See you there!
Join us this Saturday, August 10th…at an earlier time to beat the heat…8-10 am. We will harvest OKRA (and a few other things), and discuss fall crops! Don’t miss this HOT event.
Today’s workday was buzzing! Thanks to those who came out on an unusual date and despite the heat. We had a good crowd–and even gained a new gardener!
Today’s workday focused on harvesting for the Sack Summer Hunger program, weeding, and adding mulch to our paths.
Notice: It is the beginning of OKRAPALOOZA! Though we typically ask that gardeners only pick from their own plots, okra is an exception! Okra grows so fast that it needs to be picked EVERY DAY, so help out your garden companions and harvest okra when you visit.
Any okra longer than 2 inches is ready to be harvested! We estimate there are 40 okra plants in the garden, so that is a LOT of okra!
We also talked about the importance of watering, and planting cover crops. Black eyed peas and black beans are recommended to try; they like the heat and may help distract critters from your tomatoes. You can harvest the beans or mulch them under as green compost.
Basil is also a great cover crop that is very popular with the pollinators!
Keep tending your plots (check out the amazing long squash!!) and start to think about your fall crops. It’s nearly time to plant!
See you next month, Aug. 10 from 8-10 to beat the heat!
Join us for an EARLIER start to our garden workday, this Saturday, July 20th from 8am until 10am. We will discuss cover crops, warm season plants, and rogues!
