May 2010
24th-25th Excellent Time For Planting Corn, Beans, Peppers, And Other Above Ground Crops. Favorable For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.
26th-27th First Day Excellent For Planting Above Ground Crops. Second Day Favorable For Carrots, Beets, Onions, Turnips, And Other Root Crops. Both Days Good For Planting Cabbage, Lettuce And Other Leafy Vegetables, And For Planting Seedbeds.
28th-30th Do No Planting.
31st. Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.
June 2010
1st. Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.
2nd-4th Poor Days For Planting. Kill Plant Pests, Spray, Fertilize, Do General Farm Work.
5th-6th Favorable Time For Planting Late Root Crops. Also Good For Vine Crops. Set Strawberry Plants.
7th-9th Cut Hay Or Do Plowing On These Barren Days.
10th-11th Good Days For Planting Root Crops.
12th-13th Seeds Planted Now Tend To Rot In Ground.
14th-15th Plant Tomatoes, Beans, Peppers, Corn, Cotton, And Other Above Ground Crops On These Most Fruitful Days. Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens
16th-19th Poor Period For Planting. Kill Plant Pests, Clear Fence Rows, Clear Land.
20th-21st Favorable For Planting Peas, Beans, Tomatoes, And Other Fall Crops Bearing Yield Above Ground. Sow Grains And Forage Crops. Plant Flowers.
22nd-24th Extra Good For Planting Fall Lettuce, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, And Other Leafy Vegetables. All Above Ground Crops Planted Now Will Do Well. Plant Seedbeds.
25th-26th Poor Planting Days. Cut Hay Or Do General Farm Work.
27th-29th Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.
30th. Poor Day For Planting. Kill Plant Pests, Spray, Fertilize, Do General Farm Work.
Happy Gardening, Beth
Our Mission is to... Improve the quality of life for the elderly & disabled in our community by producing home-grown nutritious food, reduce food budget, and eradicate hunger one person... one family at time.
Beth LaFata, Garden Coordinator cell 281 508 3040
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Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Upside down planting
Something else I'd like to try out... (parts of an article on yahoo) planters out of five-gallon plastic buckets. Cut a two-inch hole in the bottom of each bucket and thread a tomato seedling down through the opening, packing strips of newspaper around the root ball to keep it in place and to prevent dirt from falling out. Then fill the buckets with soil mixed with compost and hang them.
Upside-down gardening, primarily of leggy crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, is more common partly because of the ubiquity of Topsy Turvy planters, which are breathlessly advertised on television and have prominent placement at retailers like Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Bed Bath & Beyond.
The advantages of upside-down gardening are many: it saves space; there is no need for stakes or cages; it foils pests and fungus; there are fewer, if any, weeds; there is efficient delivery of water and nutrients thanks to gravity; and it allows for greater air circulation and sunlight exposure.
Happy Gardening, Beth
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Pergola is done... the fun begins now
Thanx in large to David & Linda Kessler, the pergola for the toddler area is done. Every muscle in my body is hurting but I'm incredibly happy with the day. It just plain feels good!!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
We got BEETS !!!
Thanx Willie Mae Hubbard for bring us buckets of red and yellow beets... now I have to learn to pickle them
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Aleesa's Birthday party ends at the Garden
Aleesa Morgan added to her Birthday sleepover bash a trip to the Garden for her and her friends to plant potatoes in hay and tires. They talked about how they are recycling, and growing things for the Meals on Wheels people to eat. Was a good couple of hours
Monday, May 10, 2010
Kids in the Garden
1. Kid gardens must be kid-based. This means that kids help generate the ideas for what will be there, help with construction and planting, and are responsible for maintenance. Grown-up’s need to facilitate and show how, but not do everything. Focus on the process of involving them, and they will then take ownership.
2. Develop the garden to be appropriate for the site and regional conditions. Involve the kids in the site analysis process so they understand how important the light, soil, drainage and other environmental factors are to having a garden. Develop the garden so the features and plant choices are adapted to local conditions, so you are not “working against nature.”
3. Focus on functional garden design, not how it will look. Start the design process by determining what the children want to be doing and learning in the garden. Base the features on the practical functions they will serve, and don’t worry too much about aesthetics. Gardens that serve as hands-on learning laboratories for kids will be beautiful because they are well-used and well-loved spaces. Also remember that the children’s sense of what is pretty may not be yours; that’s ok because the garden is their space.
