Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
October 15 Plot Checks
In the gardens today I took a few photos to share:
Check back next month and maybe you will see a photo of your garden plot!
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| The first apple from a tree donated a few years ago at the West Washington Community Garden |
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| Perfect for the season! At Portola Community Garden For an October harvest, pumpkins should be planted in May. |
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| This is what broccoli looks like when it's not harvested- look closely and you can see the long seed pods forming. |
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| Flowers on a lemon tree salvaged from the compost heap many year ago. Since we transplanted it into a wine barrel and moved it to the Portola Community Garden it has thrived. The flowers smell wonderful! |
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| These are very small lemons! |
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| From last week at the Ft. Scott Community Garden: a cross orb weaver spider or a "Pumpkin Spider"- perfect for the time of year they are mature! Araneus diadematus Check out this article from last year: Bay Nature article and one from SF Gate. |
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
What to Plant: October, November, December
October
Garlic: The 15th is the traditional day to plant garlic. Garlic should be purchased from a disease-free supplier. Here's an example: Territorial Seed Garlic is planted (pointy end up!) and grows over the winter. In early summer it starts turning brown and you have to stop watering so it doesn't mold. Then when the plant is about 50% brown you pull them and let them cure for a bit before cutting off the leaves or braiding them. Garlic is a fun crop and there are many varieties out there.
Artichoke (root-stock): You purchase a smallish root and plant it. Then you have a huge artichoke plant, so think about how much space you want to devote to this vegetable! Make sure it doesn't grow into the pathways- plant them in the center of the boxes.
Carrots (seeds): Always grow carrots from seeds! They do like warm soil, so we are getting to the end of carrot growing season, but give them a try. You need to sow fairly thickly and then thin, thin, thin the plants so you end up with about 2" between each carrot.
Chard
Fava beans- for food or as a cover crop
Lettuce
Onion (seeds)
Parsnips (seeds)
Peas
Radish (seeds)
Shallots (sets):
What is a shallot set? Sets are bundles of small bulbs- you buy them for shallots and onions. Each small bulb should grow into a full sized bulb ready for harvest. I haven't had much success with shallots, but have had some great onion harvests- plant them in January.
Spinach: week 1 & 2
November
Artichoke (rootstock)
Fava Beans
Garlic
Peas (snap, sugar): This is it for fall pea planting! Protect the new plants from birds and snails- use a small plastic bottle or even a milk carton once the seed sprouts. You can start the seeds indoors 3 weeks before planting outside. And then go build a nice sturdy trellis so your peas are happy and productive!! They need a trellis.
Strawberry (plants): This is the best time of year to plant strawberries! The winter cold improves their ability to produce fruit. If you buy plants in containers, it's easy to plant them at the same depth as they were in the pot. If you buy bare-root plants it's important not to bury the crown (where the top meets the roots). Space 10" apart, keeping soil level around them, 6" from edge of garden box. Cut off any runners that grow to encourage the mother plant to develop and make more fruit.
Radishes
These may be worth trying:
Cabbage (plants)
Chard
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard greens
December
Radish
Rhubarb
These may be worth trying:
Artichoke (root-stock)
Chard
Fava Beans
Garlic
Leeks
Lettuce
Shallots (sets)
Don't forget to visit your garden over the winter- the weeds will be growing even when you aren't there!
Garlic: The 15th is the traditional day to plant garlic. Garlic should be purchased from a disease-free supplier. Here's an example: Territorial Seed Garlic is planted (pointy end up!) and grows over the winter. In early summer it starts turning brown and you have to stop watering so it doesn't mold. Then when the plant is about 50% brown you pull them and let them cure for a bit before cutting off the leaves or braiding them. Garlic is a fun crop and there are many varieties out there.
Artichoke (root-stock): You purchase a smallish root and plant it. Then you have a huge artichoke plant, so think about how much space you want to devote to this vegetable! Make sure it doesn't grow into the pathways- plant them in the center of the boxes.
Carrots (seeds): Always grow carrots from seeds! They do like warm soil, so we are getting to the end of carrot growing season, but give them a try. You need to sow fairly thickly and then thin, thin, thin the plants so you end up with about 2" between each carrot.
Chard
Fava beans- for food or as a cover crop
Lettuce
Onion (seeds)
Parsnips (seeds)
Peas
Radish (seeds)
Shallots (sets):
What is a shallot set? Sets are bundles of small bulbs- you buy them for shallots and onions. Each small bulb should grow into a full sized bulb ready for harvest. I haven't had much success with shallots, but have had some great onion harvests- plant them in January.
