Grape Expectations for a Garden Workday!
Join us Saturday, July, 18th, at the garden for our Garden Workday. We will start a little earlier, 8 – 10am, to try to beat the heat. The plan is to harvest, clean, weed, turn compost, and swap seeds and stories. Also, we will meet and discuss plans for the garden. We will observe social distancing and wear masks. Bring a hat, and any seeds you have to give out. (If you don’t have seeds…don’t worry…we will give you some)!
No Workday Tomorrow
The votes are in! The workday will be NEXT WEEK, July 18! We’ll start at 8 a.m. to beat the heat.
You are always welcome to go to the garden to water and harvest, but our formal workday has been postponed. Please remember to wear a mask and respect social distancing. If you need someone to help care for your plot, please let us know!
Hot off the press…
Don’t forget to vote…on which workday you prefer July 11 or July 18. (See last post for more information).
Cast your vote HERE by July 4: https://forms.gle/TDhn5rvg5aTYcSEZ8
July Workday Conflict – Please Vote!
Gardeners, we need your vote! Our organizer/master gardener Dan has a conflict and will not be able to attend our regularly scheduled workday on July 11.
Would you prefer to reschedule to the third week in July or would you like to go ahead and hold the normally scheduled workday, but without Dan to lead the Best Bets conversation or answer any questions?
Cast your vote HERE by July 4: https://forms.gle/TDhn5rvg5aTYcSEZ8
Of course, you are always welcome at the garden any time. Have you watered lately?
Get your Harvests in Early…Food Banks Closed!
Area food banks will be closed: Friday, July 3rd, Saturday, July 4th, and Sunday July 5th.
All produce needs to be harvested by 2 pm, Thursday, July 2nd for delivery. Afterward…Please take your harvest home to enjoy.
Seek Buried Treasure This Saturday!
Join us this Saturday, June 13th, from 9-11 am, for a treasure hunt. We will be digging up potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots, onions, and other valuables. Also, we will discuss Best Bets for growing vegetables in summer, and have seeds and transplants available for you. We will be observing all current guidelines for Covid 19, so bring your mask and keep 6+ feet apart. Feel free to bring along children and grandchildren…this is a kid friendly activity!
Take Home Your Harvest
Please take all produce and harvest home…local area foodbanks are closed for the Memorial Day weekend and will not reopen until Tuesday, May, 26th. Have a bountiful holiday!
No Garden Workday…BUT…
We will not have a garden workday this Saturday due to Covid 19 concerns, however, we are offering two gardening opportunities.
Dan will be at the garden at 10:30 am on Saturday morning to help those gardeners who need to put up a trellis. The garden purchased all supplies. (T-posts, wire mesh, wire). All individuals need to wear masks, gloves, and respect the social distancing guidelines of 6 feet.
In addition, we will have a “Virtual Garden Meeting” on Zoom, Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Grow and Share Garden Virtual Meeting, Saturday, May 9 · 9:30–10 AM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86545395959?pwd=WHBTc2RZZENHWGZjSjgwaFhwdXlsQT09
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86545395959?pwd=WHBTc2RZZENHWGZjSjgwaFhwdXlsQT09
Meeting ID: 865 4539 5959
Password: 5za9RL
This is an optional meeting only, we will go over gardening tips, best practices, and announcements. There will be a May newsletter copy of “Best Bets” in the shed.
April Garden Best Bets
We aren’t able to have our normal workdays this month, but the garden is always open and we invite you to come by and tend your crops! The Metrocrest and other food banks need our donations now more than ever!
Please do let us know if you leave a donation, and please also let us know if you assistance in tending your plot so the garden does not fall fallow.
Until we see you again, enjoy the April Best Bets, and happy gardening!
What to Do in April
- Look for Pests…Spring is here and so are pests. Look for damage before it becomes a major problem, especially on the underside and on lower leaves. Early treatment is key.Squash bugs and Squash vine borers are going to damage squash, and cucumber vines. Use diatomaceous earth sprinkled on and around the plants to help control these pests. Insecticidal soap is another remedy for many immature insects, aphids, and mites. Remember, organic controls only! For more specific advice, ask for help, or check out our resources in the shed.
- Grow UP, not OUT…Letting your plants trail along the ground causes nothing but trouble! Insects, diseases, will be a bigger problem, as well as your neighbor who will not be happy with “encroachment”! Remember: before you plant, you need to add poles or structures. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and vine crops need strong support, at least 4 foot high. (Hint: tomato cages are NOT big enough ). Put tall plants on the NORTH side to minimize shading your other crops. Need ideas? Check out our resources at the garden outside the shed.
What to Harvest in April
Harvest peas, radishes, and most “greens”. If you harvest the outer leaves only on leaf crops, you can continue to harvest over and over…at least until it gets too hot in June. While onions can be harvested at any time, for the biggest bulb, wait until June.
What to plant in April (See chart below for more information)
Now is the best time to plant summer crops. You still have time to plant tomatoes. Small and medium fruit tomatoes generally do best in our area. In addition, this is the best time to plant hot weather lovers like eggplant, peppers, okra, squash. cucumbers, and beans. You can still plant leafy greens from transplants but it’s probably too late for direct seeding, they will not reach maturity before hot weather hits!
| Plant | Best Varieties (Choose these if available) | PLants/ Square Foot | Transplants or Seeds? |
| Tomato Determinate (plant is shorter) | Celebrity, Carnival, Surefire VF1, President, Merced, Heatwave, Small Fry, Early Girl Bush, Golden Sunray (Heirloom), Jolly | 1 (trellis) | Transplants only |
| Tomato Indeterminate (Keeps growing; needs strong support) | Champion, Quick Pick, First Lady, Golden Girl (Heirloom), Superfantastic, Roma, San Marzano (Heirloom), Porter, Cherry Grande, Sun Gold, Sweet 100, Early Girl, Husky Gold, Porter Improved, Lemon Boy, Juliet | 1 for 2 blocks (trellis) | Transplants only |
| Peppers (sweet)(Plant later in the month) | Big Bertha, Golden Summer,Banana Supreme, Cubanelle, Gypsy, Orange Sun, Summer Sweet, Sweet Pickle, Jupiter | 1(cage) | Transplants only |
| Peppers (hot)(Plant later in the month) | Mucho Nacho Jalapeño, Mexibell, Hungarian Yellow Wax, Super Cayenne , Hidalgo Serrano, Jalapeno, TAM Mild Jalapeno, Anaheim (Chile), Cherry Bomb | 1(cage) | Transplants only |
| Cucumbers (Pickling) | Calypso, Carolina, Sumter, H-19 Little Leaf | 2 (trellis) | Seed or transplant |
| Cucumbers (Slicing) | Armenian, Sweet Success, Sweet Slice, Spacemaster, Suyo, Diva | 2 (trellis) | Seed or transplant |
| Okra | Emerald, Clemson Spineless, Louisiana green velvet | 1 | Seed or transplant |
| Eggplant | Purple Rain, Fairytale, Ichiban | 1 | transplant |
| Squash winter | Buttercup, Spaghetti, Table King | 1 (trellis) | Seed or transplant |
| Squash summer | Dixie, Pattypan, Eightball, Early Yellow, Gold Rush | 1 (cage) | Seed or transplant |
| Black eyed peas | Blackeye #5, Purplehull, Texas Pinkeye | 9 | Seed |
| Beans (Bush) (no support) | Blue Lake 274, Tendercrop, Contender, Tendergreen, Derby, Goldcrop Wax | 9 | Seed |
| Beans (Pole) (Need support) | Kentucky Wonder, Purple King, Rattlesnake, Yard long | 8 (trellis) | Seed |
