Updates on Plots and Pics

Hi all, please welcome four new gardeners to our community: Sarah Mullins, Erin Rowland, Susan Mershon, and Sarah Holden.

Welcome! Also: Sheila has asked that anyone interested in helping her clear and plant plots should contact her. Since I don't want to publish her phone number here, you can reach her through the Squirrel Brand list serv. She is going to be gardening on Monday between four and five and probably on Wednesday and Thursday. She plans to construct a rectangular structure for beans, morning glories, or nastiriums!

Linda

Check out the Video

Check out this community-based video/TV that a person made of our community garden!

It's very nice to see the garden in April--with those gorgeous red tulips...

http://cctvcambridge.org/node/2943/play

Take care all,

Linda

Time to Reassign some Plots

Hi all,

Dan has asked for help re-assigning plots. Here is the lowdown. The waitlist is here:

1 Rowland, Erin 03/21/2008
2 Pollack, Robert 04/04/2008
3 Mershon, Susan 04/14/2008
4 Mullins, Sarah 04/14/2008
5 Gross, Daniel 04/14/2008
6 Zether, Leila Hooper 04/14/2008
7 Fountain, Clayton 04/14/2008
8 Stewart, Emily 04/14/2008
9 Cosel, Gabrielle 04/21/2008
10 Appapillai, Anjuli 04/24/2008
11 Parks, Shaheen 04/24/2008
12 Sterrett, Hatch 05/22/2008
13 Kiely, Tim 05/22/2008

I am ready to assign two immediately and am waiting to contact two others about three remaining plots.

Erin will be assigned to plot #28 and Susan Mershon to plot #29. Plot #30 will go to Sarah Mullins. Note: Robert has asked to be temporarily removed from consideration for a plot.

Erin or Susan, could you email me: romelucca@gmail.com?

Take care, Linda

ways to spend garden fees...

1. apply garden fees to Area 4 grant which is good for $400 towards community building project. the only caveat is we need to contribute 25% matching funds.

2. seeds of change offers free seeds. these seeds can be donated to the community groups or used to grown around the perimeter of the garden as flowers. all we need to do is pay for the shipping costs.

3. buy a water can.

4. allocate some funds for administrative costs, such as: postage for mailings, buying materials to mark off plot boundaries, etc.

The Sunflower Project

Hi all,

Dan had the great idea to line the perimeter of the garden with sunflowers...I have been sprinkling seeds in, and I know James has been too. If anyone feels like donating some seeds, we could use even more. Some of the first sunflower seedlings are peeking out from under the mulch and soil around the perimeter of the fence, too, so if you are weeding that area, be on the lookout for them...

If the spirit moves you, sprinkle some out there, and let's see what happens! We have some Italian sunflowers that I put in there, a mixture of nice oranges, and some straight yellows...Should be interesting to see what grows.

Before...

I thought it would be fun to post some early season shots of folks' plots and then snap pictures later in the season...I'll try to make the rounds and get some more early season shots tomorrow.

Do you recognize the garden now?

Special Thanks to Charles

For all the weeding he does.

Compost Day

We gathered this morning at 10:30 to begin chopping up the compost. Over the course of the day, Tim, Hatch, James, Linda, Aidan, Brian, James' friend Hannah, and other gardeners came and went. 

Early stages were chopping, which James did while Hatch and Tim and Aidan built two soil screens for community use. Tim brought the lumber; Hatch brought the screen and the tools, and the three of them went to work.

By 4, the soil screens were ready and in use! James and his friend Hannah spent some time sifting soil and then making the compost bins into "live" piles by layering green and brown materials. By 6, two of the bins were "cooking," and a lot of the waste around the pile had been incorporated into either compost (screened) or back in to cook. 

Good job everyone!

Mt Auburn Cemetery--Historic Garden Cemetery

Hi all, I finally made it over to Mt. Auburn Cemetery the other day with a dear friend. We walked amid the paths, oohed and aahed over the cherry trees, crab apples, and magnolias--all in magnificent bloom.

