Wagner Farm Community Garden: November 2017

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Gardening at Wagner Farm is a favorite hobby for many Glenview residents. Gardening is fun and rewarding but it’s a lot of hard work too. Does all of the hard work pay off? This year, experienced gardeners, Fran and Barry Gustafson proved that it is.

Fran and Barry have been gardening at Wagner Farm for the past 7 years. They garden 2 garden plots: one for themselves and one with Barry’s mother, Rose Fiedler. They have had garden plots in the Community Garden for 5 years and in the original Heirloom Garden for 2 years. They cannot have a vegetable garden at home since they have too many deer and rabbits coming through their yard. Although they have no formal garden training, Barry shared that he has farmers in his extended family. They get most of their gardening knowledge from reading, trying new things, and from listening to other experienced gardeners in the Community Garden.

This past 2017 gardening season, the Gustafsons decided to keep track of their harvest. This is what they harvested for the year:

Radishes 118

Lettuce 13 bags

Carrots 71

Hot Peppers 265

Cabbage 15

Zuccinni/Squash 105

Onions 110

Green peppers 71

Beets 10

Butternut squash 7

Green beans 1300

Tomatoes 148

Cherry tomatoes 125

Cucumbers (very small) 10

What an amazing bounty of vegetables! When you visit the Community Garden, you will always notice that their plots are beautifully, well laid out, and meticulously kept. The Gustafsons recommend the following tips for a successful garden:

-When you plant seeds, keep them moist until the plants emerge and get started.

-Weed your plot continually!

-Use your space efficiently and replant as spaces become available.

Thank you Fran, Barry, and Rose for sharing your gardening success story with us!

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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.