Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter
24 September 2014
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org
Time to plant a fall garden
If you haven't prepared your garden for fall planting, please take advantage of the cooler temperatures and workable soil to do so. Many (but not all) of the available fall plants will be transplants. These require careful monitoring when first set out in the garden. Until the plants develop a good root system it is important not to let them dry out and to protect them from unusually hot weather.
There are two types of fall vegetables, short term and long term. The short term plants will not survive the freezing temperatures and include, beans, cantaloupes, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peas, peppers and squash. No one knows when the first killing frost will arrive, but most gardeners plan for end of November. The average first freeze for Camp Mabry is Dec 2 but we have had freezes in Oct!
Long term fall vegetables will be frost tolerant and include, beets, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, collards, garlic, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, parsley, spinach and turnips.
Fire ants
They are rising again. They tend to go deeper in the ground during the summer to avoid the heat. There is "Come and Get it" bait in the tool shed. Please read the instructions for application. Place the bait around the mound not on it. Use a moderate amount (follow instructions) and return to shed after use. This bait is approved for organic vegetable gardens.
Announcing Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Annual Fall Plant Sale
From Wednesday, October 15th thru Saturday the 18th the nursery will be selling:
- Cool weather vegetables and flowers in four inch pots:
Broccoli - Marathon Brussels Sprouts - Jade Cross Broccoli - Packman Kale - Red Russian Cabbage - Emerald Cross Kale- Vates Dwarf Blue Cabbage - Ruby Perfection Artichoke - Green Globe Cauliflower - Snowball Pansies Cauliflower - Veronica/Romanesco Viola - Penny Lane - An assortment of four inch succulents including: Ghost Plant, Echeverias, Panda Plant, and Paddle Plant
- Hearty plants and house pants in various sizes: Aloe, Pothos ivy, Agave, Purple Heart, Spider Plant/Hen-and-Chickens
Prices are based off of pot size. All four inch pots are $2 each.
Open hours:
Wednesday, October 15th 11am-6pm
Thursday, October 16th 11 am to 4 pm
Friday, October 17th 11 am to 6 pm
Saturday, October 18th 9 am to 4 pm
Where: TSBVI Greenhouse - park at Sunshine Community Garden, at 4814 Sunshine Dr. Walk toward the back of the garden and go through the gate to get to the greenhouse.
The Fall Plant Sale is a fundraiser for the Horticulture work training program of Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
For more information contact Nicole at 512-206-9369 or fishern@tsbvi.edu.
Thank you volunteers!
Photo courtesy of Cheryal Loosmore
Thanks to everyone who helped with the TSBVI transplant operation. We filled about 1000 pots with potting mix on Tuesday and transferred about 3,200 tiny transplants into 4" pots on Thursday. Pot fillers included Nicole Fisher, Ila Falvey, Susan Kramer, Marianne Mulrey, Janet Bogue and Kay McMurry. Label writers included Evelyn Jones, Marianne Mulrey, Janet Bogue, Susan Kramer, and Kay McMurry. Transplanting volunteers included John Braziel, Renee Fleishman, Katy Davis, Ila Falvey, Michael Hall, Kerry Howell, Janet Bogue, Cheryal Loosmore, Cheryl Hazeltine, Nancy Siebert, Steve Schulz, Bill Biggs, Mike Fisher, Linda Francesone, Sandra Ries, and Kay McMurry. Apologies to anyone left off the list.
Compost is ready
The compost "Harvest Here" sign has been moved to the former "Compost in Process" pile. This pile is now ready to be used as it is no longer hot.
The fresh pile should probably be screened for optimal use and the leaves that remain on the screen added back to the active pile.
Please limit your harvesting of compost to two large wheelbarrows (not the extra large) per full size plot - and one wheelbarrow full for the half and quarter plots so that all gardeners can have an opportunity to use this high quality compost.
More TSBVI News
Do you want to spread your knowledge to TSBVI students? If you would be interested in talking to a class about the chickens, bees, or maybe something else get in contact with Nicole, at fishern@tsbvi.edu.
T-Shirt design contest for Sunshine Community Garden
Feeling creative???
T-shirt design guidelines:
- One color design
- Must include "Sunshine Community Gardens"
- Nothing offensive
- Design to be on front of shirt
Designs need to be submitted by October 31, 2014 at midnight.
Please submit via email or in person to any Board member.
Designs will be voted on for the following five days, online, until November 5 at midnight.
If possible we will also have them available to view at the garden for your consideration.
Any questions? Contact a Board member. Contact information on the website and also in each Weeder.
T-shirts, ideally, will be ready for purchase on December 6 for our Holiday meeting/potluck/party.
Events of Interest to Gardeners
Organic Gardening 101
September 27th 2014, Saturday. 9:00 am Natural Gardener
Free class given by Rosina Newton, The class will last slightly
longer than one hour.
This class is for beginning gardeners, or longtime gardeners from other parts of the country who have found out how challenging it is to garden in Central Texas. Learn about site selection, soil preparation, fertilization and more.
Rosina is a graduate of Texas A & M University in Horticulture.
Links
A site with a multitude of links of interest to gardeners in Central Texas: http://gardeninglaunchpad.com/Aus.html
Vegetables to plant in September
Mid to late month: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Collards, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Peas (English and edible pod)
Officer and Zone Coordinator Contacts - Sunshine Garden
Officers
- President - Ila Falvey ila.falvey@gmail.com
- Vice-President - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmail.com
- Secretary - Ginny Heilman gheilman1@gmail.com
- Treasurer - Jack Reynolds scgtreasurer1@gmail.com
- Director - Michael Hall fibercable@austin.rr.com
- Director - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Director - Linda Francescone linda.francescone@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