Sunshine Community Gardens

26 August, 2021

www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org

Gardener's Picture page

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In this Issue:

• Taming the Garden Hose
• First Fall Compost Delivery on 8/26
• Garden Tasks for Service Hours

Taming the Garden Hose

Ila Falvey submitted the following article about garden hoses stating: "A great article on how to treat a water hose properly so that it "lives" longer, saves water, and a subsequent user doesn't have to struggle with it."

As a professional gardener, I use garden hoses a lot, and I've seen my share of kinks, leaks and hoses that can't be recoiled neatly. To me, the job is complete when the garden is weed-free and well-watered - with the hose coiled and ready for next time. If asked, my coworkers might say I'm a bit obsessive about getting the hose rolled up after each use. Here are my tips to ensure leak-free watering and a tidy coil:

• When connecting hoses and attachments, make sure the washers inside the female end are fully seated. And if the washer looks worn out, replace it. You can find garden hose washers at a hardware store.
• Align and tighten the connections carefully to prevent cross-threading. If you need to connect and disconnect frequently, consider adding quick-connect fittings.If the hose has a guard to prevent kinks, do not use the guard to tighten connections; instead, grasp the hose itself to ensure a good seal.
• When you are finished using the hose, do not leave it "charged". In other words, turn off the hose at the spigot and release the pressure at the other end by removing attachments or opening valves. A relaxed hose is much easier to work with. What's more, this will help extend the life of your hose and prevent ruptures.

Before trying to coil the hose, turn off the water at the spigot.

• To coil up a hose, pull the entire hose straight to remove any twists and kinks; then roll it up. Even better: Put the far end of the hose downhill so it drains as you roll it up.
• Do not store a hose with kinks in it. Otherwise, the kinks might become permanent.
• Always coil your hose in the same direction - either clockwise or counterclockwise. Use a hose reel to make coiling easier and more consistent.
• If you have trouble getting a neat coil, make it a larger in diameter. Larger circles (or ovals) are more relaxed and keep their shape.
• If possible, drain the hose as you coil it. If left in the hot sun, a water-filled hose can burst.
• In winter, disconnect and drain hoses before storing them. If possible, store them in a frost-free location.
• Always buy the best quality hose you can afford. Cheap hoses are more likely to kink, leak and rupture.

- David Grist, landscape designer and former employee-owner

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Compost Delivery Friday 8/26/21

Article by Randy Thompson (the Compost King)

The first of several compost deliveries will be this Friday at an undetermined time. It will be organic compost. For use for gardeners only and only at Sunshine.

Cost: $2 a bucket and 5 buckets for $7. Pay in the garden port and fill out the paperwork.

Quantity Limits: 20 bucket limit for full size plot, 10 buckets for 1/2 plots and 5 for 1/4 plots.

How to Harvest Compost: Measure the compost with the buckets provided. Please return the buckets when finished and no coins when paying.

Thank you Randy!

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Needed Service Hour Tasks - Thursday, 26 August, 2021

To help keep gardeners aware of what service hour tasks are needed, an attempt will be made to keep this list current.

Please observe our 3 mph speed limit! The garden road is not a ranch road!

Priority (Tasks specifically needed):

1. Digging up khaki weed, wherever you find it (Counts as TSVBI hours).
2. Maintaining common paths and common areas. If you have plants extending into common paths, trim them. The common paths are designed to allow the biggest wheelbarrows that we own to traverse them unimpeded.
3. Mowing; especially area between Zone 8 and perimeter fence on east side, and all grass on roads.

TSBVI:

1. Weeding paths in TSBVI garden and wood chip areas on west side. (This is normally needed. Try to get out roots. Be sure to smooth out paths after weeding to facilitate TSBVI students moving around garden.)
2. Mowing between fence and street along 49th St. and Sunshine Dr. along and 10' inside fence. (Frequent mowing will be needed this timeof year.)
3. Picking up trash in compost area and along fencelines.
4. Cleaning street curb gutters of dirt and debris build up. (At places in the curb gutter along Sunshine Dr. and 49th St., soil and debris has built has up and grass beginning to grow. Scrape off with shovel and put in wheelbarrow. If debris is gravel, can be put in low places in parking lot. Otherwise, put in dumpster.)

Regular:

1. Mowing (Please check area around trailer and greenhouses. Frequent mowing will be needed this time of year.)
2. Maintaining common paths. (Gardeners are required to maintain a 2' strip of common paths adjacent to their plot.)
3. Mowing and cleaning up overgrown/messy places in common areas.

Note: TSBVI hour tasks can also count as regular hours.

I know that everyone is eager to get to the Garden to pull khaki weed and perform other tasks, but please try to subdue that eagerness by keepingy our speed limit to 3 MPH or less..

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Weeder Content

Please submit weekly weeder articles, photos, and recipes by Wednesday to both Co-Editors:
Holly Gilman at hollyjgilman@gmail.com and
Maria Beach at dr.maria.beach@gmail.com

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