Sunshine Community Gardens

Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter

22 September 2016

www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org

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Fall Plant Sale - Today, Tomorrow and Saturday!

Descriptions and pictures of all the interesting plants we will be selling. Don't forget to tell all your gardening friends.

Flyer for plant sale

Ken Early Donation Fund

Sunshine Community Gardens has established a fund for donations in Ken's honor to Mobile Loaves and Fishes. SCG will donate $100 and other gardeners may add to the donation by dropping checks in the office door slot or by mailing their checks to:

Sunshine Community Gardens
P.O. Box 302349
Austin, TX 78703-0040

Please make your check out to Sunshine Community Gardens. All checks must be received by September 30, 2016.

TSBVI Workdays

Clear the Hackberries

Saturday 9/24 8:00 - 10:30 am

This project is to clear the hackberries (and weeds) in the fence line along Sunshine Dr. and 49th St. There will be a special effort to remove the hackberries below ground level to "discourage" their coming back. 10-12 gardeners are needed. They will be divided into two teams and work both sides of the fence simultaneously to get those hackberries which always seem to end up on the other side of the fence.

Maintain TSBVI Garden

Saturday 9/24 8:00 - 10:30 am

This project is to weed and plant beds in the TSBVI garden. Efforts will be directed by Nicole Fisher, Sunshine gardener and TSBVI supervisor of the TSBVI garden. Two to four volunteers are needed. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Jim Willmann at jhwillmann@gmail.com.

Membership Ratifies "Good Garden Neighbor" Site Rule change

Sunshine membership at the 9/17 All Gardeners meeting ratified the two "good gardening neighbor" site rules changes the board had adopted.

The two rules require gardeners to:

maintain a one-foot weed free buffer strip within plot along common borders shared with another gardener
Not encroach on their neighbors by placing plants, including their trellises or similar supporting structures so close to plot boundaries that the plants cannot be cultivated or harvested without entering a neighboring plot or cast excessive shade on a neighboring plot.

Summary and copies of the five amendments.

Board to test "Active Gardening" Requirement

Sunshine's purpose is to provide "opportunities for the public to engage in organic gardening". It fulfills that purpose only when members actively garden their assigned plot(s) to produce vegetable and/or ornamental crops. Sunshine membership at the 9/17 All Gardeners meeting approved a new site rule directing the board to pilot test a requirement that Sunshine members "actively garden" their plot(s). "Active gardening" is defined as consistently:

Planting plot in vegetables and/or ornamentals.
Maintaining plants after planting by watering, weeding, etc.
Harvesting in a timely manner by picking vegetables when ripe, removing expired annuals and cutting, pruning, thinning or deadheading ornamentals, such as perennials and natives, as appropriate.
Not leaving plot unplanted in vegetables or ornamentals for extended periods with the exception of letting soil rest; resting soil must be covered with leaves, compost, etc. or planted with a cover crop such as clover, buckwheat, Elbon rye or similar.

The board will develop guidelines for the pilot including procedures for enforcing the requirement. The pilot will run through the Fall 2017 season. Upon completion of the pilot, the board will make a recommendation as to whether site rules should be amended to include an "active gardening" requirement.

Black Plastic for Common Paths

The supply of 4' x 20' black plastic strips for putting on common paths and pathways between adjacent gardens has been replenished. The supply is in the tool shed under the window on the right as you enter. It is recommended that Bermuda grass and weeds be at least partially cleared before putting down the plastic and wood chips. It also helps to put a layer of cardboard under the plastic.

Raising Poultry at Community Gardens

When: Tuesday, September 27th, 6-:30 - 7:30 pm
Where: Deep Eddy Community Garden 300 1/2 Atlanta, Austin, TX 78703 Directions & Parking Instructions: Park on the street near the garden.

Join us for this another Coalition of Austin Community Gardens panel discussion

This is also an opportunity to visit Deep Eddy Community Garden if you have never been there. Unlike Sunshine, the soil is sandy loam.

Chickens enhance food gardens enormously: they help with pest control, provide an abundant source of organic fertilizer, and delight the gardener with a steady supply of fresh eggs. Learn how to bring these benefits to your community garden from Michelle Hernandez, founder of the Funky Chicken Coop Tour and Phil Wiley, Sara Mills, Flo Rice, and Ila Falvey, all of whom manage chicken coops at community gardens.

Panelists include:

Michelle Hernandez, Austin's Funky Chicken Coop Tour, Austin Urban Poultry Meet-Up
Phil Wiley, Deep Eddy Community Garden
Sara Mills, Deep Eddy Community Garden
Flo Rice, Deep Eddy Community Garden
Ila Falvey, Sunshine Community Garden

Registration not required and as always, the discussion is free.