TIMING Consistently cool air temperature, after a true cold front. BED PREP Weeds Ideally, the planting space should have been cleared of weeds well before planting time. Any emerging weeds should be removed and kept cleared. Soil The planting zone should be loosened up. For root crops, especially carrots, you want to ensure that the […]
Archive | Basics
Summer Vegetable Gardening
One of my first lessons as a gardener came 33 years ago when I spent the summer building a large vegetable garden in my backyard. I was off for the summer from my teaching job and my goal was to build 6 large garden beds and plant them while off for the summer. I tried […]
It Is Time
It is the prime time to be out in your garden planting. The temperature is cool , your summer vegetables are probably dead or dying and best of all there are many seeds and plants that can be planted right now. Use the Urban Harvest Planting Chart for more precise times for planting. Use seeds […]
Using the Gas Powered Tools: Get Exercise!
We encourage garden members to learn to use the gas powered tools to do common maintenance jobs around the garden. We have a Stihl Trimmer and a Stihl Edger. The trimmer is used often in trimming around fruit trees, sheds, and along the butterfly garden as well as any other place a mower can’t reach. The […]
Support For Plants
Some plants must be supported to be at maximum production. These plants are tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, long beans, pole beans, bitter melon, Malabar spinach. Tools: The garden’s two handled fence post driver is in the small shed. (See photo.) Trellises are for cucumbers, long beans, pole beans, bitter melon, Malabar spinach. Trellises can be […]
2014 Spring Seed Set
The set may be purchased for $10. It includes 18 vegetable/herb/flower varieties. Edamame will be arriving later. Arugula — Sylvetta Basil — Genovese Beans — Carson Yellow Bush Bean and Jade Bush Bean Cucumber – Armenian and Suyo Long Edamame — Midori Giant (not yet available) Eggplant — Kermit Green and Orient Express Flowers — […]
Planting Seeds
How deep to plant seeds Plant seeds 3 times the width of the seed. If it is a very little seed like carrot or lettuce, plant it very close to the surface and water often until the seed germinates. These seeds need light to germinate, so plant them just under the surface of the soil. […]
Personal Gardening Equipment
These personal garden tools are recommended. Gloves: Invest in a pair of gloves you like and which can be washed. Better still, have two pairs. Hand tools: trowel, hand cultivator, watering wand or fan nozzle (plus your Faucet Key), weeding tool (there are many), garden scissors or pruning shears Long handled tools: Cultivator or hoe, […]
Weeding and Disposal
Weekly weeding of your garden and the surrounding aisles are essential. No weed killers/ herbicides are used in WCG. Learn to know weeds and how they grow which enables you to remove them effectively. Once a weed flowers, it produces seeds which quickly become more weeds. Therefore, pull out even small weeds. Acquire a good […]
Planting and Care of Tomato Plants
Determine where you will plant your tomato plants and how many plants your space can accommodate. There are several things to consider. First you want to plant them where the tomato family was not planted last year or even the year before, if possible. This is to avoid disease and pests that are waiting in […]