Here is what the web site says about the site:

Mount Auburn Cemetery has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior, recognizing it as one of the country's most significant cultural landscapes. Founded in 1831, it was the first large-scale designed landscape open to the public in the United States. Today its beauty, historical associations and horticultural collections are internationally renowned.

-- Linda

Farmers' Almanac

I did find this on the Farmers' Almanac for Boston:

The best time to plant flowers and vegetables that bear crops above ground is during the light of the Moon; that is, from the day the Moon is new to the day it is full. Flowering bulbs and vegetables that bear crops below ground should be planted during the dark of the Moon; that is, from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again. The Moon Favorable column below gives these days, which are based on the Moon's phases for 2008 and the safe periods for planting in areas that receive frost. See Moon phases for the exact days of the new and full Moons.

They list planting time for peppers and tomatoes as May 15-30.
For eggplants, the date is still June 1 though.

Linda

Tomatoes and Cambridge Timeline

Hi everyone,

I bought some tomato plants and want to put them into our plot. I just moved here, though, from a Very Cool Part of NE and wondered if this time was appropriate for planting?

I did put a couple of very healthy hand-grown tomatoes in last week, but they did not do so well. I think the cool night temps may be the culprit for white areas on and killing of some leaves.

Ideas anyone for timing? In Vermont, we planted Memorial Day and hoped for the best--or to be doubly sure, after the first full moon in June.

Take care, Linda

Message from Hatch re: Composting

Hi SB G's,
I'll be at the compost Saturday morning to empty it out and break it down
a.m.a.p. I believe there is some good stuff we could separate out, as
about ready to use. The idea is to speed the process up. We'll add water and automatically air as we return the smaller stuff to the bins. There is soil in the root balls of a lot of the weeds (organism
inoculant).

Bring loppers, shovels, hoes, etc. hopefully pretty sharp -- and we'll be
careful of course. I thought maybe I'd get a "10 cup" coffee item from Dunkin Donuts down the
street.

Zena, Linda, Liz, James, said they could come I think. And welcome to Tim
K, if he can make it too !! It really looks like a good start at SB garden this year, and thanks to Dan and Linda and Charlie, and all the others doing so much.

Hatch Sterrett

Rapid Soil Test

Good afternoon everyone,

I bought some manure and lime for our plot today--and I also learned about these nifty little soil testers, which are rapid and accurate for Ph. I bought one for $4.99 at Ricky's, and I'm going to see what happens. The kit says it's easy--kind of like "just add water."

:-)

I'll post what I find here. I wonder if all of us are dealing with similar soil composition. I would think so, but then that would change a little depending on what other people added to their soil in the past few years.

Linda

Here is What We are Growing

What are you growing?

Our interesting exotic tomatoes:

Brown Berry: An unusual variety with cherry-type fruits dressed in appealing, earthy- brown skins. More than a novelty - the fruits have very good flavor and are sweet and juicy. A very different look for fresh and cooked cuisine. Sturdy, 78" plants.

Black Prince: The Black Prince Tomato is known in Russia as "Czerno Prinz Tomat" and next to the Black Krim Tomato, this is among the most popular and best known of Black Tomatoes. This outstanding tomato variety was originally introduced from Irkutsk, Russia (in Siberia) some years ago and is typically regarded as a true Siberian tomato variety due to its outstanding qualities in northern climates. Although the Black Prince could be considered a rare heirloom tomato in the United States and the United Kingdom, this tomato is widely raised in Russia and is regularly sold commercially by some of the larger vegetable seed companies in Russia today.

Cherokee Purple: Heirloom from Tennessee cultivated by Native American Cherokee tribe. Very productive plants producing loads of dusky rose to purple colored, 12 oz.-1 lb., beefsteak tomatoes with deep red colors to the interior flesh and dark shoulders. A very popular market variety because of it's rich, complex and sweet flavors. One of the best tasting heirloom tomatoes.

Sungold: The Sungold ripens to a golden orange, with a very sweet flavor. This tomato is popular in all climates as it produces in warm and cold conditions. Fruit matures quickly, and crops heavily throughout the warmer months.

