Upcoming dates/ aphids + weed links

Hi Presidio Community Gardeners!

First, thanks to those of you who let me know that the blog posts arrive in your email the day after I post them. That's really good for me to know. I'm sorry to those of you who missed the bonus seedling give-away day- it was really a last minute decision to work on Saturday once I saw how much rain was expected today.

Upcoming calendar dates:

The next planned seedling and compost give-away will be on Saturday, March 9 at the Ft. Scott Community Garden. I'm going to extend the hours from 10am to 3pm. Please mark this on your calendar if you want to come, as I'll be on vacation from tomorrow until March 7 so won't be able to send a reminder until the day before.

April 16 is the spring planting cut-off but March is the best time to plant (if you didn't do it in February).

What's happening in the garden?

Aphids! They are starting to be out in force, covering the bottom of kale and all sorts of other plants in the Brassicaceae family. Check the underside of leaves and the tender growing centers. You can try to wash or brush them off, spray with insecticidal soap, or remove severely infested leaves.  

Here are links about many of the common weeds you may find in your plot. Understanding weed ecology is key to effective weed management! Does it spread via runners? Underground bulblets? Seeds? UC IPM is a good starting place. [IPM = integrated pest management]
Chickweed
Popweed
Oxalis
Sowthistle
Bindweed
Groundsel
Woodsorrel

We're also clearing out last year's crops to make space for spring planting. Here is a cabbage and a potato- they gave us a laugh!

Enjoy your gardens!!