Wagner Farm Community Garden

Friday, June 9, 2017

Dear Gardeners,

This hot weather is definitely helping our wonderful gardens grow. Everyone's plants looks amazing! Please see the following important reminders about the garden:

*IMPORTANT- On Saturday, June 10, we will be having the Dairy Breakfast at the farm. This is a paid event. If you are coming to the Community Garden this Saturday, we are asking that you DO NOT WALK THROUGH THE FARM GROUNDS. Please walk NORTH along the sidewalk and enter by the circular drive. Thank you!

*IMPORTANT- Please dispose of garbage in the garbage containers provided. The plastic compost bins (located on the outside of the Community Garden fence) is for WEEDS ONLY! We have found many plastic plant containers, gloves, and even a bucket in them. The compost is dumped in the cow pasture. Garbage in the compost bins is dangerous for our cows.

*TOOLS and WATERING CANS- Only use ONE of our watering cans at a time if there are other gardeners at the farm. Let's all share! If you need more than one, bring your own.

*DAIRY BREAKFAST- Join us for the annual Wagner Farm Dairy Breakfast this Saturday, June 10 from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 2-10. The breakfast is sponsored by Egg Harbor Café of Glenview and will feature dairy demonstrations and contests, wagon rides, farmhouse tours, crafts, and more! The Livestock Show is sponsored by Potash Corporation and will feature visiting 4H clubs showing their farm livestock while competing for the top prizes and ribbons! Ice cream and other cool treats will also be available for purchase in the Sweets & Treats Ice Cream Parlor from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (located inside the Heritage Center on the west side of the building).

*T-SHIRTS- 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!

*STRAW- Please make sure your straw is INSIDE your plot. We need all straw off the walkways so the mower can get through. Rake any straw that has blown into the grass back into your plot. If you do not want your straw, please put it in one of the straw walkways.

If you have any questions about your garden, please feel free to contact me.

Happy Gardening!

Alyssa Tadelman

No comments:

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 9, 2017

No comments:

Post a Comment