Sunshine Community Gardens

10 September, 2020

www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org

Gardener's Picture page

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If you are signed up to receive the Weekly Weeder and have not been receiving it, here is a troubleshooting page to help. If this doesn't help, please let Sharon at scgardenweb@gmail.com know. Thanks.

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Seeds for Your Fall Garden

Juan Maestre, a Sunshine Gardener, has an abundance of different seeds that he would like to find homes for. Seeds were donated by the Coalition of Community Gardens.The Seed packets will be available in front of the trailer office this Saturday, Sept. 12 from 11-noon. (Last week's handout of seeds didn't happen.)

Please wear masks and practice social distancing when picking up seeds.

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Update on Compost

The initial Fall purchase of compost for use by gardeners was delivered by Whittlesey's Landscape on Wednesday, September 2nd. Additional loads will be delivered according to demand. Buckets must be used to measure the compost and shouldn't be heaped to overflowing - keep it level with the top of the bucket. The limit is 20 buckets per plot.

The price for the compost has increased to $2 per bucket for the following reasons:

1. The cost of the compost has not been recovered in the last three compost purchases. Sunshine Gardens subsidized the compost purchase in the past, but the budget for subsidizing the compost was fully used in the Spring.
2. At $2.00 per bucket, the price is still very reasonable, especially considering the convenience of having the compost delivered to Sunshine Gardens.
3. Since not everyone uses the turkey compost, it would be unfair to have all the gardeners pay the cost of this convenience.

Please remember to pay for the compost you take. The compost generated by the gardens at the back of the property is still free of charge. We ask that you consider your fellow gardeners and follow the signs as to availability.

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Central Texas Tradition - Schoolhouse Lilies Bloom in Austin

These lovely lilies return in September each year. They are also known by some Austinites as "September Lilies" and "Oxblood Lilies."

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West Nile at the Garden

Sunshine Board President Steve Uecker warns us: One of our gardeners has come down with West Nile Virus.

This is a mosquito borne disease and we have mosquitos at the garden. According to the City, mosquitos have tested positive for West Nile in both 78731 and 78756, the only two zip codes that the person bit has been in.

According to our fellow gardener; "it has been quite an experience, terrible actually, but I have still been lucky. I am concerned though for fellow gardeners and thought maybe we should let them know. " Link to CDC's West Nile Page.

Let this stand as a reminder that there is more than one way to "skin a person" and West Nile is among the options available to Mother Nature. There are mosquitos testing positive in our zip code. Let's all try and prevent standing water. Empty any buckets laying around and store them. Wear bug spray with DEET and reapply often especially if you are out early and late when the temp is tolerable to man and mosquito.

More local information can be found at the City's page.

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Don't Get Phished

Gardener Bill Carson reminds us to stay cyber safe and avoid Phishing:

"Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything, we ought to know a little about everything." - Blaise Pascal

You may have heard the term "phishing". Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies or people in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information or send funds to the perpetrator.

We have had incidences of phishing attempts at the garden where the perpetrator fraudulently masquerades as a board member and solicits the receiver of the email to send him/her Apple gift cards.

No one on the board will ever in any circumstances ask you to personally send them an Apple gift card or any other financial instrument.

If you receive such consider it phishing and ignore it. Depending on who your email provider is you may be able to report it to them.

Stay aware. Stay safe.

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2021 Plant Sale

Janet Adams reports:

Due to the virus there is some question about having the plant sale in March 2021. The plant sale committee (Janet Adams) is welcoming your input. Please let Janet know what you think and if you have ideas for modifications.

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Please Remember the Following Directive From the Board: Wear Your Mask in the Toolshed! Thank you.

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Weeder Content

Please email your article or suggestion to Holly Gilman by end of day Wednesday.

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