Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter
7 October 2015
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org
Fall Plant Sale - Thank You!
Thanks to everyone who came out to support the fall plant sale this weekend. There are still some plants remaining for purchase on the Honor System in the Sunshine Greenhouse. So if you didn't make it out, please stop by! Just fill out a receipt and leave it with your cash/check in the box at the front of the greenhouse.
And a big thanks to everyone who helped make the sale possible - organizers, planters, waterers, and cashiers. I greatly appreciate your efforts! And a special thanks to TSBVI for the use of the greenhouse!
Happy Fall Gardening!
PS - If you are at the garden, and the seedlings look thirsty, please give them a drink!
Khaki Weed
Thanks to all who have valiantly removed khaki weed from the garden. Big piles of it are in the dumpster.
The more we can remove the better off we'll be next year.
Austin Gardening Events
The Fall gardening calendar is rapidly getting busy. These are a few of the events around Austin:
Fall Garden Perfection
Brite Ideas on Burnet
October 15 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
The presenter will give a summary of soil amendments and the best combinations/placement of these to give the most impact per $. There will also be an explanation on how to amend soil as a pest control technique. Additionally there will be a focus on flavor and easy care for leafy crops of the fall garden.
Organizer: Jason Avent
Phone: 512-459-4353
Website: www.bihydro.com
Venue: Brite Ideas North 7010 Burnet Rd Austin, 78757
Zilker Botanical Garden
October 25, 2015
Afternoon in the Garden
Straw Bale Gardening; Minimal Maintenance and Maximum Production
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Sunday
Having difficulty bending over to dig, weed, plant, and other garden chores? Are you experiencing poor soils or no soil but you have concrete or asphalt space available? Straw bale gardening allows anyone to grow a bountiful garden in almost any location that is highly productive while being much less labor intensive. Not to mention, it's a festive addition that makes a great focal point through the fall and winter. Towards the end of spring, recycle the bales into mulch and compost to help you perennials through the summer. Harvesting potatoes means simply knocking over a bale and picking up the produce - with no digging required! Come get your hands dirty and plant a straw bale, learn different watering techniques, how to condition the bales, and how weeding is nearly nonexistent through this method. Make corn dollies for the youngsters to take home and learn about a traditional custom practiced by cultures from around the world to ensure a bountiful harvest the following year.
Vegetable Gardener's Checklist - October
Here is the vegetable gardener's checklist for October compiled by Patty Leander for the Compost Bin newsletter, Texas Master Gardeners Association:
- Lettuce and spinach should be seeded throughout the cool season, either from seed or transplants. Soak spinach seeds several hours before planting for better germination.
- Continue to seed flats of your favorite vegetables so you have a new wave of transplants available as needed to fill any gaps in your garden beds.
- Watch for harlequin bug and its black and white barrel shaped eggs; destroy the eggs to avoid an infestation of adults.
- Plant strawberries if you can find transplants; if planted now they will start producing berries early next spring.
- Harvest and enjoy your second season of squash, beans and cucumbers, then pull them up and make room for additional plantings of cool season vegetables.
- Harvest sweet potatoes later this month (or any time they are big enough to eat). Handle them carefully to avoid cutting or damaging their skin and they will store longer. Wipe the dirt off but do not wash until you are ready to cook them. Cure them for about a week in a warm, humid spot (like the garage) before eating, this will initiate the conversion of starches to sugars and will improve their flavor.
- Grow your favorite herbs in a spot that gets full sun and has good drainage.
- Plant garlic this month. Look up Gourmet Garlic Gardens in Bangs, Texas (www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com) for a great selection of unusual varieties and everything you ever wanted to know about planting garlic.
What to plant in October
early-mid month: Arugala, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, and kohlrabi.
Officer and Zone Coordinator Contacts - Sunshine Garden
Officers
- President - Jeff Monks garden@jeffmonks.com
- Vice President - Jim Willmann jwillmann@texasnurses.org
- Secretary - Shannon Posern scgsecretary@gmail.com
- Treasurer - Caroline Limaye scgtreasurer1@gmail.com
- Director - Michael Hall fibercable@austin.rr.com
- Director - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Director - Vacant
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 Kadukova 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
- Compost Coordinator - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmail.com
- Compost Tea - Jennifer Woertz jennifer.woertz@urs.com
- Education Committee - Shannon Posern shannonposern@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