August in the Garden

Hot, but beautiful ... August in the garden ...

Watering Schedule - August

Volunteers: the following individuals have volunteered - we are seeking more volunteers to even out the workload as well as to fill the vacant slots – let Joan know which days/times you can cover:

Monday mornings: Jane (Aug 4, 11, 18); Allison (Aug 25)
Monday evenings: Julie M.

Tuesday mornings: Allison
Tuesday evenings: Joan (Aug 5, 12, 19); Wendy (Aug 26)

Wednesday mornings: Joan
Wednesday evenings: Melanie (Aug 6); Joan (Aug 13, 20); Wendy (Aug 27)

Thursday mornings: Allison
Thursday evenings: Melanie (Aug 7); Joan (Aug 14, 21); Wendy (Aug 28)

Friday mornings: Allison
Friday evenings: Melanie (Aug 8); Joan (Aug 15); Frank L (Aug 22, 29)

Saturday mornings: Jane (Aug 9, 16); Becky (Aug 23, 30)
Saturday evenings: Melanie (Aug 9); Rick (Aug 16); Cynthia (Aug 23), Melanie (Aug 30)

Sunday mornings: Jane (Aug 10); Joan (Aug 17, 24, 31)
Sunday evenings: Rick & Joan (Aug 10); Julie M (Aug 17, 24, 31)

Water Pressure Gadget Installed - Instructions

A new water pressure reducing gadget has been installed on the drip system at the spigot. It reduces water pressure – which is actually quite high and could be contributing to our watering costs. IF you do not appear to have water pressure, there are 2 things to check:

• make sure the MAIN valve on the spigot is turned ON

• lift the hose slightly and gently to allow the water to freely flow through the pressure control to the hose

Here is a picture of the water in the OFF position - flippers turned away from the center, main water valve horizontal to the ground. The black section is the water pressure gadget.

Goals and Challenges

At our first garden meetings (Fall and Winter 2007-2008), we identified three major goals: learning, community, and if we were very lucky, we’d also end up with some food. We have actually achieved all of these goals … and it’s only August! We have had some challenges along the way and the following summary is the result of a recent meeting to discuss and come up with some workable solutions:

Watering

Schedule: twice daily for 30 minutes per watering, preferably between 7-9 am and 7-9 pm.

Method: turn on the drip system – work in the garden for the 30 minute watering cycle – monitor the drip system for leaks and report leaks to Rick or Joan - hand water plants that are clearly in need of extra water -

Volunteers: the following individuals have volunteered - we are seeking more volunteers to even out the workload as well as to fill the vacant slots – let Joan know which days/times you can cover:

Monday mornings: Jane (Aug 4, 11, 18); Allison (Aug 25)
Monday evenings: Julie M.

Tuesday mornings: Allison
Tuesday evenings: Joan

Wednesday mornings: Joan
Wednesday evenings: Melanie (Aug 6); Joan (Aug 13, 20, 27)

Thursday mornings: Allison
Thursday evenings: Melanie (Aug 7); Joan (Aug 14); _______ (Aug 21); Joan (Aug 28)

Friday mornings: Allison
Friday evenings: Melanie (Aug 8); Joan (Aug 15); ________ (Aug 22, 29)

Saturday mornings: Jane (Aug 9, 16); Becky (Aug 23, 30)
Saturday evenings: Melanie (Aug 9); Rick (Aug 16); ______ (Aug 23, 30)

Sunday mornings: Jane (Aug 10); Joan (Aug 17, 24, 31)
Sunday evenings: Rick & Joan (Aug 10); Julie M (Aug 17, 24, 31)

Vegetables, Trees, and Water Bill
Not all of our vegetables and trees were thriving. Having enough water has been a major factor. The challenge has been that we have also had a huge increase in the water bill. Our goal is to divert water to the vegetables and trees that are doing well – therefore increasing the chances of their producing food. Here is what we decided:

For those who are able: please increase your pledge or send a donation to help with the cost of watering the garden – any amount would be helpful – checks should be sent to the church and made out to “First Unitarian Church” – please indicate in the note that your donation is to help with the costs of “watering the garden”.

Decisions on what to continue watering:
Pumpkins; Beans; Peppers; All Herbs; Zucchini; Carrots;
Cucumbers; Flowers; Tomatoes (all); Plum tree; Onions; Plant in the planter; Sunflowers; Pear tree; Apricot trees; Compost; Chard; Broccoli Rabe (raised bed)

Decisions on what to STOP watering (Allison has removed):
Broccoli; Radishes; Cantaloupe; Cabbage; Beets; Honey Dew

Additional Actions have also been taken:

• Disconnect drip system to the "STOP watering" vegetables – Rick and Allison
• Divert this water to the trees and the thriving vegetables – Rick and Allison
• Trellis the cucumbers using the tomato baskets – Allison
• Thin the carrots – Julie

With more actions in the works:

• Plant a new crop of peas in the fall – Andie
• Plant lavender between the trees - Andie

Harvesting Expectations:
Some of us had expected that if we worked in the garden, we would be rewarded with the food from the garden. Some saw the garden as becoming self-sufficient – selling our produce and herbs at church or perhaps at The People’s Market to cover garden expenses. Still others envisioned sharing our harvest with those either inside or outside our church who are hungry. However, what we have found is that the amount of food that our garden is producing is not (at least, not yet) sufficient to be worth driving it across town to the food distribution services. Here is the alternative approach we decided on – at least until/unless the bounty increases.