4. Be comfortable with dirt. All kids are washable, so as long as parents have been notified about the gardening activity in advance and haven’t sent them in fancy clothing, let them get dirty. If mud is a concern once the kids are going back inside the building, try plastic grocery sacks over their shoes, or set up and hand-washing and shoe-scraping station before they go back inside.
5. Bugs and crawly critters are cool. Children aren’t inherently afraid of things that crawl and creep. They learn that these things are bad or scary or icky from adults. When you pass on an aversion to something because of how it looks, that’s called “prejudice.” Worms, caterpillars, grubs, insects, spiders and all sorts of wondrous creatures are out in your garden as part of the ecosystem. Please see them as integral parts of the system, and the kids will be amazed and curious, not afraid. Check out Worms Eat My Garbage and other great teaching resources on garden critters.
6. No chemicals. Given that you are gardening with children, this really should not need any explanation. Also in urban areas, it is advisable to have a basic soil assessment for lead and other urban contaminants to make sure your site is safe for children before the garden is developed.
7. Grow some things to eat. Children are much more willing to try and consume fresh fruits and vegetables that they have grown. In fact, they likely will try things they never have eaten before because they have tended the plants through harvest. Since 60% of kids today don’t eat enough fruits and veggies, learn more through the There’s a Rainbow on My Plate from the USDA and other kids nutrition resources. Have a harvest celebration and encourage the kids to share their bounty with others, whether informally or through national programs like “Plant a Row.”
8. Reinforce the lessons from the garden while indoors. Prepare the kids for their gardening experience by asking questions like, “What will we see today?” or “How much do you think things have grown since last week?” Engage kids in keeping journals and/or scrapbooks of their garden to monitor its progress through the season and over the years. If working with a school garden, integrate the garden across disciplines beyond science.
9. Keep it fun. Have enough equipment, whether trowels or watering cans, to allow small teams of 4-8 kids to work together on a task. Many children do better in small group situations, and it’s also easier to guide the kids when each team has a specific assignment. Try partnering older (grades 5-8 or HS) and younger children to provide younger kids with a helper, and help older children be more responsible. Have a plan for how the kids’ time in the garden will be organized so they aren’t left idle for long, but also be open to the “teachable moments” that come along.
10. Gardening is a powerful experience for children. Children have fewer and fewer chances to interact with the natural world, and the connection to nature is important for their development. Children who develop regard and concern for the natural world come to be good stewards of the land and its resources. Being responsible for tending a garden also fosters their sense of “nurturing” and helps them learn to care for other living things. Kids don’t often hear much positive feedback from adults, and creating and tending a garden also empowers kids because they hear that they have “done a good job” from other adults.
Happy Gardening, Beth
2. Develop the garden to be appropriate for the site and regional conditions. Involve the kids in the site analysis process so they understand how important the light, soil, drainage and other environmental factors are to having a garden. Develop the garden so the features and plant choices are adapted to local conditions, so you are not “working against nature.”
3. Focus on functional garden design, not how it will look. Start the design process by determining what the children want to be doing and learning in the garden. Base the features on the practical functions they will serve, and don’t worry too much about aesthetics. Gardens that serve as hands-on learning laboratories for kids will be beautiful because they are well-used and well-loved spaces. Also remember that the children’s sense of what is pretty may not be yours; that’s ok because the garden is their space.
4. Be comfortable with dirt. All kids are washable, so as long as parents have been notified about the gardening activity in advance and haven’t sent them in fancy clothing, let them get dirty. If mud is a concern once the kids are going back inside the building, try plastic grocery sacks over their shoes, or set up and hand-washing and shoe-scraping station before they go back inside.
5. Bugs and crawly critters are cool. Children aren’t inherently afraid of things that crawl and creep. They learn that these things are bad or scary or icky from adults. When you pass on an aversion to something because of how it looks, that’s called “prejudice.” Worms, caterpillars, grubs, insects, spiders and all sorts of wondrous creatures are out in your garden as part of the ecosystem. Please see them as integral parts of the system, and the kids will be amazed and curious, not afraid. Check out Worms Eat My Garbage and other great teaching resources on garden critters.
6. No chemicals. Given that you are gardening with children, this really should not need any explanation. Also in urban areas, it is advisable to have a basic soil assessment for lead and other urban contaminants to make sure your site is safe for children before the garden is developed.
