Wagner Farm Community Garden

Monday, July 29, 2019

Dear Gardeners,

The storm yesterday was a real surprise to me! Our electronic rain gauge measured 1” of rain on Wednesday and 3.9” of rain on Thursday. The garden is a little flooded, but seems to be drying out with the heat today.

Make sure to come by and check out your plot. Now is the time you can start to harvest and enjoy veggies from your garden. Keep in mind that there is a lot you can still plant to have a three season garden. Some vegetables you can plant from seed in July are: lettuce, spinach, broccoli, kale, beets, Swiss chard, cabbage, leeks, carrots, turnips, pak choi, and bush beans. Check your seed package to see how many days your plant will take to maturity. We usually close the garden around mid-October. Therefore, you can probably plant things this week that mature in under 70 days.

Please see below for more important Community Garden information:

*HOW TO PLANT BUNCHING ONIONS (green onions)- I just love using fresh green onions in my salads and favorite recipes. Click the link below to see how to plant bunching onions from started plants.

*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE DEMO PLOT? The plant below (left) is called amaranth spinach. This “green” is in the same family as spinach, beets, and amaranth. The plant is streaked with green, red, and purple. It can be eaten raw in salads but is more commonly used in stir-fries and soups. This colorful plant packs a lot of vitamins as well.Plant amaranth spinach in your garden plot!

*WHAT”S THIS WEED?- The weed a pictured above (right) is called purslane or portulaca. When you pick it, don’t be so quick to toss it into the compost. Purslane is an edible weed that is very rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The fresh leaves contain more omeg-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable!

*AMAZING SCALLOPED SQUASH!- Congratulations to Fran and Barry Gustafson who grew this amazing scalloped squash. I'm sure it will be delicious!

*STRING REMINDER!- If your plot is next to a pathway, you are not allowed to run a string along the walkway side. I will be taking down strings along the walkways this weekend.

*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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