Wagner Farm Community Garden

Friday, September 13, 2019

Dear Gardeners,

Harvest, harvest, harvest! Come by and harvest your vegetables. There are so many ripe veggies in the Community Garden. Please come and pick them. It is also time to start to clean up any rotting veggies on the ground. Please start to put rotting veggies and dead or brown plants in the compost bin. Keeping your garden plot clean will keep away pest insect.

*FREE Fall Seeds-Now is the time to plant greens, mustards, bok choi, radishes, and peas for a Fall harvest. Keep in mind that kale and spinach are hardy in cooler weather. Red lettuces are hardier than green ones. Come by the front desk for some FREE fall seeds compliments of The Chalet Garden Center (AVAILABLE STARTING SATURDAY AFTERNOON).

https://youtu.be/y3MbdzV8360

*PRUNING BASIL- Click on the link above to see how to prune your basil plants.

*SEED SAVING CLASS CANCELLED!- The Seed Saving Class on 9/10 is cancelled due to lack of enrollment.

*TOMATO CORNER- The tomato of the week is the Green Zebra. This tomato is yellow with lime green stripes when ripe. It is the result of four heirlooms bred together. The Green Zebra is tasty as well as beautiful. It has a delicious, tangy flavor. It also looks beautiful in salads and other recipes. It is another one of my favorites!

*BROCCOLI TIP- When you harvest your broccoli head, cut an x in the stem to grow 4 new baby heads!

*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com

*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. Raw milk fungicide is available in the garden on the wooden storage boxes. 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.

Friday, September 13, 2019

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