7. Grow some things to eat. Children are much more willing to try and consume fresh fruits and vegetables that they have grown. In fact, they likely will try things they never have eaten before because they have tended the plants through harvest. Since 60% of kids today don’t eat enough fruits and veggies, learn more through the There’s a Rainbow on My Plate from the USDA and other kids nutrition resources. Have a harvest celebration and encourage the kids to share their bounty with others, whether informally or through national programs like “Plant a Row.”
8. Reinforce the lessons from the garden while indoors. Prepare the kids for their gardening experience by asking questions like, “What will we see today?” or “How much do you think things have grown since last week?” Engage kids in keeping journals and/or scrapbooks of their garden to monitor its progress through the season and over the years. If working with a school garden, integrate the garden across disciplines beyond science.
9. Keep it fun. Have enough equipment, whether trowels or watering cans, to allow small teams of 4-8 kids to work together on a task. Many children do better in small group situations, and it’s also easier to guide the kids when each team has a specific assignment. Try partnering older (grades 5-8 or HS) and younger children to provide younger kids with a helper, and help older children be more responsible. Have a plan for how the kids’ time in the garden will be organized so they aren’t left idle for long, but also be open to the “teachable moments” that come along.
10. Gardening is a powerful experience for children. Children have fewer and fewer chances to interact with the natural world, and the connection to nature is important for their development. Children who develop regard and concern for the natural world come to be good stewards of the land and its resources. Being responsible for tending a garden also fosters their sense of “nurturing” and helps them learn to care for other living things. Kids don’t often hear much positive feedback from adults, and creating and tending a garden also empowers kids because they hear that they have “done a good job” from other adults.
Happy Gardening, Beth
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Building our Wooden Pergola Sat, May 15th
Step 1: Select Site, Set Posts
Select the site for the pergola and mark the placement of the four posts. Use a post-hole digger or two-person auger to dig holes to a depth of 24 inches and width of 9 inches. Add a few inches of gravel to the bottom of the holes for drainage. Insert 4x4 posts into the holes. Ensure the posts are level and plumb. Attach temporary 2x4 bracing to hold in place. Mix fast-drying cement according to manufacturer's directions and pour in holes. Let cure for 24 hours.
Step 2: Attach Joist Beams
Cut joist beams from 2x10 boards to span the pergola posts. To create a decorative look on the end of the joist beams, draw a straight or curved design on the wood and cut along the line with a jigsaw. Temporarily clamp in place while holes are drilled through the beams and posts. Attach the beams to the posts using 3-inch lag bolts.
Step 3: Attach Stringers
Cut the stringers from 2x6 boards to span and overhang the joist beams. To create a decorative look on the end of the stringers, draw a straight or curved design on the wood and cut along the line with a jigsaw. Evenly space the stringers perpendicular to the beams and toenail in place using 3-inch galvanized deck screws.
Growing Tomatoes in hanging baskets
If garden space is limited, don't rule out growing tomatoes. Instead put them in hanging baskets:
1. Line a wire basket with sphagnum moss that's been soaked in water.
2. Amend sterilized potting soil with a slow-release fertilizer as well as some polymer pellets to increase the soil's water-holding capacity.
3. Fill the bottom of the moss-lined basket with a 1" layer of amended potting soil.
4. Choose a small-fruiting variety of tomato such as 'Sweet One-Hundred'.
5. Set the plant in the wire basket, and fill in around the root ball with soil.
6. Water the plant and cover the surface of the soil with more moss to help keep the soil moist.
Tomatoes grown in hanging baskets may need water every day in warm weather. Make sure you hang them in an area where watering won't be a problem.
Happy Gardening, Beth
1. Line a wire basket with sphagnum moss that's been soaked in water.
2. Amend sterilized potting soil with a slow-release fertilizer as well as some polymer pellets to increase the soil's water-holding capacity.
3. Fill the bottom of the moss-lined basket with a 1" layer of amended potting soil.
4. Choose a small-fruiting variety of tomato such as 'Sweet One-Hundred'.
5. Set the plant in the wire basket, and fill in around the root ball with soil.
6. Water the plant and cover the surface of the soil with more moss to help keep the soil moist.
Tomatoes grown in hanging baskets may need water every day in warm weather. Make sure you hang them in an area where watering won't be a problem.