Mortgage Lifter: The Mortgage Lifter tomato was developed in the early 1930's in Logan, West Virginia by a radiator repairman, M.C. "Radiator Charlie" Byles. Without any experience in breeding, he made a successful cross of four of the largest tomatoes he could find - German Johnson, Beefsteak, an Italian variety, and an English variety. Radiator Charlie sold the first seedlings of his new tomato in the 1940's for one dollar each to customers who drove up to 200 miles for his famous plants that bore tasty tomatoes averaging two and a half pounds. With these sales, Charlie managed to pay off his $6,000 mortgage in only six years, and so the tomato was named Mortgage Lifter.

--Linda and Brian, Aidan and Kellen

Area Plant Store Report: Allendale Farm and Ricky's in Union Square

Hi everyone,

I spent part of today visiting garden centers and wanted to give a mini report based on my earlier suggestion regarding Allandale Farm in Brookline. I did got there today, and they had some tomatoes but no peppers and not many vegetables. I was told they would be moving them down from the greenhouses later this week. I was impressed with the variety, and I bought some exotic types. Plants were $3.19 each, I think. They didn't have six flats, just individual plants. I got the Brown Berry, a Sungold, Purple Cherokee, Black Prince, and Mortgage Lifter. I'll report on how those do in the season. Plants were sturdy but on the small side since they are just coming out for the season. The tomato greenhouse wasn't open, but they let me pick some out, which was great because I drove a bit of a distance to get out there.

The surprise and delight of the day, however, was Ricky's Flower Market in Union Square. Not only was the selection Fabulouso but the funky layout and green oasis that is Ricky's really enthralled me and the kids. There were green nooks and crannies to explore and plants around every corner. I have posted some pics here of both places. The one inside is at Allendale Farm. The ones outside with the sign "Vegetable Plants" is Ricky's. What a delight those tables are as verdant and lush tomatoes spill from the shelving. Varieties were a bit less exotic here with plenty of what everyone loves but also with some interesting sounding other choices.

The pics of the flat here are from Ricky's. Look at how healthy these are! And they were pretty reasonable at $2 and some change for a pretty nice tomato plant. We got some eggplant, cucumbers, musk melon, and a healthy variety of peppers including Thai peppers.

Take care, Linda

A gardener

Hello this is Linda's son Aidan hope you like our garden!!! I helped weed some of it (and I learned different kinds of weeds too thanks for telling me them Hatch) I had a fun time doing it. If you don't know our plot it's the the in front of Dan's.
Hope you leave some comments! Its been fun posting.

Sources for plants in area

Hi all,

I found a couple of sources for plants in the area. These seem to have heirloom varities--and some "off the beaten track" types.

http://www.allandalefarm.com/

http://www.vpi.org/

The second site seems to be one where you have to order early, but they may have some plants left. These are grown from fedco seeds, which rock!

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
Posted by English 115 at 5:59 PM

For Charles: Chilewoman's site

Hi Charles,

Here is the site for the chilewoman as promised today: http://www.thechilewoman.com/sweetpeppers/

Her peppers look amazing. Take care!

Art Group Needs Help/Donations/Ideas/Time

The CAC (Community Arts Group) that has a plot in our garden needs help in the form of donations/ideas/time. They are facing financial issues and could use assistance in any form.

* * *
Today was a fun day in the community garden. We came together to plant the roses that David Cannistraro, former president of the NE Rose Society, gave us, and a weeding brigade made up of Hatch, the children, and Charles went to town.

The results are great!

Here are some pictures from Mother's Day in the garden.

Welcome to our Community Garden Blog

Hi everyone,

Welcome to our blog. This blog is for all of us to use to share tips, pictures, information on seed exchanges, and whatever else we want to post about--building soil screens? Community tools? Garden shed?

Here are the pictures from the Spring Garden Kickoff, held today, May 10. We had a great time and give a hearty thank you to all of our presenters! It was fun, too, to learn the name of our climbing rose--Dr. Van Fleet. I've posted a picture of that above (from the web) and a picture of ours.

Please come by and post something here...See you all at our meeting next week.

Take care, Linda