Wagner Farm Community Garden: September 2017

Friday, September 22, 2017

Dear Gardeners,

I am so proud of the big tomatoes I picked this week. Check out the picture to the right of this article. It is a photograph of me with one of my favorite varieties of tomatoes, Chef's Choice Pink. This tomato is a hybrid tomato with the taste of an heirloom. It has a potato-shaped leaf and grows very large fruit. I voted this variety my favorite last year, so I grew it again. I can't wait to taste these beauties on a BLT sandwich.

This Week in the Garden:

-END OF THE SEASON REMINDERS- If you are finished with your plot for the season, please remove EVERYTHING from your plot. All non-organic materials must be taken home or put in the trash. All tomato plants should be put in the trash as well. All sunflowers should be pulled and piled up next to the compost bins. ALL OTHER PLANTS should be pulled and put into the compost bins. Please let me know as soon as you are done cleaning out your plot.

-HARVEST, HARVEST, HARVEST- Don't forget to come and harvest your veggies! Take advantage of your hard work! Yum!

-WEED, WEED, WEED!- Please be a good community garden member and remember to weed your plot!

-FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS- Please bring any pantry donations to the information booth at the farmer's market Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.

-MILK FUNGICIDE- Please bring your own spray bottle for milk fungicide. I will be out of town this weekend, so if the milk is not out at the garden, please ask for it at the front desk of the Heritage Center.

Please check out some of the special opportunities coming up at the farm:

*Craftsmanship Series- Are you interested in woodcarving by hand, basic basket weaving, or beginning broom making?

*Harvest Supper- Our harvest supper will be a night to remember. Dining under the stars, on the farm, true farm to table cuisine. Our friend and chef Natezore Cooks is already preparing the meal by checking out the ingredients being grown and checking on the progress with the farmers. For more information and to purchase tickets:

http://www.glenviewparks.org/events/historic-wagner-farms-harvest-supper/

Happy Gardening! Have a great weekend!

Alyssa Tadelman

Friday, September 15, 2017

Dear Gardeners,

Please check out some of the special opportunities coming up at the farm:

*Bonfire and Barndance- THIS Saturday, September16 from 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Bring your family to the farm for an evening filled with fall fun for everyone! Enjoy wagon rides, live music and dancing. Roast s'mores and listen to storytelling by the fire. Admission: $5 per person, children 2 and under are free.

http://www.glenviewparks.org/event/bonfire-barn-dance/

*Craftsmanship Series- Are you interested in woodcarving by hand, basic basket weaving, or beginning broom making? Check out the attached flyer for more information on these NEW classes at Wagner Farm.

http://www.glenviewparks.org/events/historic-wagner-farms-harvest-supper/

This Week in the Garden:

-END OF THE SEASON REMINDERS- If you are finished with your plot for the season, please remove EVERYTHING from your plot. All non-organic materials must be taken home or put in the trash. All tomato plants should be put in the trash as well. All sunflowers should be pulled an piled up next to the compost bins. ALL OTHER PLANTS should be pulled and put into the compost bins. Please let me know as soon as you are done cleaning out your plot.

-HARVEST, HARVEST, HARVEST- Don't forget to come and harvest your veggies! Take advantage of your hard work! Yum!

-WEED, WEED, WEED!- Please be a good community garden member and remember to weed your plot!

-FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS- Please bring any fresh food pantry donations to the information booth at the farmer's market Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.

-MILK FUNGICIDE- There will be NO milk fungicide this week due to the special event tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Happy Gardening! Have a great weekend!

Alyssa Tadelman

Friday, September 8, 2017

Dear Gardeners,

Just a friendly reminder, don't forget to HARVEST, HARVEST, HARVEST! Don't let your bounty go to waste. You have worked so hard on your garden. Please come by and pick your veggies! Veggies that are rotting on the ground attract insects and disease. Remove rotting veggies as soon as possible.

Last week, I shared the names of some of my favorite varieties of tomatoes. Here are a few favorites from our fellow community gardeners:

John Brossard recommends Heriloom Beefsteak, German Queen Pink, Bradywine, The Brossard Tomato (a cross between a Brandywine and Cherry Tomato), and Mexico Midget Cherry.

Donald Cohen recommends Black Prince and Abe Lincoln.

Please keep sending in the names of your favorites!

Also in the garden:

*PRIVATE EVENT SUNDAY- There will be a private, special event this Sunday from 3:00-5:30 p.m. You are welcome to work in the Community Garden but please DO NOT PULL IN OR PARK in the circular driveway. Sorry for the inconvenience.

*WEED WARNINGS- Last week, there were tons of weed warnings. I will be rechecking plots this Saturday, September 9. Please be a good Community Garden member and weed your plot.

*WHAT TO PLANT NOW- Even though fall is here, it's not to late to plant for a fall crop. You can still plant the following veggies: spinach, lettuce, kale, and radishes. We are hoping to keep the Community Garden open until around the 2nd week in October.

*MILK FUNGICIDE- This solution is already mixed for you! It consists of unpasteurized milk and water. It will be available on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. until it is used up. Spray this mixture on your plants to prevent powdery mildew. Please bring your own spray bottle.

*DONATIONS- I will be in the garden from 10-12 to collect any donations of fresh produce to donate to the pantry. Leave them in the donation plot if you don't see me!

Happy Gardening! Have a great holiday weekend!

Alyssa Tadelman
Community Garden Plot Coordinator

Historic Wagner Farm

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.