Wagner Farm Community Garden

Friday, August 9, 2019

Dear Gardeners,

If you have not pruned your tomato plants yet, check out the video below!

*SAVE THE DATE- Seed Saving in Your Garden- Would you like to learn how to save seeds from the flowers, herbs, and vegetables in your garden? Seed saving is very rewarding and can save you money too. This class covers the basics of harvesting, cleaning, and storing your seeds for optimum germination and production in your garden the following year. Sign up at www.glenviewparks.org

Class is 9/10/2019 from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. $15 residents/$18 nonresidents

*WEEDS BETWEEN PLOTS- Please note that weeds that are between 2 plots need to be pulled. Even if the weeds are in your walkway or trench, they need to be pulled out before they go to seed. Weed seeds can spread weeds and cause future problems. Thank you for pulling the weeds between your plots and being a good Community Garden Member.

*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

*WATERING CANS- We recently had some kids come through and move everyone's watering cans around. Make sure your plot number is written on your watering can so if this happens again, we can return it to your plot. If you ever see kids doing this, feel free to ask them not to. Thanks!

*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE DEMO PLOT (#1 and 2)- This morning in the garden, I saw a hummingbird at this beautiful plant. It is called amaranth. It can be used as an ornamental and it is edible too. It is a very old heirloom plant dating back to the 1500. The seeds can be harvested as a grain. This ancient grain is very nutritious. It has a lot of fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. The leaves of all amaranth plants are also edible. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Add them to recipes in place of spinach. The leaves are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants as well. The seeds of the amaranth plant are easy to collect at the end of the season too!

*HOSES- Please note that HOSES ARE NOT ALLOWED in the COMMUNITY GARDEN! If you are seen using a hose by myself or another farmer, you will get a warning equal to a weed warning. Thank you for following our garden rules.

*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.

Friday, August 9, 2019

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