Wagner Farm Community Garden

Monday, July 29, 2019

Dear Gardeners,

Just a reminder- our garden is strictly ORGANIC! All weed control, pest control, fertilizers, and soil amendments must say ORGANIC on the bag or bottle. I have seen several gardeners mistakenly using nonorganic weed killer, pesticides, and soil containing nonorganic fertilizer. If I see you using any nonorganic products, you will be asked to stop applying them immediately and to bring the product out to your car. If you see another gardener using a nonorganic product, please let me know their plot number. Keeping our garden organic will keep us all safe and healthy. Please be a good Community Garden member and follow our rules.

Please see below for more important Community Garden information:

*WEEDING YOUR GARDEN- The weeds are growing faster than the vegetables in the Community Garden! I know it takes a lot of work to keep your plot weeded. It has been challenging for me to keep the Demo Plots and the Sensational Salad plot weeded. Many gardeners have been asking the best way to weed their garden. Click on the link below to see a video on ways to weed your garden plot.

https://youtu.be/OwuplVnm0uQ

*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE SENSATIONAL SALAD PLOT (#73)?- The plant below is called a ground cherry. They produce a sweet-tart berry that grows in a paper husk. Each plant produces hundreds of fruits. Ground cherries are in the nightshade family, the same family as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. You can use them in jellies, pies, or eat them fresh. Ground cherries were commonly used by the Pilgrims. Plant some ground cherries in your plot today!

*WATERING CANS- Please use only 1 WATERING CAN at a time from our Community Garden watering can collection when the garden is busy. I have had complaints that gardeners are using several watering cans at a time and they are having to wait to use one. If you would like to use more than one at a time, please purchase a watering can of your own. Thank you!

*THE FIRST TOMATOES!- Congratulations to Janese and Wayne Bechtodlt! They just harvested 2 early girl tomatoes. Have you harvested any tomatoes yet? Send me an e-mail and let me know!

*GARDEN HELPERS for HIRE- Below are a list of garden helpers for hire if you need a teenager to water and/or weed your garden while you are on vacation. You arrange everything with them and decide on what you will pay them per hour.

Madeline- Mschimka103@gmail.com

Meghan- Mschimka103@gmail.com

Eliza- eliza_schloss@aol.com (224)226-3048

Jack- jackfrya@gmail.com (847)656-6891

Soren- sorenwibers751@gmail.com (847)626-8177

*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.

Happy Gardening!

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.

Monday, July 29, 2019

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