Wagner Farm Community Garden

Friday, June 30, 2017

Dear Gardeners,

Happy 4th of July weekend everyone! What an amazing Community Garden we have! The warm weather and all of the rain have been really great for our plants. I have heard so many positive comments from visitors on what a beautiful, healthy garden we have. I hope you all are enjoying the time you are spending in the garden. I know I am!

Are you growing eggplants? Do the leaves on your eggplants look like lace? This is probably the work of flea beetles. Check this week's e-mail for ideas on combating this pest. I will be demonstrating the use of yellow sticky paper in the lasagne plot. This paper is available at Red's Garden Center in Northbrook for 99 cents a page. You have to ask for the sticky paper at the desk at Red's. They have it in the back.

Don't forget to read the following garden reminders and tips below.

*FARMER'S MARKET- Come visit me this Saturday at the Green Table at the Farmer's Market. The theme for this week is recycling. I will be planting seeds in recycled toilet paper tube pots with the kids who visit my booth.

*MILK FUNGICIDE- Due to the fact that I will be at the Farmer's Market, a volunteer will be bringing out the milk fungicide for us. Please BRING YOUR OWN SPRAY BOTTLE and help yourself! Remember, the milk fungicide is to prevent powdery mildew.

*GARDEN VISITORS- It is the policy of the Glenview Park District to welcome visitors to walk around the garden. The majority of our visitors are respectful of our garden and really appreciate seeing all of your plots. There are a few visitors who think the garden is "hands-on" and try to water, dig, or pick from a plot. If you do see this going on, you have my permission to please ask them kindly not to do this. You can also send me an e-mail or tell another staff member at the farm that this is going on. Thanks for your help with this!

*WATERING CANS- I encourage you to bring your own watering can to leave in your plot. Many of the ones I purchased are already broken.

*WAGONS- We no longer have wagons at the Community Garden. We just borrowed them for the first few weeks.

*GARDEN TALK BY JOHN BROSSARD- A big thank you to John Brossard for sharing all his wonderful garden tips and tricks. The talk was well attended and we all learned some new things!

*WEEDS- Please be a good community garden member and don't forget to come by and weed your plot! Weed warnings have already been given and will continue to be given on a weekly basis.

*T-SHIRTS- Don't forget- the Community Garden t-shirts are here! You can pick up your t-shirt at the front desk of the Heritage Center (where the gift shop is).

*SEED EXCHANGE-There is a basket of seeds at the front desk in the Heritage Center. Feel free to come and take some seeds and leave seeds you will not be using!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Alyssa Tadelman

Community Garden Plot Coordinator

Historic Wagner Farm

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What's This?

FieldWatch is a nonprofit organization that is intended to help pesticide applicators and specialty crop growers communicate more effectively. The site registers certified organic gardens and their beehives. This information is provided to crop dusting (pesticide) applicators to let them know the location of organic gardens. They use this information to plan their routes accordingly. Our sign alerts them to keep pesticides away! The Wagner Farm Community Garden and our Wagner beehives are registered as organic sites through FieldWatch.

Q&A

Q: Are cocoa shells allowed as mulch in the community garden?

A: YES! Cocoa shell mulch (also called cocoa bean mulch) is great for gardens. These shells have a sweet smell and look very neat in your garden bed. When cocoa beans are roasted, their shells separate. Roasting the beans sterilizes the shells. Therefore, the shells are weed free and organic. If you are interested in using them in your plot, ask for them at your favorite garden center.

Negatives-When cocoa mulch gets too wet and does not have time to dry between waterings or rainfalls, it can attract pests. Also, in hot, humid weather, the cocoa shells can develop a harmless mold. You can use a mixture of 25% water and 75% vinegar as a spray to get rid of the mold.

*CAUTION- Do not use cocoa bean mulch at home if you have dogs. This sweet mulch can be toxic to dogs if eaten.

Biggest Gardening Mistakes:

Biggest Gardening Mistakes:

1. Planting too soon-The weather forecast shows nighttime temperatures below 50º through next weekend. You are taking a risk if you plant your warm weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, zucchini, etc.

2. Not hardening off your plants-Plants that have been grown in your house or in a greenhouse need to be “hardened off”. This means they need to gradually get use to the outdoor temperature, sun, and wind before being planted outside. Ask if your plants have been hardened off at your favorite garden store. Check online to see how to harden off your plants.

3. Improper Spacing-Your seedlings look so small and cute right now, but they will be huge! Read plant tags and seed packages for recommendations on plant spacing. Proper spacing will ensure better air circulation which leads to healthier plants and better production. Planting things too close together will make your plants more susceptible to disease. It will also make it difficult to harvest your veggies.

4. Not staking plants-It is important to stake your plants. This will promote proper air circulation and will help prevent disease. Staking is especially important because we have overhead sprinklers.

5. Not weeding-Weeds compete with your veggies for valuable nutrients and space. Some weeds even send out growth inhibitors that stunt the growth of your plants. You will get a weed warning in the Community Garden if you decide not to weed.

Friday, June 30, 2017

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