Happy Gardening, Beth
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Garden Work Day Sat, May 15th
The Garden needs you.... Saturday, May 15th, bring your construction tools, muscle and lets get Plant-it Elijah built.
Furr's Lumber donated a load of lumber so we can begin building this toddler area.
We'll be building a pergola like this one... approx 8x8 to 10x10 depending on the lumber we have
and a dirt box, small storage bin and 2-3 simple benches.
We will still need nails/screws, water seal of some kind, mulch, kids size garden tools, hooks to hand baskets from pergola, colorful flags or windmills or decor
Looking forward to working with you all
Happy Gardening, Beth
Monday, May 3, 2010
Garden Needs for May
Hello neighbor:
Just imagine if we could get fresh food to people in need right here at home.
Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County has started a Community Garden. We have 3 acres, and have planted 5 fruit trees and 8 garden squares of vegetables so far. Yet we have a long way to go and cannot do this without the help of the community. That is where you come in.
The benefits of community gardens are priceless:
improves the quality of life for people in the garden;
provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development;
encourages self-reliance;
reduces family food budgets;
conserves resources;
By helping The Garden at Meals on Wheels, you are not just helping those on the Meals on Wheels program, but you are also investing in the long-term future health of your (our) community. A healthy community is the most valuable asset, and by helping The Garden, you will be planting seeds for current as well as future citizens.
By contributing to the Garden you can help our community immeasurably, and feel good about it all! Any size Garden Square you’re willing to adopt or any size donation will be greatly appreciated! Please check the garden blog (linked below) for the most up to date progress and needs.
Here are a few of the current needs:
Donations for fencing, have one bid for $2500
Donations for irrigation, no bids as of today
garden soil, by the truck load or by the bag
Garden borders, lumber, bricks, rubber borders, etc.
lawn mower
tiller
volunteers to help with daily watering with hoses till irrigation is in place
volunteers to help with weeding and pruning of veggies and fruit trees
someone to make us a sign
someone to help with various construction
Please contact Beth LaFata, Garden Manager, at (281) 508-3040 cell (or this email) or Patty Clark, Meals on Wheel Executive Director, at (940) 327-9434 to find out how we can work together to give our community the best garden possible.
We hope to hear from you soon and thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Beth LaFata
Garden Manager
PS: In lieu of planting a Garden Square or fruit tree, we’d be happy to accept any financial donation. Please specify any monetary donation as “For the Garden”
Please note: The Garden is a program of Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County, 501(c)(3) non-profit status, which means that donations are fully tax-deductible.
Just imagine if we could get fresh food to people in need right here at home.
Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County has started a Community Garden. We have 3 acres, and have planted 5 fruit trees and 8 garden squares of vegetables so far. Yet we have a long way to go and cannot do this without the help of the community. That is where you come in.
The benefits of community gardens are priceless:
improves the quality of life for people in the garden;
provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development;
encourages self-reliance;
reduces family food budgets;
conserves resources;
By helping The Garden at Meals on Wheels, you are not just helping those on the Meals on Wheels program, but you are also investing in the long-term future health of your (our) community. A healthy community is the most valuable asset, and by helping The Garden, you will be planting seeds for current as well as future citizens.
By contributing to the Garden you can help our community immeasurably, and feel good about it all! Any size Garden Square you’re willing to adopt or any size donation will be greatly appreciated! Please check the garden blog (linked below) for the most up to date progress and needs.
Here are a few of the current needs:
Donations for fencing, have one bid for $2500
Donations for irrigation, no bids as of today
garden soil, by the truck load or by the bag
Garden borders, lumber, bricks, rubber borders, etc.
lawn mower
tiller
volunteers to help with daily watering with hoses till irrigation is in place
volunteers to help with weeding and pruning of veggies and fruit trees
someone to make us a sign
someone to help with various construction
Please contact Beth LaFata, Garden Manager, at (281) 508-3040 cell (or this email) or Patty Clark, Meals on Wheel Executive Director, at (940) 327-9434 to find out how we can work together to give our community the best garden possible.
We hope to hear from you soon and thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Beth LaFata
Garden Manager
PS: In lieu of planting a Garden Square or fruit tree, we’d be happy to accept any financial donation. Please specify any monetary donation as “For the Garden”
Please note: The Garden is a program of Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County, 501(c)(3) non-profit status, which means that donations are fully tax-deductible.
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