Spinach: week 1 & 2
November
Artichoke (rootstock)
Fava Beans
Garlic
Peas (snap, sugar): This is it for fall pea planting! Protect the new plants from birds and snails- use a small plastic bottle or even a milk carton once the seed sprouts. You can start the seeds indoors 3 weeks before planting outside. And then go build a nice sturdy trellis so your peas are happy and productive!! They need a trellis.
Strawberry (plants): This is the best time of year to plant strawberries! The winter cold improves their ability to produce fruit. If you buy plants in containers, it's easy to plant them at the same depth as they were in the pot. If you buy bare-root plants it's important not to bury the crown (where the top meets the roots). Space 10" apart, keeping soil level around them, 6" from edge of garden box. Cut off any runners that grow to encourage the mother plant to develop and make more fruit.
Radishes
These may be worth trying:
Cabbage (plants)
Chard
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard greens
December
Radish
Rhubarb
These may be worth trying:
Artichoke (root-stock)
Chard
Fava Beans
Garlic
Leeks
Lettuce
Shallots (sets)
Don't forget to visit your garden over the winter- the weeds will be growing even when you aren't there!
October Garden Notes
Fall is definitely here! The mornings are damper, the days getting shorter, and we have lots and lots of sunshine (finally!). We've been busy working; here are a few notes about garden happenings:
In the historic Ft. Scott Garden we've been hosting corporate groups to help us with larger projects- removing ivy and blackberry vines, and creating new, usable spaces; we're moving the composting area so that the old composting area can become our new gathering space.
Here's a "before" picture of the new compost area:
Thanks to Salesforce.com for 2 hours of ivy clearing on September 26th- they were hard workers! -->
We want to feature our historic stone walls, not hide them behind compost bins! Come to the potluck on Sunday Oct. 20 starting at 11am to explore this historic gem of the Presidio. Here is the webpage for the garden.
At the MacArthur Community Garden we'll be working with 10 members of the freshman class of the Bay School to weed and mulch the pathways: October 16 from 9:30-11:30am.
Here's another use for a pea trellis! The hawks are in the garden all the time keeping me company. Sometimes we see owls too, but they are usually hiding during the day.
What's going on in the plots right now?
In the historic Ft. Scott Garden we've been hosting corporate groups to help us with larger projects- removing ivy and blackberry vines, and creating new, usable spaces; we're moving the composting area so that the old composting area can become our new gathering space.
Here's a "before" picture of the new compost area:
We want to feature our historic stone walls, not hide them behind compost bins! Come to the potluck on Sunday Oct. 20 starting at 11am to explore this historic gem of the Presidio. Here is the webpage for the garden.
At the MacArthur Community Garden we'll be working with 10 members of the freshman class of the Bay School to weed and mulch the pathways: October 16 from 9:30-11:30am.
Here's another use for a pea trellis! The hawks are in the garden all the time keeping me company. Sometimes we see owls too, but they are usually hiding during the day.
What's going on in the plots right now?
- Folks who planted fall crops have some really nice gardens growing. One member at Baker Beach was having trouble getting her garden to grow. I spent an hour or so helping to prep the soil and plant on Sept 9 and I was amazed at how everything had grown when I checked on the plots Oct 7. If you are struggling or want some help, please email me and I'm happy to come out!
- Powdery mildew, which always strikes during the fog days of summer, is abating with all the sunshine. Cut off all affected leaves and put them in the compost bins. The plant will usually keep growing and producing. Watch for the mildew on chard, kale, broccoli, and squash.
- Check your plants for baby snails and aphids. Both should be removed and squashed. If a plant is seriously infected with aphids, I suggest removing it completely. What does an aphid infestation look like? Usually a lot of grey fuzz, but on chives I've seen black aphids.
- Don't forget to water! The rainy season hasn't started yet, and while it is damp in the morning you still need to check your garden at least twice a week. Check the moisture by putting a finger into the soil 1-2" deep. If it's dry, water it.
- Haven't planted fall crops? You can plant a cover crop instead- fava beans are great. They grow over the winter, fixing nitrogen. Then in the spring you chop them up and mix them into the soil. They break down and add lots of nutrients to your soil. A great alternative to winter veggies.
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