Sunshine Weekly Weeder
10.27.11
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org
ALL GARDENERS MEETING - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 10 AM
Come out for the All Gardeners Meeting this Saturday at 10:00am at the garden trailer. New gardeners, this is an opportunity to meet other gardeners and the Sunshine Gardens officers. And there will be hot coffee and doughnuts!
Meeting topics will include: the installation of a new cover for the hoop house, creating and reclaiming plots along the fence with TSBVI, and installing water lines for the new plots.
SUNSHINE GARDENERS WATER CONSUMPTION
September-October Billing
2011
usage: 279,300 gallons
bill: $1,371
2010
usage: 190,200 gallons
bill: $858
2009
usage: 49,100 gallons
bill: $228
PLEASE REMEMBER: No unattended watering is allowed at the garden during the current drought conditions and with city of Austin water restrictions in effect.
SERVICE HOURS - 2 months left this season
The hot weather should be done for this year, so no excuses. There are two months left to complete your SCG service hours by the December 31st deadline for the fall season. Please remember to do your hours and then remember record them. There are two scheduled workdays, November 12 and December 10, or put in your time on your own schedule. If you need suggestions on what to do, check the task list in the tool shed or contact Ila Falvey, our maintenance coordinator.
TSBVI Service Hours
Also, don't forget that you need to complete your TSBVI service hour by December 31st. And there are some gardeners who need to make up their TSBVI hour from the spring season. Remember to record those hours in the physical or virtual green binder.
FACTS AND TIPS ON GROWING SPINACH
Spinach prefers a neutral or high pH. Fortunately, that shouldn't be a problem with our clay soil.
Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
Spinach seeds will not germinate if the soil is too warm. It needs to be 75 degrees or lower for good germination.
A technique for improving germination is to put your spinach seeds in a glass with water and put them in your refrigerator to soak for 24 hours. Then plant the seeds 1/4 inch deep in a seed bed that has been watered well before you start planting. Keep the area moist and the seeds should come up in 7 to 10 days.
Plant rows about 8 - 10 inches apart, and thin seedlings to every 6 inches.
Successive plantings of 10 to 14 days let you hedge your bets and get good production all winter long. You can harvest the older leaves and let the younger leaves continue to grow and mature, or harvest entire plants.
GARDENING SEMINAR
Fruits and Berries - Planning, Pruning, & Care
Saturday, November 5, 10am-12 noon
Deep Eddy Community Garden, 300½ Atlanta Dr., Austin
Learn which varieties of apples, peaches, and berries excel in this area. Also, learn about planting and basic pruning techniques and general fruit and berry care. This seminar is sponsored by Travis County Master Gardeners Association and the Travis County AgriLife Extension and is free and open to the public.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
- ALL GARDENER MEETING - Saturday, October 29, 10 am - garden trailer
- Board Meeting - Saturday, November 5, 10:30 am - garden trailer
- Workday - Saturday, November 12, 9 am - 12 noon
- Workday - Saturday, December 10, 9 am - 12 noon
- FALL SERVICE HOURS DEADLINE - December 31
Contact Information
Jack McEvoy, President - president@sunshinecommunitygarden.org
Jeff Schulz, Vice President - vice-pres@sunshinecommunitygarden.org
Suzanne Erickson, Treasurer - lacasita88@gmail.com.net
Sue Brownlee, Secretary - scgsecretary@gmail.com
Linda Booker, Director - lindaruthbooker@gmail.com
Ila Falvey, Director - ila.falvey@gmail.com
Nancy Seibert, Director - nancyrseibert@yahoo.com
Coordinators & Chairs
Zone 1, Patsy Painter - patsy_painter@yahoo.com
Zone 2, Katy Davis - katydavis@austin.rr.com
Zone 3, Sheila Bartholomew - sheilab@concrete.com
Zone 4, Alan Marburger - alanmarburger@gmail.com
Zone 5, Mary Gifford - mgifford@austin.rr.com
Zone 6, Annik Jackson - anij@aol.com
Zone 7, Diana Dworaczyk - dianadworaczyk@aol.com
Zone 8, Felicia Kongable - feliciako@yahoo.com
Zone 9, Cheryl Hazeltine - cph@austin.rr.com
Zone 10, Emily Tisinger - dtisinger@austin.rr.com
Plant Sale -Michael Hallfibercable@austin.rr.com
TSBVI Liaison & Volunteer Coordinators
Mike Meyer meyermic2001@yahoo.com and Linda Booker lindaruthbooker@gmail.com
Carpentry & Repairs - Robert Jarry - r.jarry@sbcglobal.net
Compost - Steve Uecker - steven_uecker@hotmail.com
Tools & Wheelbarrows - Bob Easter - beaster1@austin.rr.com
Maintenance Coordinator - Ila Falvey - ila.falvey@gmail.com
Website Coordinators - Kathleen Neville and Larry Olsen - lolsen@suddenlink.net
Record Service Hours Online - the Virtual Green Binder
To unsubcribe send a message to:scgsecretary@gmail.com
Sunshine Community Gardens
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org