Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter
13 June 2014
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org
Election Results
Welcome to two new board members - Ginny Heilman, Secretary and Linda Francescone, Director. Directors Kay McMurry and Michael Hall were reelected. Additionally, serving on the Nominating Committee for next year"s elections will be Katy Davis, Judy Sinclair, Chris Schroder, and Nancy Seibert. Next year, we will vote in a new President, Vice-President and Treasurer. Please think about whether you would be willing to be on the Board of Sunshine and let the nominating committee know. Thanks to everyone who took part in the election process.
All provisions of the new Site Rules passed overwhelmingly last Saturday. The most immediate effect is we have kept the increase in regular service hours that went into effect when the Board approved the changes in February and the TSBVI hour will be billed at $50 if not worked.
Garden News from Ila
Pecked Tomatoes - Don't throw around the garden
Please bring the pecked (but not rotten tomatoes) that you don't want to the chicken coop and put in the white bucket.
Or put them in the active compost pile (check out the new signs).
Do not dump them in the dumpster (except for diseased fruits)
The fourth annual tomato tasting was held on June 7 and enjoyed by many participants. The recent rain (although much welcomed) tended to make the tomato flavor less intense. The tasting results will be available shortly.
Service Hours
Work day coming up Saturday June 28th.
It's getting hot fast so do not to let Service Hours sneak up on you! You need to do them before JUNE 30, 2014.
This website will tell you what tasks count as service hours. It also covers tasks that count for your TSVBI hour.
- Full plots: 8 hours per six month season. Half plots: 4 hours per six month
season. Quarter plots: 4 hours per six month season.
Unworked service hours are billed at $30 per hour for first two hours, $10 per hour for subsequent hours. - For each plot, regardless of size, one additional hour each season is due in service to the cooperation between Sunshine Community Garden and TSBVI. A $50.00 fee will be assessed for this hour of unworked service.
- While the garden seasons run from Feb. 1 to July 31 and Aug. 1 to Jan. 31, service hour periods run from Jan. 1 through June 30 and July 1 through Dec. 31.
Keeping pathways safe for our members and the public, including the differently enabled, is part of our SCG non-profit charter.
Rabbit Redux
A rabbit has been spotted at Sunshine Gardens. If you see a rabbit or evidence of a rabbit (mostly plants being nibbled) please let Stewart know. Please also include the location and activity and time seen.
stewart nichols
elmer@math.austin.tx.us
To all Contributors and Readers
The Editor of this newletter will be out of the country (visiting England) from 7th June until the 25th of June. While I will attempt to get out the newletter in a timely fashion, there may be some delays. Any important or urgent information should be sent a week early to ensure it is received by readers in time.
Get Ready for Hot Weather Gardening
There are several things a gardener can do to relieve some of the stress on plants during the summer.
Sunshine soil that has not been amended is basically black clay. Clay drains slowly, absorbs water slowly and if it dries becomes so hard that plant roots have a difficult time penetrating the soil. Compost dug in during the spring will help. If it's too late for that compost can be added to areas near established plants, (be careful not to invade established root zones). As the plants grow the roots will move into the composted area. Aeration is improved, internal drainage is enhanced and roots are able to more thoroughly fill the soil and mine its nutrients. Additionally soil will retain the moisture more easily.
The other factor to consider during summer is watering. A bed that is covered with mulch will retain the moisture much longer and help the soil stay a few degrees cooler. Water on bare soil evaporates rapidly, but water that filters through mulch will last much longer. There are many different types of mulches available but the leaves from Sunshine's leaf pile will do the trick. The advantage of the leaves (besides being free) is that they will gradually break down and add humus to your soil.
There is no way the garden will escape the hot weather in a Texas summer but by taking precautions we may alleviate some of the worst the summer has to offer.
Compost
A third compost pile has been started south of the previous two. It is near the fence next to the TSBVI transportation yard. Dump your thin plants and vegetables there.
Events of Interest to Gardeners
Grafting Vegetable Crops - Principles and Practises
Thursday June 19th, 2014 9:00 am-12:00pm
6011 Blue Bluff Road. cost $15.00
AgriLife Extension specialists in College Station will be joining the group via web video to present the program. This is part of a six part seminar series to evaluating diversification strategies addressing small acreage horticultural crops.
Rebates for Compost, Mulch and Aerating:
Great news! The City of Austin is offering rebates for things we should all be doing in our yards - mulching plants & trees, and aerating & topdressing our lawns. If you do all three things (according to their rules, of course) you can get as much as $180 back! Buy what you need, and be sure to keep your receipts. For rules and more details, visit the City of Austin's website.
A site with a multitude of links of interest to gardeners in Central Texas: http://gardeninglaunchpad.com/Aus.html"
Vegetables to plant in June
All month: Malabar Spinach, Okra, Sweet Potatoes, Peanut, Pumpkin
Start seeds indoors for fall transplants Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplants.
Officer and Zone Coordinator Contacts - Sunshine Garden
Officers
- President - Ila Falvey ila.falvey@gmail.com
- Vice-President - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmail.com
- Secretary (acting) - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmail.com
- Treasurer - Jack Reynolds scgtreasurer1@gmail.com
- Director - Michael Hall fibercable@austin.rr.com
- Director - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
Zone Coordinators
- Zone 1, Jody Trendler jody.trendler@gmail.com
- Zone 2, Katy Davis katydavis@austin.rr.com
- Zone 3, Ludmila Voskov lvoskov@austin.rr.com
- Zone 4, Ila Falvey ila.falvey@gmail.com
- Zone 5, Mary Gifford mgifford@austin.rr.com
- Zone 6, Charlotte Jernigan charlotte@cybermesa.com
- Zone 7, Jing Li jingli80@yahoo.com
- Zone 8, Irina Kaducova irina@austinshrooms.com
- Zone 9, Cheryl Hazeltine cph@austin.rr.com
- Zone 10, Christopher Schroder christopher.s.schroder@gmail.com
Other Coordinators
- Weekly Weeder Newsletter - Margaret Powis purslane2013@gmail.com
- Plant Sale - Michael Hall fibercable@austin.rr.com
- TSBVI Liason & Volunteer Coordinator - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmailcom
- Plot Rental - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Carpentry & Repairs - Robert Jarry r.jarry@sbcglobal.net
- Water Leak Repairs - Stewart Nichols sgwater@math.austin.tx.us
- Tools & Wheelbarrows - Bob Easter beaster1@austin.rr.com
- Website Coordinator - Sharon Rempert scgardenweb@gmail.com
Record Service Hours Online - the Virtual Green Binder
