Wagner Farm Community Garden: April 2019

Monday, April 22, 2019

Dear Gardeners,

Happy Spring! I am so glad we are finally having this wonderful weather! I can't wait for the gardening season to start.

This week, I am excited to let you know, The Chalet Garden Center has donated vegetable and flower seeds to our garden. Stop by the front desk in the Heritage Center from 9:00-5:00 to pick up some FREE seeds. They are in a blue basket at the desk. This basket is a seed sharing basket. Take some seeds and/or leave some seeds you do not need. Please check the expiration date on the seeds you pick up. Older seeds should sprout but you may have a lower germination rate.

Also, please see the important information below regarding the Community Garden.

*PLOT MAP- The plot map is not complete. New gardeners are signing up every day. I will e-mail you the map as soon as it is finished.

*e-mails- If you have a friend or family member who did not get this e-mail and would like to receive Community Garden e-mails from me, please let me know and I will add them to my list.

*TERRIFIC TOMATOES- Tuesday, June 25 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Who can resist a delicious, home-grown tomato? This class will teach the various growing methods for successfully producing this very popular "vegetable". Tomato varieties, planting, staking, fertilizing and pruning will be covered.
Sign up at www.glenviewparks.org<http://www.glenviewparks.org><http://www.glenviewparks.org/>

*THE TALKING FARM PLANT SALES- The Talking Farm in Skokie will be selling 35 varieties of vegetables and herbs to support their farm and their educational programs. These high quality, organic seedlings will be on sale for $4 each 5/11, 5/18, 5/19, and 5/25. They are taking pre-orders. See the attached flyer for more information.

*T-SHIRT PREORDERS- If you are interested in ordering a NEW Wagner Farm Community Garden t-shirt, please order at the front desk before April 21.

*WOODEN SIGNS-If you are interested in ordering a wooden garden sign please order at the front desk before April 21.

*MORE GARDEN CLASSES-
Planning Your Vegetable Garden- Lurvey's Garden Center- 4/17 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. ($15 fee)
Plant Your Vegetable Garden NOW-Lurvey's Garden Center-5/15 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. ($15 fee)
Sign up in advance at lurveys.com<http://lurveys.com>

-Healthy Soil, Healthy Life- Lisa from Purple Cow Organics will be at Red's Garden Center to discuss organic gardening and garden trends -4/13- 3:00 p.m.(FREE)RSVP-(847)272-1209
Ideas for Edible Gardens- Red's Garden Center -4/27-(FREE) RSVP-(847)272-1209

Have a great day!

Alyssa

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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.