Harvesting Plan - what we decided:
If you work in the garden, you should be rewarded with the food from the garden. Harvest only what you can use or share with someone you know who needs help with meeting their food needs. For each item you harvest, set aside a can of food for donation to the food distribution service of your choice. Increase your donation to the food distribution service over and above the food donations you have made in previous years.

Harvesting and Giving Thanks

Harvesting

Saturday, July 12th was our first official harvesting day.

We harvested radishes, zucchini, broccoli, peas, basil, rosemary, lemon balm, chives, and parsley. We celebrated with bread, cheese, lemonade, water, and pasta salad - a veritable feast!

Watering

It looks like the drip system is firmly in place. If you have not already stopped watering the garden according to our previous schedule, please stop watering according to that schedule now - we will let the drip system do its work.

If you see a particular plant needing some extra water, please use the watering can or remove the nozzle on the hose and water the plant directly and deeply. The herbs on the south (grassy) side also still need watering.

Making these changes will help reduce the amount of water we are using for the garden.

Saying Thank You

For their many hours of work in the garden, I would like to acknowledge the following individuals: Allison, Rick, Margie, Julie x 2 (there are two Julie's), Melanie, Jane, Becky, and Sonia.

And thank you too, to all those who have donated plants, seeds, tools, expertise, advice, admiration, access, patience, and support: Hal, Layne, Bob x 2, Julie (yes another Julie), Cynthia, Russ, Judy x 2, Tim, Edgar, Frank, Brian x 2, Cindy, Sue, Clark, Susan, Debbie, Rawlins, Stephanie, Misty, Jen, Made, Alex, and you.

And for the idea and inspiration, we thank Wanda.

Flowers, Radishes, Herbs, Walkway, and Compost

Melanie and Allison worked in the garden together on Friday and accomplished a whole lot and got to know each other better in the process.

Melanie weeded the flower garden and then Melanie and Allison used some of the compost and the worm casings to fertilize the new flower seeds that Melanie planted. The flower seeds (Cosmos, Nasturtiums, Zinnias, Baby's Breath, Alyssum, and Marigold) were planted in rows to accommodate the drip lines, on both sides of each line, with the tallest growing plants in the back and the Alyssum close to the sidewalk. They may need hand watering until they get established.

We have a sprinkler can for hand watering but it doesn't have the sprinkling part - the spout is just open. So, if anyone has a sprinkler can and is willing to loan/give/share - please drop it by the garden - leave it behind the shed. Joan will put the can with the spout but no sprinkling part behind the shed. Perhaps someone can figure out a way to fix the spout.

Allison weeded and put compost around the veggies. Still needing to be done are the rows from the bush beans to the first row of carrots. Allison reports that it's pretty obvious where she left off. Allison also weeded and added compost and worm casings in the raised bed, the pumpkin and sunflower patch, and the herb bed.

Allison has suggested moving the bush beans to the end of the cabbage row, since they seem to be getting too much sun. This seems wise and might also allow us to transplant some of the cucumbers which are probably going to need more room. Let's go with this plan.

On Saturday, Allison was at the garden again with her husband and daughter. She worked on thinning the radishes, more weeding, more watering, and more straw. Joan spent some time in the garden on Saturday as well - turning the compost, admiring the fruits of our labor, adding stones and filler to the flagstones which Allison set.

Melanie wrote and Joan agrees: The garden looks so fantastic!

Garden Briefs

Here are a few reports in from the garden:

Rick reports that the drip system seems to be working and the hose seems to be holding steady now that it is buried. Rick also replaced the old leaky, holy hose with a great new one. PLEASE NOTE that the battery indicator on the TIMER (located to the north of the raised bed) will become solid green when the batteries become low. As long as it is flashing, then the batteries are good. If there is no light at all, the timer is not getting any power. On average with fresh batteries, if the timer is cycled twice per day, everyday, the batteries will last about 45 days - probably mid to late July. When you think of it, check the timer and report any problems to Rick.

Melanie reports that she did some weeding in the flower garden (sloping bed on the sidewalk side) on Sunday, and did see where some of the flower seeds were producing small plants. She is going to plant some more flower seeds in the sloping bed along the drip lines.

Allison reports that she did some work on the area near the compost bin (black plastic one) and put some stones down by the bench. She also weeded and put down some more straw.

Misty suggested we thin the radishes into two rows, and Allison is going to give that a try.

Stephanie has planted sunflowers along the east fence. Rick reported the following website about a sunflower-based bee counting and observing project that our children might be interested in:
http://www.greatsunflower.org/en/four-easy-steps-participate.

Hal reports that the bags of organic mulch were left by Ginger and her crew (who take care of the memorial garden). She said it would be fine for us to use the organic mulch in the vegetable garden.