It's time to start the new year and as you read in the newsletter we use the off season to make improvements to the garden. Hard to believe we're entering our 5th growing season, congratulations to those of you that have been with us since the beginning...some of you were the first to put down deposits before we even had a site identified.
As mentioned in the newsletter, we have started the process of replacing the lumber bed frames with a long lasting recycled plastic lumber. This product will outlast a lot of us and is a visible representation of all the plastic water/soda bottles and milk jugs people recycle. So keep recycling! Originally we would have liked to have used this plastic lumber but budgeting constraints prevented that. The plan is to gradually purchase plastic lumber for all the beds but accept the fact this will be a multi year project.
The new deeper lumber beds will be stocked with fresh soil. An added benefit is the deeper beds will help with the drainage issues. I thank all of you that took the time, effort, and money to raise your individual beds. Obviously you've invested a lot in our community garden and in time you'll get the plastic lumber and additional soil. I will make one proposition, if I get at least 10 gardeners to pay ahead for 3 years we can order additional plastic lumber. I require at least 10 due to the shipping cost involved.
The El Nino weather pattern has dumped copious amounts of rain over the area including the garden. I've identified areas where we'll install French drains to carry off the excess water. More importantly, we're going to raise the water hose bibs out of the ground valve wells and they will be mounted on posts. No more reaching into stagnant water to turn the water on and off.
We have a new pavilion, let's put it to good use. And electricity too!
In the meantime, I put a stack of seed catalogs in the garden library box. I've ordered all my seeds and it's Christmas in January as packages show up at my doorstep. For the record, cabbage seeds get planted as soon as they arrive sometime in the next 10 days. "Farao" cabbage did wonderfully for me both as a spring and fall crop.
Here's looking forward to a wonderfully productive growing season,
Larry
As mentioned in the newsletter, we have started the process of replacing the lumber bed frames with a long lasting recycled plastic lumber. This product will outlast a lot of us and is a visible representation of all the plastic water/soda bottles and milk jugs people recycle. So keep recycling! Originally we would have liked to have used this plastic lumber but budgeting constraints prevented that. The plan is to gradually purchase plastic lumber for all the beds but accept the fact this will be a multi year project.
The new deeper lumber beds will be stocked with fresh soil. An added benefit is the deeper beds will help with the drainage issues. I thank all of you that took the time, effort, and money to raise your individual beds. Obviously you've invested a lot in our community garden and in time you'll get the plastic lumber and additional soil. I will make one proposition, if I get at least 10 gardeners to pay ahead for 3 years we can order additional plastic lumber. I require at least 10 due to the shipping cost involved.
The El Nino weather pattern has dumped copious amounts of rain over the area including the garden. I've identified areas where we'll install French drains to carry off the excess water. More importantly, we're going to raise the water hose bibs out of the ground valve wells and they will be mounted on posts. No more reaching into stagnant water to turn the water on and off.
We have a new pavilion, let's put it to good use. And electricity too!
In the meantime, I put a stack of seed catalogs in the garden library box. I've ordered all my seeds and it's Christmas in January as packages show up at my doorstep. For the record, cabbage seeds get planted as soon as they arrive sometime in the next 10 days. "Farao" cabbage did wonderfully for me both as a spring and fall crop.
Here's looking forward to a wonderfully productive growing season,
Larry
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